Island Cruises under threat

As a result of the Island Cruises buyout, one of the joint venture’s two ships – Island Escape – is to be kept by TUI while the other, Island Star, will be returned to Royal Caribbean as part of tis Spanish brand Pullmantur Cruises. But cruise agents are guessing that the Island Cruises brand will cease, as TUI’s Thomson Cruises seeks to attract more older, higher spending passengers rather than the budget-aware first-timers who made up Island’s key group. The deal means that Island Escape will continue to operate its published itineraries in Brazil this winter and from Palma for next summer. Island Star will operate its Caribbean itineraries under the Island Cruises banner this winter until it is returned to Celebrity in April 2009.