Cruise fares cut 10%

Press, 9 December 1976, Page 2

Cruise fares cut 10%

By LES BLOXHAM, I travel editor A 10 per cent reduction in cruise fares, effective from! January 1, was announced] yesterday by P and O (N.Z.), Ltd. The surprise decision] came at a time when the; New Zealand travel industry! was expecting just the oppo- 1 site — an increase in the! wake of the devaluations on! both sides of the Tasman. j In a brief statement to travel agents, the company’s! passenger marketing man-! ager for New Zealand, Mr! Barry Hickman, said: “It has always been the policy of P and O to keep fares at the lowest possible level, and over recent years difficulty has been experienced in most areas during a period of increasing operating costs and inflationary trends.

“However, there are times when certain marketing concepts can he adopted to bring about benefits to pas sengers. “We are naturally very pleased to be able to announce that our fares will; be 10 per cent cheaper from January 1,” he said. Among the first to benefit will be passengers on "The Press” cruise in the Oriana round the South Pacific. This [will sail from Auckland on; January 4. Passengers who have al-) ready paid their fares in full' will receive a 10 per cent! refund, while others who! will pay later this month will have their fares adjusted accordingly. “The Press” cruise will call at Sydney, Suva, Pago Pago. Vava’u, and the Bay! of Islands before returning ;to Auckland on January 18. I It will be led by the I sports editor of “The Press”,'

( iMr Dick Brittenden, who 1 will be accompanied by his 1 wife, Joy. ; Arrangements are being! I made by "The Press” to air I [freight the latest copies ofj ! “The Press” to the various I < 'ports of call, so that mem-11 ;bers of the group will be's able to keep up with news t from home. t I Free N.A.C. air fares are s I being provided to and from : Auckland, and a special bus r I will transport the party t !from the airport to the ship.Hi Further details appear in t ■an advertisement on Page t 16. If