EasyCruise Line Keeps American Market in the Crosshairs

The founder of easyCruise says he´ll bring his bright orange ship to South Florida later this year for a no-frills alternative to traditional cruising.

Entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou said last week that he plans to begin offering Caribbean cruises from Miami or Fort Lauderdale in November aboard easyCruiseOne, his bare-bones, no-frills cruise liner now sailing between Barbados and Martinique.

Haji-Ioannou said he´s in talks with Fort Lauderdale´s Bahia Mar Yachting Center and marinas in Miami Beach about offering easyCruise passengers an alternative to South Florida´s bustling ports, which he believes make for “intimidating” departure points.

Haji-Ioannou, the 38-year-old founder of easyJet, Europe´s second-largest discount airline, launched easyCruise in May in the Mediterranean, catering to young British travelers. He said he´s now keen on becoming a player in the North American cruising market, which accounts for the overwhelming majority of cruisers worldwide.

At 4,000 tons, easyCruiseOne is tiny compared to the typical 70,000-ton cruise liner sailing from South Florida. The orange-and-white ship carries 170 passengers and lacks many of the amenities found on other liners, such as casinos and spas. Fares are as low as $24 per person per day.