Cruise companies seek to allay fears

A number of major cruise lines, including P&O, Cunard and Royal Caribbean, have stopped working with Gill’s Cruise Centre.

But Gill’s is a member of travel organisation Abta and its bookings are protected under its Abta bond. And cruise companies said that holidays already booked with Gill’s would go ahead.

One company no longer working with Gill’s is Carnival UK, which includes P&O Cruises, Cunard, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruises.

Carnival UK’s sales and customer services director Giles Hawke said: “We severed our agency relationship with Gill’s earlier this week. We were becoming concerned with their financial position and decided to make sure that our holiday bookings were secure and safe.”

He added that if a customer had booked a Carnival cruise with Gill’s their holiday was safe.

He went on: “We are contacting all the people who have booked future trips with us through Gill’s. If, for example, they have paid a deposit with Gills, then they will pay the balance to us.

“Also we will honour any discounted deals that have been booked.”

Those logging on to Gill’s website yesterday, and also those ringing its contact number, were told: “Gill’s Cruise Centre regrets that it is currently unable to accept new booking enquiries.

“Our existing clients with queries should telephone our client service department on 0845 460 6094.”

A spokeswoman for Abta said yesterday: “We are in contact with Gill’s and we are waiting for a formal update of their trading status.