In an industry first, a hotel company has announced it will
brand a cruise product.
Starting early this year, Hilton International will partner with
Festival Cruises of Genoa, Italy. Festival is marketed as First
European Cruises in North America.
The venture, to be called Hilton Floating Resort on Festival
Cruises, will add Hilton-branded products to three Festival
ships.
“We believe it is a further welcome sign of the increasing
demand for our form of vacation that a company of Hilton’s stature
now wishes to be involved in cruises,” said George F. Poulides,
Festival’s chairman.
The agreement will create Hilton Suite on the European Stars,
the European Vision and the Mistral. These suites will feature the
service and amenities found in Hilton Executive rooms.
Both companies will market and promote the suites, but it was
unclear whether Hilton would be involved in sales.
Poulides said the agreement will introduce First European, and
cruising in general, to Hilton clients.
“I am confident that the association will give yet another boost
to Festival’s own brand recognition,” he said.
Festival operates six ships, including the 2002-built European
Stars, 2001-built European Vision and 1999-built Mistral.
The other three vessels - Azur, Bolero and Flamenco - are
smaller and each is more than 30 years old.
Festival also is building two 80,000-ton, 2,000-passenger
ships.
They currently are scheduled for delivery in 2004 and 2005.
