A cruise ship operator has cancelled its sailing from Dundee later this year, leaving customers without a holiday.
Classic International Cruises has apologised to unhappy passengers for the ”regrettable decision”, saying the move was due to poor ticket sales.
The plan was for the MV Arion to berth in the Port of Dundee on June 14 before embarking on a 10-night voyage around the Norway coastline.
The sudden cancellation has dealt a major blow to travel agents, with disappointed customers being offered a full refund or an alternative cruise.
Emma Ward, head of UK sales for Classic International Cruises, said: ”We started selling our programme last year and planned to bring our smallest ship to the UK under our own brand. But unfortunately the sales have not been good.
”We really are very sorry but we can’t sail an empty ship. We are still determined to bring our cruise product to the UK and to Dundee in 2013.”
Dundee would have been the final stop for the cruise liner before it set an easterly course over the North Sea towards Norway. Passengers were also set to board at Falmouth and Hull.
Classic International Cruises say only around a third of the 320 cruise tickets had been sold.
One travel agent already counting the cost of the cancellation is Ramsay World Travel.
Owner Colin Ramsay said the cancellation had damaged any ambitions of Dundee becoming a port for liners belonging to Classic International Cruises.
”Ticket sales out of Dundee were a success that is the galling thing,” he said. ”Most of our customers have been rebooked for a cheaper cruise leaving from Rosyth.”
Photo by reader John Holt