1. 38 CRUISE PORTS & DESTINATIONS l SEPTEMBER 2016
PROFILE
hat a difference a
decade makes. Ten
years ago Ports Direct
was providing coach
and taxi cruise transfer
services to the industry.
Fast-forward to 2016 and the company
now has more than 1,000 Mercedes cars
at its disposal around the UK which take
passengers straight to their ship in style.
Managing Director Karl Lapage said:
“We initially started the company after
being approached by Voyana Cruises in
2006, who asked if we could provide a
transfer service to them.
“We developed a system which
included coach transfers to and from the
ship, plus a taxi service collecting people
from home and taking them to the closest
of the 71 coach pick-up hubs around the
country.
“After operating the service for a first
year we felt that it wasn’t right for the
industry so we dropped the coaches
and used three to eight-passenger seat
vehicles so passengers could stay in the
vehicles for the duration of the transfer
rather than changeover mid-journey.”
Karl added: “We now offer a shared
door-to-door service to Fred. Olsen,
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises,
P&O and Voyages to Antiquity to the
ports of Southampton, Dover, Harwich,
Tilbury, Liverpool, Avonmouth, Glasgow
and Port of Tyne. We also offer private
transfers from anywhere in the UK to
just about anywhere else in the UK.
“Last year we supplied more than
1,000 Mercedes car transfers to Royal
Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises during
2015 for a special promotion they were
running on Anthem of the Seas and
Celebrity Eclipse.”
Ports Direct is an ABTA member and
as well as routine bookings the company
steps in when passengers need an
unscheduled service.
Karl said: “When Fred. Olsen
passengers were returned home early due
a problem on Black Watch we were on
standby to get people home as smoothly
as possible.”
Chris Hutchings, Passenger Manager,
at Fred. Olsen Cruise Line, said: “Ports
Direct worked closely with us, in the
“We’rea
familyfeel
firmthat
reallycares”
Clear signage when
meeting passengers
Attentive service from
port to home
Karl Lapage
interest of our guests’ convenience, to
redirect guests’ cars to the most suitable
airport or seaport, when, during a recent
and unfortunate incident on board
804-guest ship Black Watch, guests had
their cruise curtailed and had to be flown
home to the UK from Madeira.”
Karl said: “We pulled out all the stops
to react quickly and meet passengers at
all sorts of times, day and night. We are
a family-feel business and we really care
about what we do.”
n Ports Direct has more than 5,000 agents
registered to make bookings and they can
earn a commission from 10% to 15%.
Agents can register for an online account
at portsdirect.co.uk/agent
For details call 0843 0843 003 or email info@
portsdirect.co.uk