NEW YORK -- Frank Del Rio, Renaissance Cruises co-chief executive
officer, resigned.
Del Rio said his departure created "mixed emotions," but added,
"I am pleased with the progress that the company has made over the
past year with the travel agent community."
He continued, "The agency community, especially ASTA and CLIA
and our major consortia partners, have my particular gratitude for
their willingness to renew a meaningful relationship with
Renaissance. Their support was critical as Renaissance renewed its
commitment to the agency distribution system."
Renaissance's new owners, Malvern Maritime, hired former
Celebrity Cruises executive Manfred Ursprunger as chief executive
officer less than a month ago.
Ursprunger named another former Celebrity Cruises executive,
James Henwood, as vice president of sales.
Ursprunger, who was unavailable for comment, recently told
international shipping publications that improving travel agent
relations and upgrading the line's reservations systems are among
Renaissance's priorities.
He said the line would showcase one of the line's new "R" class
ships for travel agents later this year, when the ships
re-positions for a new Caribbean series.
Although schedules for the agent visits have not been finalized,
events are expected to take place in Boston, New York and Fort
Lauderdale.
Ursprunger said the line is evaluating whether to cut staff or
sign up with a new catering supplier and outsource technical
operations, among other measures. "Our goal is to become
financially successful," he said.
For his part, Del Rio served in a number of executive positions
at Renaissance since joining the company in 1993.
Del Rio, with the support of the company's former chairman, Ed
Rudner, was at the forefront of the premium-market line's
anti-agent schemes and promotions.
Renaissance not only set agent commissions at levels
significantly below cruising's other major lines, but sought to
convince consumers that generous agent commissions produced higher
cruise rates.
Renaissance underwent a sea change in agent policies last June,
shortly after Rudner's departure as chairman.
Faced with financial troubles and a rapidly growing fleet that
increased pressure on the line to produce passengers, Renaissance
reversed its anti-agent policies, embarking on an uphill campaign,
led by Del Rio, to win the favor of the agents it once spurned.
Renaissance quickly signed on to the industry-standard 10%
commission rate, and promised to give ASTA's consumer awareness
campaign $1 million if the line violated a pledge to stick to the
10% rate. The line also revised previously restrictive policies
regarding deposits and cancellation penalties.
For the most part, agents have reacted positively to
Renaissance's turn around, and some say they appreciate what Del
Rio efforts to repair the company's relations with agents.
"Our consortium members realize [Renaissance] tried something,
it didn't work, they realized their mistakes, and [Del Rio] went
out of his way to make amends," said Mike Wild, vice president of
cruise marketing at the Travelbyus Cruise Center in Orlando, Fla.
"Most people understand it was just business."