Travelscope is waving the white flag of surrender as their financial woes leave 40,000 travelers high and dry, over 10,000 of them without their end of year holiday trips they paid for.
Latest accounts filed at Companies House show that in 2006 Travelscope had a turnover of £75 million but made a loss of £1.9 million. The company went into receivership on December 21, 2007.
Mr Ford, founder of Travelscope 15 years ago, remortgaged his £1 million house in the Cotswolds village of Painswick in an eleventh hour bid to save his firm.
He said: "I am so very, very sorry for what's happened. I would like to apologise most sincerely to all 40,000 people who have holidays booked with us, particularly to the 10,000 who had Christmas and New Year bookings.
Paul Clark, an administrator handling the collapse, said: "We have 10,000 people expecting to go away with us in the next couple of weeks and we don't know yet whether they will be able to travel or will have to be refunded."
The company was a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), so all customers should get their money back.
Travelscope is facing legal action after cruise ship passenger, and elementary school teacher Pat Horn died from complications of catching Norovirus aboard Van Gogh on June 8, 2006.
An Inquest into her death found that the doctor aboard the ship did not report the death of one of the passengers to health inspectors who boarded the ship to investigate the virus. The death of Mrs Horn was not reported to the officials carrying out the inspection of the ship.
Ukrainian Dr. Andre Glumob said he did not realise that Mrs Horn had been vomiting or suffering diarrhoea.
The ship had seen a number of outbreaks of the Norovirus on board the Van Gogh throughout May and June 2006. During the cruise taken by Mrs Horn the ship was detained by the Maritime and coastguard agency on the advice of the director of public health. While health inspectors boarded the ship, the death of Mrs Horn was not reported to the officials carrying out the inspection of the ship.
Suki Chhokar, a Partner with law firm Irwin Mitchell who are representing other people who went on the ship, both at the same time as Mrs Horn and also on further cruises in June, said "I simply cannot believe that a ships doctor could fail to inform a health & safety inspector, given that the Van Gogh cruise ship was returning to port due to illness, and that the same doctor had treated the deceased as she became ill on board."
"We are currently conducting a civil case on behalf of our clients against the cruise operator Travelscope, and the information given at the inquest this week certainly gives reason for further serious concerns about health and safety procedures on board the ship."
With the agency belly up, it seems clear that damages will be hard to get in the norovirus victim cases, including Pat Horn's family case.
A note on the Travelscope website confirms that Travelscope business has been suspended.
Travelscope cruise ships included MV Van Gogh, MV Funchal, MS Hispania
MS Emerald, MS Britannia, MV Lord of the Glens with voyages to destinations around the world, including a world cruise. The next world cruise, already booked is affected by this company closure.
UPDATE: JANUARY 24, 2008
Club Cruise has contacted Cruise Bruise with the following press release.
PRESS ANNOUCEMENT
Monday, 21st January 2008
On behalf of Club Cruise, we are pleased to announce that their new UK Tour Operating Division is now fully operational and open for business. Based in Cheltenham, the company, Van Gogh Cruise Line Limited will be trading as Van Gogh Cruises. The company's primary role will be to continue to sell and operate the m/v Van Gogh in the UK market.
Managing Director, Mark Horwood said of the new business today, "The m/v Van Gogh is a popular cruise ship within the UK cruise market, which has become well established over the last 6 years. We were grateful that Club Cruise, in conjunction with ABTA, were able to step in at the last minute and save the Round the World Cruise, which departed from Falmouth on the 4th January 2008, following the collapse of the ship's previous UK Tour Operator - no small task given the timescale involved. Club Cruise were keen to remain in the UK market, having established a loyal and committed following over the years - hence the decision to establish a subsidiary company in the U.K for that purpose."
"We have a small dedicated team, all with previous knowledge of the m/v Van Gogh, working hard to get this exciting new venture off the ground. Bookings for the 2008 programme are already off to an excellent start, many passengers had made bookings through the ships previous operator and travel agents and we are delighted that we will enable these passengers to continue with their holidays plans. We will continue to sell the m/v Van Gogh via third party channels including national and regional newspapers, consumer publications, closed user groups and travels agents. We have decided to continue with the itineraries as previously advertised, to ensure no passengers are let down by the collapse of the previous Operator."
"Being a wholly owned subsidiary of Club Cruise, Van Gogh Cruises is in a unique position to continue operating and promoting the m/v Van Gogh in the U.K."
"Club Cruise, which is a Dutch public company, is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Their commitment to the cruising market is second to none - which together with their financial strength is so important in this market sector. We at Van Gogh Cruises are totally committed in helping them achieve that goal within the UK market."
For further information please contact a member of the Van Gogh's Sales team
Sarah Brooks - 01242 633803
Tim Fleming - 01242 633802
Travel Company Travelscope
Falls Flat On Their Face Leaving Pax High And Dry
December 23, 2007
