Cruise Lines

Oceania calls itself a foodie cruise line but this is nothing to do with those kind of pounds.

Finally Oceania is pricing its cruises in sterling.

It's great news for the line but no surprise to me. At a lunch in March, chairman Frank del Rio told me they were "working on the technology" to be able to sell in the UK currency, admitting dollar pricing was an "obstacle to sales" over here.

That was interesting to hear after the UK team only a few weeks before had told me it wasn't a issue. "The British like the dollar pricing."

Seems they have been listening to the boss as European sales and marketing director Bernie Carter now cites the move to sterling is an "incredibly big step forward" that will lead to a rise in demand.

It certainly is - and certainly is also a much needed step as they have a new big ship to fill from January (the 1,258-passenger Marina) and a sister on the way.

A sterling-priced brochure is due out next month featuring all 2011 itineraries including the 2011/12 winter programme.