There is nothing on the ABTA website as yet to suggest that Gill's Cruise Centre has ceased trading. However, there is a notice on the company website ( http://www.gillscruise.com ) stating that new bookings are not being accepted. Existing customers are advised to contact Client Services on 0845 460 6094

There is some further information here about recent difficulties between the company and some cruise lines:
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2011/07/14/37653/gills+cruise+centre+stops+taking+bookings+as+more+lines+cut+ties.html

David

I can confirm they have gone bust.

I can confirm they have gone bust.

There is no formal announcement as yet on either the company website or the ABTA website to confirm that. This is the latest information I can find:

Gill's Cruise Centre halts new bookings

Gill's Cruise Centre has now stopped taking bookings after five major cruise lines severed links with the company.

The operators, Fred.Olsen Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Cruises and Carnival UK, are concerned about the level of debt that the company has and have been taking payment direct from Gill's customers in recent weeks.

Gill's website currently has a message which states: "Gill's Cruise Centre regrets that it is currently unable to accept new booking enquiries." Existing customers are advised to contact its client services department on 0845 460 6094.

A spokesman for ABTA said: "We are aware that Gill's Cruises is not taking further bookings. As a fully-bonded ABTA member, we have contacted Gill's and are awaiting a formal response from them about their trading status."

With permission from Travelmole

Gill's Cruise Centre, also trading as Gill's Travel and Kost Kutter, is now being treated by ABTA as a financial failure:
http://abta.com/consumer-services/travel_problems/ceased_trading

David

This is quite worrying as i've been checking out some offers on their site. Hope no one's got a cruise booked with them

We also received notification from Royal Caribbean that Gill's had ceased trading and assuring us that
our booking for a Med cruise is safe. We don't go until November so are fortunate that we haven't paid
the full amount, only the deposit. We therefore have time to sort things out before we go. We sympathize
with the people who are due to go on holiday in the near future and hope everything turns out OK for them.

http://www.gillscruise.com/

that link now takes to a site called wecruise :really. Is that the new name for Gill's or a new company?

Hi Elaine ... WeCruise is a trading name of P&P Associates, a company which has bought assets of Gill's Cruise Centre from the administrators. More details in this article:

Gill Cruise staff offered lifeline by P&P Associates

P&P Associates has confirmed to TravelMole that it will use the assets of Gill's Cruise Centre to launch its own cruise operation, starting on July 25, using the trading name WeCruise.

Chief executive of P&P Phil Cook said his company had bought assets including the customer database, website and domain name of Gill's Cruises from the company's administrators Harrisons.

It is understood P&P will be offering jobs to many of Gill's employees, though the company said it was still negotiating with staff and it was unable to confirm today how many would be staying on.

Cook said: "We have some great new people coming on board with industry knowledge and expertise within the cruise sector. I believe that first rate staff coupled with P&P Associates' cutting edge technological back-up and our organisation's broader opportunities will ensure that WeCruise is a success."

He said WeCruise would move away from discount-led sales and focus instead on added value for major cruise lines.

"P&P Associates are finalising the future strategy of the WeCruise business model but plans are to combine website and online sales with a dedicated call centre, packaging fly/cruise holidays as well as selling cruise only."

P&P already has several travel brands including WeFly, WeHoliday, Travel4Sports, Chelsea Travel Management and Guildfare, using online technology created inhouse plus has a strategic partnership with Travel Solutions Group (TSG) to provide call centre and administration fulfilment.

It is a member of ABTA and Advantage, has ATOL and IATA licences and also runs Asda's Travel operation.

P&P said it will develop Gill's database "liaising with customers to regain loyalty" while sourcing new customers from within its travel group. It plans to combine online sales with a dedicated calls centre, packaging fly/cruise as well as selling cruise only.

It said none of Gill's previous owners have any association with P&P or the brand WeCruise.

With permission from Travelmole

Only just found out about this today. Nothing from Gills, & nothing from Royal Caribbean who I hope to be still travelling with end of Sept.

Reason I found out is I was concerned I had heard nothing about from either company since I paid my balance off last month.

All I have from Gills is a emailed Worldpay receipt from the time of balance payment (over the phone) which mentions Gills and 'bal' (which I assume to mean balance), but not my RCCL booking ref.
So they have taken my ~2.5K balance, and I am more than a little concerned.

Spoke to the RCL helpdesk man, who confirmed that Gills have not provided payment bookings details nor address/contact info for hundreds of their customers. So there will be loads of people who have no idea they have an issue here.

Especially concerned as we booked this as a surprise for my severely disabled son who will be heartbroken if its cancelled and I have to try and get a refund via ABTA.

RCCL were nice enough on the phone, but unable to confirm that I have paid as far as they are concerned. I have emailed the Worldpay receipt to them and I live in hope.

Update.
At RCCL's advice, on friday managed to contact ABP Parking as I had booked in Dec last year and qualified for free parking in Southampton. I had not heard from them so my worry was that they had not been given the details.
The good news is they have my name and car details but as per RCCL, not my address. This is all sorted now.

Lady at ABP Parking did say that she was sorry about the Gill situation, but they had apparently not done themselves any favours. Apparently a lot of customers booking last year also entitled to the free parking did not have their details sent to the parking company and Gills had to shell out for the parking costs themselves. This can't have helped their cashflow.

So I have parking, but RCCL can't confirm I have paid the balance as yet, (because of the huge backlog of Gills customers, a lot of which are due to travel very soon), so if I can't get on the boat, I have at least somewhere to park and watch it sail off.

further to my previous posting, We were also offered free parking at Southampton which at the time I accepted, however, (belt and braces) I booked with the recommended coach company and looked on the parking offer as something to fall back on if the coach didn't run. We were also as part of the deal, offered some on board spending money! I'm not holding my breath! Wonder what will happen to it. I am still awaiting instructions as to when I need to pay the balance of our cruise but as we don't go until November I am not unduly worried.

I received an email recently from Gills Holidays, stating " breaking news, Gills back under new ownership".

I'm sure that WeCruise took over from Gill's last year but I could be wrong. Perhaps they have had another takeover.

Further to my previous post. Our holiday went without a hitch. Royal Caribbean took over all the holiday arrangements I had made with Gills without any problem. I had to supply them with details of payments made to Gills which they accepted and I received the on board credit which had been promised by Gills. Full marks to Royal Caribbean for the way they stepped in and saved a lot of problems for many people. Due to their organisation of a difficult situation we have booked another cruise with them.
I am only surprised that another firm has taken over Gills, I wish them good luck in the future.