Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services, one of the world’s leading ground handler partners serving the cruise industry, has just added new destinations in the USA by acquiring Cruise Link II (New York).

Intercruises has identified North America as strategically important not only as a stand alone market opportunity, but also as a key component of being able to position Intercruises as a truly global one-stop-shop for shore side services.

CruiseLink II is a successful business that shares the same values of Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services and has an excellent reputation and long term track record. The acquisition of this company provides Intercruises with an immediate established business in the North American market with a platform for further expansion in the USA.

Commenting on the acquisition Mark Robinson, Operations & Sales Director of Intercruises said: “As a leading ground handler & port agent, the USA cruises market is a key growth area for us and we have been investigating how best to enter into this market for some considerable time. By acquiring Cruise Link II, which is already a well established company with an excellent reputation for high service and delivery standards, we have now achieved a significant foothold into the North American cruise handling business”.

CruiseLink II is the leading ground handling and port agent company providing services in the New York region to the majority of the world’s leading cruise lines. With 3 offices in the New York area and a team of 10 full time employees and 500 part time pier/airport and meet/greet/check in agents, CruiseLink II has an excellent reputation in the industry that has been developed over the past 22 years with strong long term relationships with suppliers and customers as well as local authorities and government bodies.

Celeste Gladstone, Founder and President of CruiseLink II said: “This is a great opportunity for us to join the world’s leading international ground handling company. Over the years we have developed a successful business and strong reputation for high quality services which we will now be able to be leveraged by being part of a large group. It is a very exciting time for all of us and we look forward to going from strength to strength and to increase and develop our presence and business into other destinations within the USA”.

Intercruises is experiencing a strong expansion worldwide. Intercruises started its expansion into Asia last July, one year after Intercruises’ parent company Hotelbeds acquired the Pacific World Network, one of Asia’s leading inbound travel management companies.