Direct Line Cruises Goes On Network TV

Direct Line Cruises, Inc. ran its first-ever television commercials over a 13-week period from November 23, 2008 through February 21, 2009. The commercials aired four times each week during the Eyewitness News Brief segment of WABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” program, hosted by Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Sam Champion and Chris Cuomo. The commercial also ran on several other WABC-TV programs, including the top-rated prime time Barbara Walters special with actor Patrick Swayze. In addition, it aired on several cruise-related programs that were broadcast on Cablevision’s “Travel Channel”, including “Samantha Brown’s First Cruise”, “ResidenSea: The Floating City”, “Great Cruises: Freedom of the Seas with Samantha Brown”, “Queen Mary 2: Birth of a Legend” and “Samantha Brown’s Great Cruise Weekend”.

The 30-second commercial, which was co-sponsored by Royal Caribbean International and Direct Line Cruises, Inc., was produced by Filmworks, Inc., an award-winning production company located in New York City. Through the combined use of animation, hi-resolution still photos and synchronized voice-overs, the “Hate To Fly” commercial promoted Royal Caribbean cruises to Bermuda, the Caribbean and Canada / New England, round-trip from the Cape Liberty (Bayonne) New Jersey cruise terminal.

When asked about the commercials, Tom Coiro, VP and co-founder of Direct Line Cruises said, “When my wife and I started Direct Line Cruises back in 1995, I never dreamed that the business would grow to this point”. “However”, Tom continued, “despite the recent downturn in the economy, the cruise industry is still expanding rapidly and we’re just glad to be a part of all the excitement”.

As a follow-up to their first successful television commercial, Direct Line Cruises is now in the early planning stages of a much more extensive national campaign on the Travel Channel, WABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” and several other network TV programs. According to Tom, “the new campaign will actually comprise several different commercials that are co-sponsored by DLC and one or more of our cruise line partners. It’s still much too early to discuss details, but I can tell you that one of the planned national commercials will feature Royal Caribbean’s incredible new mega-ship ‘Oasis of the Seas’ which will be the largest ship ever built when it’s launched in November.” Talk about excitement!

See our brand new commercial below: