Seamus Conlon was speaking to TTG after the company revealed it has appointed two new managing directors to the group.

Former managing director for consumer rights organisation Which?, Chris Gardner, has become managing director of Cruise.co.uk in the UK, while Frank Riecke has been appointed managing director of German OTA, Kreuzfahrtberater.de, owned by Cruise.co.uk.

Conlon said the newly-created positions would free him up to focus more on the group’s growth.

“I did the MD function in the UK as well as being CEO of the whole group,” he said,

“We want the UK and Germany to have their own dedicated MDs, allowing me to focus on building the group and expansion into other markets and countries.

“We think cruising overall in Europe will just keep growing – we want to be in more markets, although we do see large potential for growth in both Germany and the UK.

“With ships like Edge and Iona coming – we think this market will go through a period of substantial growth over the next few years but we also think Germany with the growth of Aida and Tui Cruises will go through quick expansion.”

Conlon added though it was “pretty certain” Cruise.co.uk would keep to European markets.

“The acquisition in Germany has been a real success,” he said. “It’s given us market diversification and allows us to deal with a much larger range of cruise lines.”

Conlon said the group “definitely wouldn’t rule out any further acquisitions”.