'Awani Dream 2' stops cruising as crisis hits<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The domestic operations of passenger liner Awani
\nDream 2, owned by PT Awani Modern Indonesia, have run aground on
\nthe country's ailing economy and uncertainty over the rupiah's
\nvalue.<\/p>\n
Company sales and marketing director James Hartono said
\nyesterday that the vessel -- which charged passengers in U.S.
\ndollars -- had been leased to cruise in the Mediterranean Sea for
\nan unspecified period.<\/p>\n
\"We'll bring her back here again after the economic situation
\nreturns to normal,\" James told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The vessel, which has about 250 rooms with various facilities
\nsimilar to those of a five-star hotel, began operating here in
\nlate 1996, replacing the company's first ship, Awani Dream, which
\nhas been leased by a foreign party to sail overseas.<\/p>\n
Awani Modern Indonesia, a subsidiary of the Modern Group,
\noffered package tours from Jakarta to various destinations,
\nincluding Puteri Island in the Thousand Islands, Lampung,
\nKrakatau, Semarang, Bali and Singapore at a rate of about $75 per
\nnight per person, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian rupiah closed at 12,000 to the U.S. dollar
\nyesterday compared to Rp 2,400 before the monetary crisis first
\nhit the country in early July.<\/p>\n
According to James, who is the son of Modern Group's founder
\nSamadikun Hartono, the collapse of the rupiah against the
\ngreenback forced the company to seek foreign cooperation to
\nfinance overseas routes.<\/p>\n
\"We hope that the current crisis in our country can be solved
\nas soon as possible,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The temporary halt of the vessel's operation is likely to
\ndisappoint the 2,000 Klub Awani members here.<\/p>\n
But, Maria, an executive of the company that manages the club,
\ntold the Post yesterday that Awani Modern Indonesia had arranged
\nan agreement with at least four resorts, two each in Puncak, West
\nJava, and Malang, East Java.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, by the end of this month, the club members can use
\nthose places as a preliminary substitute while our vessel is
\nstill overseas,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She, however, refused to name the hotels, saying that the
\nagreements had not yet been finalized. (bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/awani-dream-2-stops-cruising-as-crisis-hits-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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