GoCruiseDirect.com, the leading Web-based cruise distribution technology company, and Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE: TSG), the global leader in information technology for the travel and transportation industries, today announced an agreement to form a strategic alliance to use technology that is being developed by GoCruiseDirect.com to support the Sabre(R) CruiseDirector product.
This new web-based application will enhance Sabre CruiseDirector, by moving the product from a Windows-based technology to a state-of-the-art, Internet-based solution. As a result travel agents will have simple access and real-time connectivity to the inventory of eight major cruise lines. The development will also include a consumer product that will allow a passenger to check reservations and make additional travel plans. Sabre and GoCruiseDirect will support each other’s marketing efforts as the products become available, which is expected to occur beginning in the fourth quarter of this year.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with this agreement,” announced Jim Bussey, president of GoCruiseDirect.com. “Clearly Sabre recognizes that our technology is leading the way in a new generation of automated booking tools that finally achieves the goal of providing retailers real-time inventory access from multiple cruise lines, in an easy to use Internet application. This is a tremendous boost for our company and we’re excited about the opportunity to enhance the Sabre CruiseDirector product.”
“We are pleased to work with GoCruiseDirect.com as our cruise technology partner,” said Allen Appleby, managing director cruise for Sabre. “We recognize the unique concerns and needs of the cruise market. Our partnership with GoCruiseDirect.com will meet these needs by delivering a product that is as innovative as the original Windows-based Sabre CruiseDirector and will take our capabilities to the next level. Through this new product, we will be able to provide content and functionality that is appreciated by both the frequent and occasional cruise booker. We will also be able to offer cruise lines the ability to customize their marketing and promotional offers.”
GoCruiseDirect.com provides cost-effective, Internet-based technology solutions to help travel agencies, cruise lines and other retailers streamline the cruise booking process and increase cruise bookings. As a full service business-to-business e-commerce company, GoCruiseDirect.com also provides advanced systems and services which enable clients to easily and effectively communicate their travel-related marketing, advertising and promotional messages to their targeted end-users in an open, web-based environment for additional revenue opportunities. GoCruiseDirect.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sterling Technology Group, a leading provider of technology automation solutions for the travel industry nationwide.
Sabre is the global leader in applying information technology to meet the needs of the travel and transportation industries with advanced and innovative technology skills to deliver progressive solutions. Headquartered in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, the company has more than 10,000 employees worldwide who span 45 countries. Sabre reported 1999 revenues of $2.4 billion, up 5.6 percent from 1998. Net earnings excluding special items were $264 million, up 15.2 percent from the prior year. More information on Sabre is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.sabre.com. Sabre and the Sabre logo are registered trademarks of an affiliate of Sabre Inc.

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