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Epic year for cruise sales
Saturday, 06 Jan, 2010
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CruiseMole Guest Comment by Stephen Park, general manager, NCL UK
It’s great to see cruise is riding high on the news agenda this new year.
Spurred by the recent Oasis of the Seas launch and with no less than 12 ship launches taking place in 2010, cruise looks set to enjoy a high profile that will help attract newcomers and spark the imagination of dedicated cruisers alike.
This buzz of excitement is also well timed for the current wave peak booking season that we know is key to boosting sales for our travel partners.
This year we are giving agents the opportunity to up-sell their customers at no extra cost with our up to seven category free stateroom upgrade. This means agents can not only attract customers with potential savings of £250 per person on 2010 / 2011 NCL cruises departing from May 2010 but they can also entice them with the opportunity to experience a bit of luxury from their cruise.
As well as this, as part of our wave campaign agents can encourage early customer bookings with NCL’s low deposit promotion which allows customers to commit with an initial £50 per person on European cruises.
It’s great to be able to support our travel partners and equip them with the tools they need to secure bookings.
We know that travel has been fairly resilient through 2009 as it’s a purchase consumers are largely unwilling to let go of, but whilst the market is still recovering, having such offers really is all the more important to help get those all important commission boosting sales.
Post-wave period, this year will see the launch of NCL’s largest Freestyle Cruising ship – Norwegian Epic.
I am pleased to say that the UK trade will be the first to experience our very own Epic and her huge range of facilities when she arrives in Southampton for a two day UK inaugural celebration in June.
This will be an opportunity for travel partners to engage with the massive scope of entertainment, accommodation and multiple dining venues that the ship has to offer. From the acclaimed Blue Man Group to the lively Legends tribute acts and Howl at the Moon’s piano show, Norwegian Epic aims to raise the roof on the concept of Freestyle Cruising by reaching out to new cruisers as well as a greater diversity of ages.
So, as wave kicks off for another year and our thoughts move to the future, it is with a sense of optimism and excitement that we look ahead to what I hope will be a productive and profitable year for the industry.
Hope to see you on board Norwegian Epic!
Phil Davies
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