How should agents and lines reach a new cruise audience?

TravelMole guest comment by Stephen Park, NCL UK general manager

If, like me, you attended this November’s Travel Convention you will have heard of the staggering growth potential in the cruise market – 61% growth in the UK over next five years and 5.2 million travellers who were warm to the idea of taking their first cruise holiday.

2008 will be the biggest ever year for cruise in Europe. We will have two ships with ex-UK itineraries, and our newest ship, Norwegian Gem, is based in Barcelona. 

And we’re not the only line that has focussed its attention on the UK and Europe, making the region a hub for exciting and varied itineraries.

But how are the lines and agents going to reach this new to cruise audience?  And what are the factors that will tip the consumer from a looker to a booker?

Though perceptions of cruising are changing, consumer understanding of what’s on offer still lags behind the reality. 

NCL spent a morning in London’s West End to gauge what the man or woman on the street really thought. 

What became clear is that opinion fell into two distinct camps: those who had cruised before and ‘had seen the light’ and those who had never stepped onboard. 

This latter group still thought that a cruise was a kind of ‘constrained’ holiday and mainly popular with the 60+ market. (A far cry from the NCL Freestyle® product that offers over a dozen different dining experiences, no dress code and a hugely family-friendly, informal atmosphere)

Another statistic to come out of The Travel Convention is that it is friends and family who are the biggest influencers in the holiday decision making process. Surely therein lies the answer to the looking to booking gap?  Consumers trust their friends much more readily than they will ever trust a brand. 

It will be the most forward thinking cruise lines, tour operators and agents who will harness the convert’s passion and enthusiasm, to build a sense of community, loyalty and ultimately to drive sales. 

If you have a raft of supporters, either consumers or agents who really ‘get’ your product, then they could be the most effective members of your sales force.    

We are looking hard at how to work best with both our agent partners and our loyal customers to create brand advocates.  

We’ve enlisted celebrity support, we created a group on Facebook following the launch of the Gem and we’re working on new initiatives to keep our fans loyal and continue to generate ‘buzz’ around our product.  Watch this space…..