Noddy and Google Earth boosting cruise bookings

P&O Cruises claims to be attracting a higher proportion of younger passengers to new ship Ventura.

Thirty per cent of those who have booked already for the 3,1OO-capacity superliner are under the age of 45.

Across the fleet, 20% of passengers booked for 2008 are below 45, against 18% at this time last year.

Ventura is launched next April and is already three quarters sold for summer 2OO8.

P&O Cruises’ managing director Nigel Esdale attributed the “phenomenal” success down to child-friendly initiatives planned for the new vessel which makes it debut next April.

Those choosing the new ship are not just families booking for the school holidays but those with pre-school children who plan to sail outside the peak summer period.

“The Noddy initiative has clearly worked the magic,” said Esdale, referring to the childrens’ character who has been signed through Chorion to appear on every cruise.

“Ventura has done remarkably well, but not at the expense of the other ships,” he added.

At the other end of the scale, the line’s 2009 world cruises on three ships are proving more popular than ever with 800 full voyages sold within four days of the programme going on sale last Saturday.

P&O Cruises aims to attract more “grown up gap year” travellers by enabling prospective passengers to follow world cruise itineraries complete with port details and other information on its website through a partnership with Google Earth.

Esdale said last week was the company’s most productive booking week since the 2008 programme was released in April. Sailings for next year are now two-thirds sold thanks to a “remarkable” early booking performance.

There has been a 70% increase in passengers who have not sailed with P&O Cruises before and 50% more past passengers have booked over this time last year due to a range of early booking incentives, including discounts and free car parking for Southampton departures.

David Dingle, CEO of P&O Cruises’ parent Carnival UK, said the company would take a 40% share of the anticipated 1.35 million cruise holidays to be sold this year in the UK, with P&O accounting for 20% of that.

He said there was the potential to double the business in the next five to seven years.

“The market could double and we are preparing the business for an explosion of growth,” said Dingle. 

He also hinted at a replacement for Cunard’s QE2 following its retirement next year, saying: “We are attracted to another new build for Cunard.”

Cunard will have three ships in 2008 with the launch of Victoria in December, but the fleet will return to two vessels the following year after QE2 departs.  

by Phil Davies

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