TravelMole Interview: Peter Shanks, senior vice-president, Cunard Line

Tuesday, 20 Aug, 2002 0

New Cunard boss Peter Shanks (left) is planning to use his 12 years of retail experience to increase sales through the trade.

Shanks took up the position of senior vice-president Europe for Cunard this month after a career which has seen him take senior retail positions at Thomas Cook, Going Places and First Choice.

Now he plans to work more closely with travel agents to increase Cunard’s bookings from the UK. Cunard, part of US-giant Carnival, has just two ships, the QE2 and Coronia, with a combined capacity of 2,500 passengers. But that will more than double in 2004 when the company launches the 2,620-berth Queen Mary 2 and in 2005, the 1,968-capacity New Cunarder will be launched and operated exclusively for the UK market.

“I’m very keen to widen our distribution in the UK travel trade,’ Shanks told TravelMole.

“I’ve been involved with the trade for many years and I’m a great believer in travel agents.

“Up until now we’ve had a limited capacity but that will change with the new ships coming on board. We are going to be building a closer relationship with agents and that process is starting now.”

He said cruising was very lucrative business for retailers.

“If you’re selling a Cunard cruise for £4,000 or a cruise on our sister company, Seabourn, for up to £7,000, then the commission is very good.”

Shanks said agents who were keen to work with Cunard would be offered a competitive range of deals. Shanks said he also planned to raise the awareness of the Cunard brand.

“We are going to be looking at advertising and marketing. We want to have a high profile in the travel trade and consumer press.

“There are still lots of negative perceptions of cruising that we have to overcome. It may be that some agents also have those perceptions so we’ve got to work with them.

“Our aim is to be an alternative to the strong P&O presence in the UK market. It’s time for a wake-up call for ex-UK cruising.”

Shanks admitted that the average age of passengers on Coronia was over 55, but claimed the company would have a broader appeal with the launch of the new ship.

“There is already more of a mix of passengers on the QE2 and the transatlantic crossing can be popular with families.

“But the QM2 will have a wider appeal and the New Cunarder will definitely attract families and younger people.

“We already have a strength in the older market and that’s why we are now catering for other markets.”

Shanks was made redundant from First Choice last October and has been carrying out consultancy work for a number of companies since then.

See previous TravelMole Interviews:
13-Aug-02: Tom Allen, The Theme Park People
05-Aug-02: Chris Kroeger, Sabre
30-Jul-02: Chris Mottershead, TUI UK
23-Jul-02: Seamus Conlon, Airtours Holidays
15-Jul-02: David Soskin, cheapflights.co.uk
09-Jul-02: Bruce Bishins, Genesis TDS
01-Jul-02: Howard Frost, Travelink
25-Jun-02: Rob Wortham, RWA
17-Jun-02: Paul Blackney, Worldspan
11-Jun-02: Mark Jones, Online Travel Corporation
27-May-02: Oliver Hillel, UNEP
20-May-02: Keith Webber, Telewest
13-May-02: Mark O’Brien, Rosenbluth International
07-May-02: Alicia Gardner, Sabre
29-Apr-02: Carolyn Ezzell, Delta Air Lines
23-Apr-02: John Davis, Pegasus Solutions
15-Apr-02: Gregory Hunt, ABTA Arbitration Scheme
09-Apr-02: Stuart Winter, Atinera
03-Apr-02: Roberto Da Re, Dolphin Dynamics
26-Mar-02: Arnaud Debuchy, Amadeus
19-Mar-02: Helen Baker, Lastminute.com
12-Mar-02: Pat Minogue, Galileo
07-Mar-02: Jon Hart, MyTravel
28-Feb-02: Lawrence Hunt, Rapid Travel Solutions