CRUISE NEWS YOU CAN USE


Agents urged to push cruising’s modern entertainment to woo first-timers Hollie-Rae Merrick


Agents have been encouraged to highlight the innovations in technology and entertainment on cruise ships to secure more first-time bookings.


Lynn Narraway (pictured), Holland America Line and Seabourn’s managing


director for the UK and Ireland, said agents needed to make sure


they were selling the experience as it is now, in a bid to rid non- cruisers of their perceptions of what cruising was like years ago. “The entertainment is no longer all Las Vegas and feathers – it is straight off Broadway and the West End,” she said. “As cruise lines, we need to


educate the trade to make sure those who don’t sell cruises day in and day out know how far we have come as an industry.” Michael Smith, senior vice-


president marine hotel operations for both lines, said new technology on Holland America ships was improving its entertainment. “We have introduced LED walls –


the kind you see on something like Britain’s Got Talent – on the Eurodam and Westerdam. They will be rolled out to the other ships as part of a major investment.


“It changes the look of the


show and contemporises it by adding another dimension to the entertainment.” Smith, who previously worked


for Cunard before leaving the industry for 16 years to join the hotel sector, said agents should push cruising’s entertainment and the culinary offering. “People want to know what


entertainment they are getting and what the quality of the food is like,” he added. “We offer pop-up restaurants on both lines, such as Le Cirque. It’s a great way of giving passengers a little extra.” hollandamerica.com seabourn.com


22 • travelweekly.co.uk — 17 July 2014


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