CRUISE NEWS YOU CAN USE


P&O and Cunard vow indie support


Hollie-Rae Merrick hollie@travelweekly.co.uk


P&O Cruises and Cunard are looking to focus more on supporting homeworkers, independent agents and consortia.


The Carnival UK lines have pledged to “supercharge” the independent market, claiming that the new structure of their sales team will allow them to widen the net of agents selling their cruises. Nathaniel Sherborne, director of national partnerships, said the line had fewer resources in the past to support indie agents, but that was changing with immediate


SALES DIRECTORS: Shane Riley (far left), Natasha Richardson and Nathaniel Sherborne


effect. He has appointed Rees Flynn as business manager with responsibility for consortia. The lines are asking for agent


feedback about shop visits – whether they prefer ad hoc or scheduled appointments – and are


keen to ensure they are contacting agents using the preferred method. “We know that it’s not a one- size-fits-all approach,” Sherborne said. “We want to entrench ourselves in the agent fraternity


and know exactly how they want us to work with them. “We know we need to support consortia and independents better than we have before. Our expanded team means we can work and build relationships with more agents than ever.” Shane Riley, director of retail partnerships, said the formerly “leaner” team had to prioritise. “We understand that there may be people out there in the agent fraternity that are sceptical about working with us,” he said. “But I would urge them to judge us on our actions and what we want to do with the trade. Don’t


judge us on things in the past.” carnival.co.uk


26 travelweekly.co.uk 2 June 2016


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