p9 news Cruise Sept25 23/9/09 17:47 Page 9
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national cruise week news
This week’s second National Cruise Week has seen promotions, marketing and talk of price recovery
COMMENT KIRSTEN HUGHES.
A good Week, but
why discount?
CRUISE WEEK has allowed us to give the sector
added coverage with some additional training,
sales incentives and some amazing prizes.
Cruise is constantly evolving, with new ships
launched each year with ever-more astounding
innovations. So it is essential agents update
their product knowledge. Match the right
customer to the right ship, and you may have a
Cruise prices ‘will revive’
cruise client for life.
At Travel Counsellors we work closely with
Lee Hayhurst.
aftermath of September 11,” said Goldstein.
most of the lines and we have seen consistent THE CRUISE market will see a return to “Then we went to very low pricing to shock the
growth in this sector over the pre-recession pricing once the global economy market back to life, and there was a lot of angst
past few years. recovers, a leading operator has predicted. that maybe we had educated the public that was
Because of the new capacity Adam Goldstein, president and chief executive the proper level of pricing. But eventually it came
introduced in the last few years, of Royal Caribbean International, said the back – it was supply and demand.”
pricing is keener than ever. industry successfully used price to revive the He said it was becoming clear that the 2001
However, it constantly surprises market after the September 11 terrorist attacks. crisis was “shorter and sharper” than the current
me that the industry feels the He conceded there were concerns the current downturn although the operator has seen a
need to discount this product so low pricing in the sector might be irreversible but yearly decline in revenue of around 13%, the
heavily. Discounting merely Kirsten Hughes, commercial said that had not been the case in 2001. biggest in the line’s 40-year history.
devalues your individual service. director, Travel Counsellors Goldstein was speaking exclusively to TTG in Oasis of the Seas is commanding a premium
London during National Cruise Week while on a of between 30% and 50% for its cabins, and
In brief
whistle-stop tour of European markets. Royal Goldstein said the vessel’s launch and the
Caribbean invited key trade partners to a lunch worldwide publicity it will generate will create
as it gears up for the launch of the world’s the same sort of buzz around cruising that
■ Venice is Brits’ favourite port largest cruise ship, the 5,400-berth the launch of Cunard’s Queen Mary 2
Venice is Britons’ favourite cruise port, according Oasis of the Seas, in November. did in 2004.
to a poll of cruise customers conducted for the “We’ve been through economic “The commission-earning op-
second UK National Cruise Week. The Italian port cycles before, and all these portunity for agents for Oasis is
narrowly pipped Barcelona. Tortola’s Road Town questions were asked in the pretty compelling,” he added.
was rated favourite port in the Caribbean, while
Miami topped the list in the US.
Carnival tipped to
■ Qantas offers £20 fly-cruise incentive
Qantas Holidays marked National Cruise Week by
rewarding the first 50 agents to book one of its order two ships
new fly-cruises with a £20 Love2shop voucher.
THE WORLD’S largest cruise operator, Carnival
■ White Star welcomes 2010 early bookings Corporation, is rumoured to be poised to place
Hove-based White Star Cruises has credited a 30% orders for two new ships, possibly one each for
increase in sales for 2010 on promotions targeting its P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises lines.
early bookings by luxury lines including Silversea An order would be welcome news for Europe’s
Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas. shipbuilding industry. It has about 30 ships
either being built or on order books, but little
■ Mobile phone tops must-have list work contracted for 2012 and beyond.
The mobile phone is the item British cruisers can P&O Cruises will see a second 3,000-passen-
least do without, according to research for ger superliner, Azura, added to the fleet next
National Cruise Week. Hair straighteners were SHOW TIME: Travel Counsellors aired daily year, joining sister ship Ventura.
rated as indispensable by 39% of women. cruise-themed TCTV shows this week, of- This week Carnival Corporation announced an
fering agent prizes. Sales director Malcolm improved outlook despite a year-on-year fall in
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
Hingley (centre) is pictured with new third-quarter profit from $1.33 billion to $1.07
from the travel industry, visit ttglive.com counsellors Lynsey Ferrol and Matt Myerson billion. Yield per berth was down 12.3%.
25.09.2009 09
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