L CRUISE an gets set for ‘perfect’ year


Perfect Day Royal will begin welcoming passengers to ‘Perfect Day at CocoCay’ in March. Asked if the launch of the private island collection has had a positive impact on sales, Bouldin says: “Perfect Day sales in the US are going through the roof. “Our marketing in the UK has


FROM TOP LEFT: Ultimate Family Suite on Spectrum of the Seas; Navigator of the Seas; and advertising at London’s Waterloo station


just started. We have seen strong momentum in the Caribbean for the last 12 months, and we think that is because of Perfect Day. “I am sure it will live up to its


billing. Perfect Day gives us a unique destination that no one else can touch.” Royal is offering 12 agent places


on a four-night sailing, which calls at CocoCay, as part of its new Member of the Month competition. Agents can win one of the


So, can he see any difference in


the wave performance so far? “So far, so good,” he says. “We


had a pretty reasonable couple of weeks when we were off [for Christmas], but now our numbers have started building quite dramatically and encouragingly.” Brexit, he says, has not had an


impact – even though there are fewer than 75 days before the UK is due to leave the EU. “There are a lot of mixed messages ϐlying around [surrounding the Brexit effect],” Bouldin says. “Right now, we are on track to


deliver everything we set out to. “Holidays are something


everybody wants to take,” says Bouldin, adding that cruising is one of the “most robust” holidays families can take in terms of what is included in the price.


New appointments ouldin is close to conϐirming several appointments, including


“We are making sure our sales team is equipped to give the best value to agents”


naming the successor to former UK & Ireland sales director Amanda Darrington. Darrington left her role to “pursue personal projects” seven months ago. Last year, announcing her departure, Bouldin predicted it would take six months to ϐill the position. He says he had always planned to conduct a thorough search for her replacement and has pored over the credentials of more than 600 candidates from inside and outside the industry. “It has taken some time, but I


was delighted to have four very credible candidates at the end,” Bouldin says. “We would have been happy to take any of them.”


Without revealing the name


of the new UK & Ireland sales director, who is expected to start in mid-February, he says the candidate has not worked in the industry before but has a “huge amount” of sales experience and a proven track record in delivery. Stuart Byron, who took on the


role on an interim basis after Darrington left, will return to his role as insights director in April after helping the incoming sales director ϐind their feetǤ A new head of key accounts


has been recruited by Bouldin to replace Angela Hall, who has moved to New Zealand. Again, Bouldin has decided not to reveal their identity just yet. Ex-Tui retail manager Lauren Mepham has been recruited as regional sales manager for London and the south. She has replaced Harriet Fallon who has been promoted to key accounts manager for Scotland and the northeast.


available places each month by being nominated for being “extraordinary” through the My Club Royal website by colleagues. One agent will win a place each


month and the chosen 12 will sail on the revamped Navigator of the Seas in November.


Sales power A theme of our conversation has been Bouldin’s willingness to look outside the cruise sector to boost Royal Caribbean’s sales. Earlier this month, Royal announced a partnership with a relatively new professional body, The Association of Professional Sales (APS), to create a training programme for its team. All Royal Caribbean’s EMEA sales


professionals, and those from the ǡ will beneϐit from a new digital


training platform. “We are trying to make sure our sales team is equipped to give the best possible value to agents,” Bouldin explains. With such a pivotal year ahead,


it is clear that Bouldin wants to leave no stone unturned.


17 January 2019travelweekly.co.uk17


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