NEWS ROUND-UP


CMV aims to buy seventh vessel for launch in 2020


Harry Kemble harry.kemble@travelweekly.co.uk


Cruise & Maritime Voyages is looking to buy its seventh ship and plans to launch it next year.


The 1,220-passenger Vasco da Gama – it’s sixth ship – will


be targeted at the German and Australian markets, but head of marketing Mike Hall said discussions had begun about adding a ship dedicated to the UK market next year. Hall said: “It is absolutely no


secret that we are looking to grow the CM fleet.” He added that ships in Carnival


Corporation’s fleet, which exceeds 1 vessels, would “fit perfectly”. CMV did consider buying P&O


Cruises’ Oriana before it was sold to a joint venture between China Travel Service and China Ocean Shipping Group Company. “Ships with capacity for 1,200 passengers are perfect,” said Hall. About 250 Britons have booked


to sail on Vasco da Gama’s 43-night maiden voyage from Singapore


Seabourn extends promo deadline in bid to boost sales


Seabourn has extended the window in which agents can take advantage of promotional offers to boost their sales. Last month, the line’s UK sales


team travelled across the country to give more than 1,000 agents selling tips at 22 Seabourn Partner Appreciation events. Also in March, promotional offers were made available to all agents to help increase


Seabourn sales, including complimentary suite upgrades and onboard credit. Agents will receive bonus commission on group and suite bookings. They can earn £200 for Penthouse Suites and £375 for Premium Suites. All promotions have been extended until April 30.


12travelweekly.co.uk18 April 2019 LAUNCH: Vasco da Gama (right) sails from London Tilbury next week


to Tilbury on April 23. Press and trade will be invited


to see the ship when it docks in the UK on June 6.


CMV launched its 2020


programme in December – three months ahead of its traditional on- sale date in March. “We felt it was sensible to bring


forward the launch, knowing that the original Brexit date was in late March,” Hall said.


The line’s 2020 programme is


now 22% sold. “This time last year we had not


really started selling, so we feel like we have got a head start,” Hall added. The line’s 29-date ship visit


programme across 11 UK departure ports launched at the beginning of this month. Hall said around 60% of places are yet to be filled by agents.


Princess announces competition for new ship’s preview voyage


Princess Cruises has launched a competition to select nearly 300 agents to sail on new ship Sky Princess’ preview voyage. Winners of the #SayHiToSky


competition will join a four- night sailing departing on the vessel on October 16, 2019, from Trieste, Italy, to Athens, Greece. The sailing will also call at Kotor, Montenegro. The trip includes return


flights oerseas transfers and a variety of complimentary onboard activities. A proportion of the 300 places


will go to top accounts, while the rest will be given to competition winners. To be in with a chance of winning, agents simply need to make a Princess Cruises booking between May 1 and June 30, 2019 on any Princess voyage.


Agents who make a Princess Cruises booking within the date range must submit the booking reference at surveymonkey. co.uk/r/skyprincess. There is no limit to the number of entries agents can make. Winners will be chosen at random by July 5.


Royal Caribbean eyes staycationing Brits with triple rewards for ex-UK bookings


Royal Caribbean International is targeting the 13 million Britons who take a ‘staycation’ in its latest promotion to sell ex-UK sailings. The cruise line’s


Upgrade Your Staycation campaign includes an incentive for Club Royal agents to earn triple rewards on every 2019 ex-UK booking made this month. The wider campaign, across


radio and social media, runs until May 31.


Starting next month, Independence of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas will sail


Bouldin:


‘Staycationers are a perfect fit’


ex-Southampton itineraries until November. Ben Bouldin, Royal Caribbean’s associate vice- president and UK managing director, said: “People who take a staycation fit perfectly with our guest profile.”


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