Jenny Rafter, Royal Caribbean International & Celebrity Cruises Sales Manager – Ireland & Northern Ireland, recently accompanied a group of agent partners on an Orlando fam trip to highlight cruise/stay packages, including ‘Freedom of the Seas’ and the Universal theme parks. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have launched new marketing campaigns for May featuring a selection of cruises to ensure the brands are top of mind for agents when booking their customers’ summer holidays.
‘Freedom of the Seas’ offers seven-night Eastern or Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida, with pre/post-cruise stays offered at the Universal Resort in Orlando.
May Campaigns and Agent Incentives
To support the May campaigns, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are supplying agents with a new dedicated six-page colour consumer brochure that will be distributed to trade partners to rack in store.
Launched on 30th April, Royal Caribbean International’s ‘Ultimate Sale’ features thousands of cruises at knock-down prices providing agents with plenty of enticing offers. Plus, for every booking made throughout the month of May on cruises travelling before October 2012, agents receive a €25 ‘Love to Shop’ voucher, redeemable at many top high street stores.
The Celebrity Cruises ‘Simply Superb’ campaign, also launched on 30th April, features heavy reductions on fares for accompanying guests on selected cruises and the reductions are extended to flight costs for selected fly/cruise holidays. The €25 ‘Love to Shop’ voucher incentive for every summer cruise sold this May also applies to Celebrity Cruises bookings.
Jo Rzymowska, Associate Vice President and General Manager, UK and Ireland, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, said: “Our new mini-brochures are designed to help agents get under the skin of cruisers and first-timers alike and understand more about the fantastic offers available this summer. We are confident that with these new brochures, the great incentives, and the hard-to-beat prices, agents will get behind these new campaigns with the same enthusiasm as usual.”
Ultimate Sale
Royal Caribbean International’s ‘Ultimate Sale’ is an extension of the current ‘Don’t Wait’ campaign and will continue to offer savings on holiday departures throughout the summer period. Special offers for the ‘Ultimate Sale’ include:
- A seven-night Western Mediterranean Cruise on ‘Adventure of the Seas’ from €399pp (€57 per night), taking in destinations throughout Spain and Italy at the end of May 2012.
- A seven-night Norwegian Fjords Cruise on ‘Brilliance of the Seas’, or a seven-night Spanish Mediterranean Cruise on the newly refurbished ‘Grandeur of the Seas’ from €565pp this July.
- A seven-night Western Mediterranean Cruise on ‘Liberty of the Seas’, or a seven-night Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise on ‘Splendour of the Seas’ (fresh from a recent makeover with many new features added), both from €499pp at the beginning of June
- Reductions on flight costs are also available for most of the above holidays with pricing from €275pp. These cover return flights from Dublin or Cork with the convenience of checked baggage allowance and transfers at destination.
Simply Superb
Celebrity Cruises’ ‘Simply Superb’ savings feature offers including:
- • A 10-night Eastern Mediterranean fly/cruise on ‘Celebrity Equinox’ from €1,219 for the first guest and €719 for an accompanying guest. Prices include air costs reduced to €149 on return flights from Dublin (cruise-only pricing available from €1,069 and €569 for accompanying guest). Departs 26th October 2012
- • A 12-night Mediterranean Venice fly/cruise on ‘Celebrity Solstice’ from €1,679 for the first guest and €939 for an accompanying guest. Prices include air costs reduced to €119 on return flights from Dublin (cruise-only pricing available from €1,559 and €819 for accompanying guest). Departs 14th October 2012
- • An 11-night Italy and Croatia fly/cruise on ‘Celebrity Silhouette’ from €1,439 for the first guest and €929 for an accompanying guest. Prices include return flights from Dublin (cruise-only pricing available from €1,069 and €559 for accompanying guest). Departs 23rd October 2012
Fly/cruise prices above include return flights from Dublin with checked baggage allowance and transfers at destination.
Trade marketing packs featuring details on the new pricing, top offers and full details on selling tips for each campaign are being distributed to agents. All offers apply to selected sailings and departure points.
