The latest offers from Cunard, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Azamara and Riviera
George Eliot. Image courtesy of Riviera Travel
Agents can earn a £50 lifestyle voucher for every Riviera Travel river cruise booking made on sailings departing in April, May and June 2022. The offer applies to all bookings made up to February 28, 2022. Find out more.
Enter your Cunard fare bookings to play the line’s online deck game and earn Shine points. Combine Cunard and P&O Cruises Shine points to choose from a selection of rewards, including beauty products, the latest technology and electronics, or even a cruise. Redeem your Shine points to pay for 25 per cent, 50 per cent or 100 per cent of a Cunard voyage. Find out more at Shinerewardsclub.com
Celebrity Cruises is giving away 100 staterooms onboard new ship Celebrity Beyond to its best-selling agents. The winning agents will spend two nights on the ship ahead of its maiden voyage on April 27, 2022. To be in with a chance of winning, agents need to make as many bookings as possible between now and February 28, 2022, across any of Celebrity Cruises’ fleet. All bookings must be claimed via Celebrity Rewards.
Azamara is doubling agent incentives again for the entire month of January. The cruise line is offering up to £20 per booking on all sailings booked throughout the month – an uplift of 100 per cent – on a pre-paid Mastercard irrespective of the agent’s Club Rewards membership class. Read more.
Win a place onboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Wonder of the Seas with the line’s competition Get Me on Wonder. Earn points by logging bookings through Club Rewards, social sharing and by completing online training modules. The top of the leader board will enjoy a two-night European sailing in early May 2022.
Encourage a travel agent friend to sign-up to Cruise Adviser and we’ll enter you in a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher. Make sure they enter your details when asked for a reference name. If you’re not subscribed, do so here.
With River Rewards & More, travel agents can earn luxury gifts for every Scenic and Emerald Cruises booking they make. The more river cruises, escorted tours or ocean cruises they book, the higher the rewards, with the chance of earning bonus points. Find out more at riverrewards.cruises
Ruth Venn appointed director of sales for P&O
Ruth Venn. Image courtesy of P&O Cruises
Ruth Venn has been appointed director of sales for P&O Cruises, replacing Nathaniel Sherborne who will leave the business in early March.
Venn, who was previously senior business manager for strategic partnerships, will take on the new sales role, with responsibility for travel agent sales revenue and trade engagement, including training, events, communications and sales support.
Priorities for the coming months will include growing existing travel agent partnerships and attracting new ones, as the company takes on new capacity with the launch of Arvia in December.
P&O Cruises vice president brand, marketing and sales Robert Scott said: “I am delighted to promote Ruth into this position and have every confidence in her ability to take on this role with relish. She has over 16 years of experience in the industry as well as an infectious passion for cruising. I would also like to thank Nathaniel for the many years of service in this business and wish him every success.
“Over the past two years agents have had to communicate so many changes and new protocols to guests it has been relentless. Throughout it all they, as well as our guests, our agents have continued to support us despite the disruptions and we are determined to show our appreciation by giving all agents the support, training tools and strength of team they need to succeed.
“This will be a vital year for the business and there has never been a more important time to prove to the trade just how important they are to us. As our full fleet returns to service in the spring and we can, at last, see some relief from Covid, the appetite for holidays is stronger than ever. We are seeing such positivity from those who have sailed with us recently and reassurance from the multi-layered protocols on board and seeing strong interest in the Med, the Norwegian fjords and the Caribbean.
“Iona’s first full year of sailing and Arvia’s delivery at the end of the year will also give agents new itineraries as well as two new extraordinary, contemporary ships to sell to their customers. Ruth and her team will create opportunities for first-hand experiences onboard our ships and the tools they need to maximise sales.”
Hurtigruten hires new chief commercial officer
Steven Taylor. Image courtesy of Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten Group has appointed Steven Taylor as its new chief commercial officer.
In his new position, Steven will lead the development and execution of Hurtigruten Group’s strategic commercial initiatives and will sit on the company’s executive management team.
Steven joins Hurtigruten Group from Accor Hotels & Resorts, where he was chief marketing officer. He has worked extensively across luxury and lifestyle brands in the travel and hospitality industry.
He also has global experience working at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts.
Speaking about the new appointment, CEO of Hurtigruten Group Daniel Skjeldam said: “We are delighted to welcome Steven to the Hurtigruten Group family. His wealth of experience in the travel and hospitality sector will hugely enhance our ambitious growth plans and help maximise visibility of our brands while attracting and nurturing engagement with new and existing guests.”
Steven Taylor said: “I am honoured to join Hurtigruten Group at such an important moment in the company’s incredible history. Hurtigruten was built by adventurers and explorers in 1893 and I’m excited to lead and support Hurtigruten to become the global leader in sustainable adventure travel.”
He took up his position on January 10, and will be based in Hurtigruten Group’s HQ2 in London.