Incentives from Royal Caribbean, AmaWaterways and more
Wonder of the Seas. Image: Royal Caribbean
Running from September 1 to October 31, 2022, Royal Caribbean has launched a selection of ‘Mini Wave’ offers for guests that book select 2023 sailings including flights from £1, stateroom upgrades, low deposits and reduced cost drink packages. Agents can find out more about the new offers from Club Royal or by speaking to their Royal Caribbean sales team representative.
Agents who reserve AmaWaterways sailings on any 2022 Europe, Mekong, Africa or Egypt river cruise before September 30, 2022, will receive a £200 Love2Shop voucher once final payment has been made. For solo travellers, travel agents can earn £100 for reserving a single occupancy stateroom. The luxury river cruise line is also offering customers a range of discounts to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
MSC Cruises is giving agents the chance to win a set of luggage and a packing consultation for their guest. Agents need to book a passenger onboard MSC Virtuosa for sailings between April 29 and November 4, 2022, to be automatically entered into the prize draw. Visit the MSC Cruises Agent Facebook page for more details.
The CroisiEurope Sales Challenge runs until December 31, 2022, and gives all UK travel agents the chance to earn points which can be exchanged for trips ranging from a two-night hotel break in the UK to a safari cruise in South Africa. To join the challenge, agents should register here. Agents will automatically receive 250 points when their registration is validated. Points will be based on turnover: for example, if an agent sells a cruise with a value of £699, they will receive 699 points. Bonus points will be on offer throughout the challenge, which participating agents will be advised about.
Ambassador Cruise Line is running an agent concession for its 2022/2023 maiden voyages onboard Ambience, enabling agents to book a cabin from £40 per night. To book, email them or call 0808 102 8207.
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.
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.
Strategic new hires for Swan Hellenic
Mario Bounas
Swan Hellenic has made two key appointments to its leadership team: Patrizia Iantorno has been appointed as VP of global marketing, while Mario Bounas has been appointed general manager for the UK and Ireland.
Patrizia has a reputation for generating strong results that extend from sales through to customer loyalty and trade support. Driving these achievements is extensive expertise globally across the industry, including periods at MSC Cruises in senior marketing, digital and consumer relationship roles, and senior-level experience in the general luxury travel segment.
Patrizia Lantorno
She will take the newly-revived cultural expedition cruise line into its next phase of growth and beyond, consolidating its position as a leading innovator in the sector.
Alfredo Spadon, senior VP of global sales and marketing, commented: “We’re thrilled to have Patrizia on board! She has the perfect mix of vision and technical rigour to consolidate and advance our market position as a unique brand, which Mario Bounas so ably helped establish. I take the opportunity of thanking Mario for his crucial contribution to our highly-successful return to the seas.”
Mario Bounas has a strong cruise industry track record in senior marketing, brand development and planning roles at Swan Hellenic and Royal Caribbean, combined with a decade’s prior expertise in the UK travel industry.
He is therefore highly qualified to grow the brand’s presence in its historic home market, while further developing the customer service and trade support standards already established.
“I’m honoured to be leading this iconic British heritage brand into a new chapter in the UK and Irish markets, and look forward to working closely with our partners to support them in their business,” said Bounas.
Both Patrizia and Mario will report directly to Alfredo Spadon.