p26 cruise oct24 21/10/08 18:51 Page 26
Cruise
Lee Hayhurst
020 7921 8001
lhayhurst@ttglive.com
For the latest cruise news, visit
ttglive.com/cruise
In brief
Worldchoice tests
TTA Atol with club
Mark Lewis.
packaged cruise holidays under the T-Atol could
WORLDCHOICE Cruise Club is to become a expect to see margins increase by 20%.
test-bed for new schemes designed to help “The research show that you can dramatically
agents benefit from the merger with the Travel improve your margins if you dynamically
Trust Association. package cruise holidays,” she said.
One of the first moves will be to allow club Other initiatives planned for members include
members to dynamically package cruise holidays a digital print facility allowing Worldchoice
using the TTA Atol, known as the T-Atol. agents to easily mass-mail their clients.
Gianni Onorato, president of Costa Cruises, with Pele It will be followed by marketing support from Worldchoice has already begun to beef up the
the TTA being offered first to cruise club members. existing Cruise Club package with members
■ Costa ‘Pele cruise’ kicks off June 2009 Simon Hargreaves, managing director of the being handed exclusive deals to offer clients.
Costa Serena, the flagship of the Italian fleet newly named TTA Worldchoice, said the support Talbot said members would be expected to
of Costa Cruises, will depart from Venice on the for the cruise club was part of a strategy implement a series of measures, including
first cruise dedicated to Edson Arantes Do that would see the consortium develop its dedicating window and rack space to cruise, put-
Nascimento, better known as “Pele”, in June specialist sections, with a particular focus ting at least two staff through Ace training, and
next year. Pele will be joined onboard by some on cruise. appointing a cruise specialist within the shop – or
of Europe’s former top footballers, presidents of Cruise Club members will be the first risk losing their membership the following year.
football federations, confederations and clubs. Worldchoice agents to use the TTA’s Atol. Worldchoice aimed to use the club as a stepping
Helen Talbot, Worldchoice head of sales stone to mould some of the Cruise Club members
■ Silversea offers 20% commission and prizes and marketing, said agents who dynamically into fully fledged cruise specialists, she said.
Luxury cruise operator Silversea is offering a
20% commission to agents who book cruises
between October 17 and December 31. Two
agents will also win a trip for two on the
Orient-Express, as well as a guided tour and a
carol concert in Canterbury Cathedral, provided
they make the booking before November 14. A
runner-up will win a place on a fam trip on the
Northern Belle Orient-Express on December 20.
■ Star Princess sets sail after facelift
Fred Olsen to retire Black Prince in 2009
Princess Cruises has completed the first phase
of its refurbishment programme designed to FRED Olsen Cruise Lines is set to retire one of its The ship was converted to a full-time cruise
bring its older fleet into line with its new ships. oldest and best-loved ships, Black Prince (above). ship in 1987 and from February that year became
Star Princess set sail again on October 16 The final voyage of the 42-year-old ship will a key player in the cruising market in the UK.
following a three-week overhaul that trans- take place in October 2009 as it completes the Fred Olsen managing director Mike Rodwell
formed several spaces onboard, including the last of its four farewell cruises. said: “This is a very sad announcement for the
conversion of the ship’s atrium into a street cafe- The 441-passenger ship, which was built for company to make as Black Prince is one of the
style piazza, the addition of the line’s adults-only the company by Flender Werft in Lubeck in 1966, best-loved ships that caters to the UK market.
Sanctuary retreat and the installation of a Movies will begin its farewell itineraries on September “We know that there will be thousands of
under the Stars poolside screen. Caribbean 9 from Liverpool, ending on October 16 in passengers who have sailed on her who will be
Princess and Golden Princess are also due to Southampton. very sad on that final day.”
undergo extensive refurbishments. Black Prince entered service in October 1966, Black Prince’s final itineraries next September
as a joint passenger/freight ferry operating and October include a 10-night cruise around
ttglive.com
For the very latest cruise news,
between the UK and the Canary islands in the the UK, a 10-night cruise from Southampton,
visit
ttglive.com/cruise winter, and the UK and Norway in the summer. plus a final cruise to the Canary Islands.
26 24.10.2008
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