Cruise Update – Carnival, Celebrity, Silversea, More

Continuing its long-standing tradition of supporting travel agents, Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled details of a variety of enhancements to its Onboard with You pledge to travel partners designed to support and sustain them during this unprecedented pause in operations.

The enhancements include an additional 1% bonus commission on new retail bookings made through www.GoCCL.com or other online booking tools through June 30, 2020.

As well, Carnival will maintain agencies’ current 2020 commission rates for 2021, regardless of whether they meet the necessary criteria for this year.

To mark the expansion of the Onboard with You pledge, Carnival’s president Christine Duffy, chief commercial officer Ken Tate and senior vice president of global tales and trade marketing Adolfo Perez were joined by a very special guest, the line’s chief fun officer Shaquille O’Neal, to record a video message to travel partners thanking them for their support and echoing their commitment to the agency community.

Said Perez: “Now more than ever is the message of ‘Onboard with You’ so important, as we all continue to navigate these unprecedented times. We want our travel partners to know how much we value and appreciate them and that they are not in this alone.”

And he made it clear: “Travel advisors have always played a key role in Carnival’s success and we want to ensure that we are taking care of them and helping them to continue to grow and succeed now and in the future.”

The new Onboard with You pledge further builds upon the company’s commitment to protecting travel advisors’ commission on all fully paid bookings cancelled due to the voluntary pause in operations. Carnival was also the first cruise line to offer full commission on the value of the future cruise credits (FCC), providing agents the opportunity to earn commission on their original booking and compensating them for working to rebook their clients using their FCC.

Perez observed: “We understand how hard agents’ worked for the first booking and re-booking their clients using the FCC involves additional work. We want to recognize this effort and ensure that agents get commission on both bookings.”

As well, Carnival has made significant investments to enhance GoCCL Navigator, the line’s online booking and service tool that has become a valuable, industry-leading resource with so many agents now working from home.

As part of the Onboard with You pledge, the line remains focused on its Why Use a Travel Advisor program, the industry’s first consumer-focused program to reinforce the value of using travel advisors, providing additional support to attract new customers.

For more, go to www.GoCCL.com .

Celebrity Has A Message For Canadian Agents

Celebrity Cruises team has a message for Canadian agents.

As partners, friends and family, Celebrity’s team here is thinking about all of its travel agency partners here in Canada.

And in a new video, the team here tells them just how much.

So, sit back and enjoy!

Silversea Sets A Course To Offer More Flexibility

Silversea Cruises has introduced new measures to offer additional flexibility to travellers, reducing its deposit requirement to CDN$1,250 CAD per suite per suite for any new booking made before June 30, 2020.

And for guests who redeem this offer, they’ll also receive US$1,000 Onboard Spending Credit per suite.

The reduced deposit offer applies to all Silversea voyages with the exception of full World Cruises and Grand Voyages.

Guests in possession of Future Cruise Credit can also use their credit to take advantage of the offer.

And to provide travellers with peace of mind when planning their cruise, Silversea is extending the previously announced ‘Cruise with Confidence’ cancellation program to all voyages currently scheduled to depart before Dec. 31, 2020.

Under the policy, guests may cancel their cruise for any reason up to 48 hours prior to sailing and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit for the amount paid, valid for two years from the date of issue.

When guests opt for Future Cruise Credit and have paid in full, the travel agent’s commission is protected for both the cancelled booking and the future reservation on which the correlating Future Cruise Credit is applied.

Mark Conroy, Silversea’s managing director for the Americas, said: “Our new reduced deposit requirement and expanded Cruise with Confidence program are designed to address the uncertainty that our guests may be feeling these days, while providing additional tools for our valued travel partners that will help boost their business during this difficult period.”

And as a member of the Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea is embracing the RCL Cares program — dedicated to assisting travel professionals in Canada who are dealing with the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

RCL Cares highlights key information to help guide travel partners in their understanding of the number of economic relief options available to small businesses during this time.

Travel partners can find educational material about recent legislation, and they will soon have the opportunity to receive more assistance through a resource desk RCL is setting up. The program will not provide legal, tax or financial advice.

Travel professionals can get started with RCL Cares at CruisingPower.com, where they can access highlights of the CARES Act, FAQs, and Small Business Association resources and tips.

Silversea is also preparing to launch Virtual Visit — a series of online videos designed to keep travel partners informed and up-to-date with the company’s latest developments.

Trade partners will receive a weekly virtual visit from a familiar face. Stay tuned for more details.

And Silversea is also inviting its travel partners to check out a video message from its global sales team, so check it out.

For more on the cruise line’s reduced deposit initiative, go to:

https://www.silversea.com/best-luxury-cruise-deals/double-bonus.html

As for details on its Confidence program, sail on over to:

https://www.silversea.com/lp-trade-CWC-cruise-cancellation-and-commission-protection-guidelines.html

Take A Look At Emerald Cruises’ News Ships

Emerald Cruises has released a new video showcasing the initial build of its first oceangoing super yacht, Emerald Azzurra, along with first look images from the building of Emerald Luna, the line’s newest Star-Ship on the rivers of Europe. Both Emerald Azzurra and Emerald Luna are scheduled to launch in 2021.

Patricia Wu, brand director, Emerald Cruises Canada, said that: “As much as life can feel uncertain during this period of societal disruption, we believe travel can serve as a true emotional healing agent for when we are again able to wander the world.”

Wu continued: “We are committed to the future of small ship travel and looking to tomorrow’s adventures helps keeps hope front and center. In that spirit, we are proud to share the first of our Emerald Azzurra new build videos and look forward to welcoming guests next year.”

Glen Moroney, owner and chairman of Scenic Group, pointed out that: “Our time-lapse video shows the building of Emerald Azzurra is still on schedule, with the shipyard progressing their work on construction and pre-outfitting of hull blocks as expected.”

Moroney said that: “While there are some delays in equipment delivery from Europe and China, we continue to work with the shipyard on how to minimize that impact. The entire Emerald Yacht Cruises team is excited to see the project progressing and look forward to welcoming guests onboard this magnificent yacht as it begins cruising the Mediterranean in 2021.”

The images of Emerald Luna showcase its ongoing progress as well, with Moroney explaining: “All construction and equipment deliveries are on schedule,” said Moroney. Emerald Luna will be the ninth ship in Emerald Waterways’ fleet and will join Emerald Sky, Star, Sun, Dawn and Destiny cruising the Rhine, Maine and Danube Rivers. Emerald Liberté, sailing on the Rhône River, Emerald Radiance on the Douro River and Emerald Harmony on the Mekong River.”

The 360-foot-long Emerald Azzurra is being built in Ha Long City, Vietnam and is scheduled to set sail in August 2021. Her 47 itineraries throughout 2021 and 2022 will explore destinations including the Red Sea – Israel, Jordan and Egypt – and the Mediterranean – Greece, Croatia, Italy, France, Cyprus, Turkey, Malta and Spain. Emerald Yacht Cruises will offer guests an intimate yacht cruising experience on board with a capacity set at just 100 guests and on shore, providing unrivalled access to smaller and quieter ports and harbors only small yachts can reach.

The new addition to Emerald Waterways’ Star-Ship river fleet, Emerald Luna is set to sail in spring 2021. The 180-guest vessel promises all the line’s innovative and contemporary Star-Ship features including the signature indoor heated pool that seamlessly transforms into an evening cinema, the panoramic Sun Deck and beautifully appointed suites and staterooms.

Sail on over to www.emeraldcruises.ca in Canada for more.

Set Sail On An Antarctica Adventure With Atlas

Atlas Ocean Voyages will unveil its inaugural winter 2021/22 Antarctica season in early-May 2020.

The Luxe-Adventure travel brand will launch sales of its Antarctica season ahead of schedule to provide travel advisors more opportunities to take advantage of the most immediate and generous program called GET PAID NOW.

GET PAID NOW immediately assists travel advisors with up to $750 per deposited booking, and their clients receive up to $2,000 savings and more on an exhilarating Luxe-Adventure journey aboard World Navigator.

World Navigator, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ first expedition ship launching in mid-2021, will embark on her maiden Antarctica Luxpedition in November 2021 and bring adventurers and like-spirited travelers to the southernmost, most isolated continent for towering icebergs, waddling penguins, playful seals, breaching whales and more.

Alberto Aliberti, president of Atlas Ocean Voyages, said: “Travel advisors have always been an indispensable partner for cruise lines and now, they need our support more than ever.”

Aliberti continued: “Atlas Ocean Voyages created GET PAID NOW to support our valued Travel Advisor community as we navigate these unprecedented times. And we’re opening up our 2021/22 Antarctica season sales early, on May 4, so Travel Advisors can offer more destinations – and more choices – when discussing future travels with their clients. We will all travel again and small, safe, luxury expedition ships like World Navigator will help lead the cruise industry’s recovery.”

Atlas Ocean Voyages’ vice-president of sales and trade partnerships, Brandon Townsley said: “We know travel advisors are working extra hard these days planning future dream vacations and travel experiences for their clients. To support them and recognize their efforts, we want Travel Advisors to GET PAID NOW for selling a Luxe-Adventure journey to the end of the earth aboard one of World Navigator’s2021/2022 Antarctica voyages.”

GET PAID NOW is applicable for all Atlas Ocean Voyages’ itineraries, including the inaugural 2021/22 Antarctica season, and is combinable with all current Atlas Ocean Voyages promotions.

For every booking with deposit, travel advisors will receive:

• A $750 gift card per suite now.
• A $500 gift card per Horizon and Veranda stateroom now.
• 15% commission

For travellers, Atlas Ocean Voyages is offering:

• $1,000 savings plus FREE business-class air travel per suite guest.
• $500 savings plus FREE economy-class air travel per Horizon- or Veranda-stateroom guest.
• Free changes to any itinerary, departing before March 31, 2022.

For more, agents can go to www.atlasoceanvoyages.com/contact-travel-advisors/ .