Cunard extending agent distribution with 2011 launch
Saturday, 15 Mar, 2010
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Cunard Line is widening its distribution base through agents as the company expands with a new ship and destinations.
Speaking at the launch of the company’s expanded 2011 programme, president and managing director Peter Shanks said: “One of our core objectives for the trade is to bring more agents into the fold.
“We will grow by a third with a new ship, so more agents are looking at us a growth opportunity.”
He cited an extended deployment in 2011-12 helped by the introduction of new ship Queen Elizabeth and a consistency of offering as helped agents sell Cunard cruises.
Queen Victoria will be used next year to trailblaze new destinations, such as port-intensive Mediterranean fly-cruises, a voyage from Venice to Fort Lauderdale and a Christmas cruise to Hawaii.
Shanks described pricing for 2011 cruises as being “broadly similar” to this year.
Early booking incentives include discounts of up to £800 per cabin. There are also double balcony savings and up to $600 onboard credit per cabin.
The programme goes on sale worldwide on April 26.
Passengers will have more time on board flagship Queen Mary 2 on transatlantic crossings next year.
Seven-night voyages introduced this year in addition to six-nights crossing the Atlantic have proved so popular that all but one of the 21 crossings in 2011 will be for seven nights.
With the addition of Queen Elizabeth to the fleet later this year, Cunard returns to a three-ship fleet following the retirement of the QE2.
The new ship will run 22 voyages from five to 24 nights from Southampton with prices starting at £499 per person.
Five short five-night voyages are aimed at first timer cruisers while other itineraries cover the Norwegian fjords, the Baltic, British Isles, the Mediterranean, US/Canada and the Caribbean.
There are a total of 52 maiden calls in the ship’s first season and Queen Elizabeth stay overnight in St Petersburg, Amsterdam, Venice, New York and Quebec.
A 23-night Caribbean sailing from Southampton inDecember next year will take in six ports including Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts and St Maarten.
A 19-night Eastern Mediterranean voyage in October will take in Cairo, Cyprus, Jerusalem and Haifa in Israel.
Queen Elizabethwill embark on a maiden circumnavigation of the UK on September 2 calling at cities such as Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cork in Ireland and Queen Mary 2 will commence its second round Britain voyage on September 12.
Queen Elizabeth will pass the baton to Queen Mary 2 when both ships are in Southampton on September 12.
Queen Victoria will run eight fly-cruises in the Mediterranean in addition to summer departures from Southampton between April and August 2011.
In total, Cunard will offer 46 different itineraries from Southampton in 2011 to the Mediterranean, the Baltic, Norway, Around Britain, the Americas and the Caribbean.
Details and pricing of world voyages, including QM2’s first round-Australia cruise (see previous TravelMole story) are due to be released in June.
Shanks said: “Three new ocean liners in just six years proves the demand for the Cunard brand from guests looking for the best in luxury cruising and the ability to experience a unique sense of heritage, history and tradition.
“With the anticipation and arrival of Queen Elizabeth, and our biggest ever offering for the UK market for many years, our growth in 2011 is assured – as it is for our valued travel agent partners.
“With three liners in the fleet we can now offer our travel agent partners a choice of all the best destinations.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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