Cruise
Oceania enhances loyalty plan
Oceania Cruises has enhanced its Oceania Club loyalty program, adding a new Blue membership level for guests to start earning rewards as quickly as their first cruise. The cruise line has also added complimentary air deviation fee waivers as well as substantial savings on Internet, shore excursions, beverage packages and logo merchandise into its generous mix of benefits. Current benefits include on-board recognition and membership-level pins, exclusive Oceania Club cocktail receptions and member-only offers. Higher levels also include free cruises, free Canyon Ranch SpaClub treatments, and a...
Quark Expeditions partners with Cruise Strategies
Quark Expeditions and Cruise Strategies Ltd. have announced a strategic sales and marketing agreement. Cruise Strategies will assume a number of aspects of the sales and marketing of the Quark fleet sailing to Antarctica and implement a new sales plan focusing on retail travel professionals across Canada. With this new partnership, Cruise Strategies' sales and marketing team will provide a breadth of support, including public relations and communications, as well as extensive sales and product training to retail travel agencies. Sales calls, training events, webinars, promotional...
Sunquest unveils 2013 Mediterranean cruise program
Sunquest has introduced its 2013 Mediterranean Cruising program, detailed in a new brochure and in the system - ready to book. Featuring departures out of Toronto with Alitalia (March to October 2013), Sunquest and MSC Cruises are continuing their partnership "to bring even more choice and value for the 2013 Med cruising season."The MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia, MSC Lirica and the MSC Divina are the four ships that Sunquest guests can choose from this coming season. Five itineraries are available - two East and three West, covering the Med's sunny shores from Valencia to Haifa and everywhere...
Tauck launches new family river cruise
Featured prominently in Tauck's 2013 Bridges collection is its new river cruise itinerary, "Bon Voyage: France Family River Cruise."The 10-day itinerary (from $4,690 p.p., plus air) begins with an included two-night hotel stay with guided sightseeing in Paris that highlights the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and a special dinner at Fouquet's. Guests then travel on the high-speed TGV train to Lyon, where they'll board Tauck's Swiss Emerald for a seven-night cruise on the Rhone. Tauck is including a number of fun and engaging activities for families throughout the itinerary,...
GLP offers special Variety commission levels
As part of its recently announced partnership with Variety Cruises, GLP Worldwide Expedition Travel & Tours is offering very attractive commission rates to agents on future Variety bookings. For all Variety Cruise bookings made through GLP Worldwide from now until Sept. 12, 2013: first cabin booked commissionable at 10%; second to fourth cabin booked commissionable at 16%; and five plus cabins booked commissionable at 18%. Commissions will be retroactive once they reach the next tier. Variety Cruises offers yacht cruises featuring mega yachts from 25 to 36 cabins, operating seven-day...
Royal Caribbean recognized as top innovator
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. received top honours during the recent 24th Annual InformationWeek 500 Conference - jumping to No. 18 in the coveted list of 500. Royal Caribbean was the only cruise line honoured in the Hospitality and Travel category for its Guest Portal iPad application deployed onboard its recently revitalized Splendour of the Seas. The tablet empowers guests with a mobile integrated solution, with which to receive, retrieve and act on information during their cruise vacation. With a touch of the screen guests are able to access the daily Cruise Compass of events and...
Encore announces first $1,000 winner
Encore Cruises has its first $1,000 winner in its new "Cruise for Cash"promotion -- Sandra CÒté from Voyages Escapades in Victoriaville, Quebec. She won the $1,000 cash prize by booking her clients with Encore Cruises during the promotional period... with every booking, agents are automatically entered in the draw, and there are still four $1,000 cash prizes up for grabs. Prizes will be awarded through weekly draws over the next four weeks. The promotion is valid on all new cruise bookings between Sept. 17 and Oct. 22 for departures between Oct. 1 and March 31, 2013, and is...
Agents climb on board for NCVW
More than 4,300 CLIA travel agents and agencies have signed up to participate in the second annual National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW), Cruise Lines International Association's "World's Largest Cruise Sale."NCVW, from Oct. 21-27, is CLIA and the cruise industry's single largest promotion, which last year generated $55 million in cruise sales and more than $7 million in commissions for more than 5,000 participating agencies throughout Canada and the US. Many CLIA member lines are again offering special incentives for agents to book cruises during the event, including bonus commissions and...