In recognition of the role agents play, with travellers continuing to look to them for their expertise and knowledge, Celebrity Cruises has continued to put agent success at the heart of its business by taking onboard recent travel partner feedback.
The luxury cruise brand is introducing new tools, resources and earning mechanisms to upweight its support for agents, to show gratitude and inspire a successful Mini Wave for all travel partners.
Exclusively for the Mini Wave campaign, the cruise line is reintroducing Celebrity Reward points on every booking, from inside staterooms through to suites, maximising earning opportunities. Agents will now earn £5 when booking an Inside or Oceanview stateroom, £10 for Balcony, Concierge or Aquaclass, and £20 when booking for the Retreat or Galapagos. Reward points can be redeemed against reloadable Mastercards, onboard gifts for a personal touch for their clients, donations to Reuben’s Retreat charity and more.
Following Celebrity’s Travel Agent Panel feedback sessions this summer, Celebrity will also launch their first printed brochure since 2018, bursting with brand and product information, alongside upcoming 2023/24 holiday offerings.
This impressive client-facing version of the brochure will be available in September, following the release of the digital version in August. An enhanced trade-exclusive digital selling guide, focusing on practical resources such as ship fact sheets, deck plans, and information on 2023 itineraries, is also available to download from the homepage of Celebrity Central – offering everything agents need to find clients’ dream holidays.
Accompanying this, from late August, Celebrity Central will be refreshed, featuring a new look and feel with updated content, improved search functionality and simplified pricing systems to give agents the clarity and information they said was invaluable in making the booking journey easier than ever.
“Our travel partners are critical to the success of our business, so we’re pledging to bolster our support with a multi-faceted strategy in recognition of all they do for us. The Travel Agent Panel sessions this summer gave us the opportunity to really listen to how we can best support agents, and we’re looking forward to visiting agents in Scotland later this year to learn more” says Claire Stirrup, Sales Director, UK & Ireland, Celebrity Cruises.
These new resources coincide with the launch of Celebrity Cruises’ latest sales campaign which gives agents a compelling offer to convert client bookings across awe-inspiring destinations. From 4th August 2022, guests can take advantage of a 60% saving on the second guest and receive up to $200 onboard credit per person on all bookings made before 21st September 2022. Plus, perfect for clients with families, the 60% savings will also apply to the fourth guest, when booking a room for four people.
Celebrity Cruises is ensuring this suite of tools and resources align with the strongest team in place to support trade partners. The thriving sales team has seen the internal promotion of Mandy Burrie to Strategic Account Manager, Ros Nigrelli returning from maternity leave to her role as Trade Support Manager as well as four talented additions to bolster Celebrity’s support for the trade.
With 11 years’ of travel experience, Matthew Stuart brings knowledge of luxury travel from Club Med into his new role as Business Development Manager, looking after the cruise line’s luxury travel partners.
Joining from Hays and with a diverse travel background, Charlotte Hallam leads Celebrity’s team of Regional Sales Managers in her role as Field Sales Manager.
Victoria Snelgar has joined as Sales Planning & Activation Manager, bringing a wealth of knowledge and innovative thinking from her previous travel roles, including The UK Shipping Concierge.
Finally, Jessica Trickett has settled into the role of Regional Sales Manager for the North West & East, bringing 26 years of experience in travel, with aspirations to maximise agents’ sales and earning potential across Celebrity Cruises’ holidays.
Agents should head to Celebrity Central for more information on how to benefit from the new tools available and changes to the Celebrity Rewards programme, www.celebritycentral.co.uk #CelebrityLovesAgents
