Cruise
HAL Debuts ‘Asia’ Specialist Training Course
Adding to its collection of global sales tools, Holland America Line (HAL) debuted a new Holland America Line Academy Specialist Course that supports travel agents in selling the premium brand’s Asia cruises. Called “Asia: Ancient, Modern and Miraculous,” the online course helps agents increase their cruise sales by giving insider tips and tools around those itineraries. The course takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete and includes information about the advantages of a Holland America cruise in the region. Travel advisors learn how to identify and sell to the best...
Cruise In Style and Save With Celebrity, ACV
Air Canada Vacations (ACV) is offering an exclusive, year-long special for travellers booking Celebrity Cruises’ luxurious Aqua and Suite Class staterooms. Perks include priority seating at Blu restaurant, pure relaxation with sea views in the Relaxation Room and Persian garden, and AquaSpa treatments pre-arranged by a personal spa concierge. Until Dec. 31, travellers booking any Celebrity cruise in an Aqua Class stateroom or higher with ACV can fly for $400 less per couple. When booking a Suite Class stateroom, clients can also take advantage of additional services such as...
PONANT Partners With The Aldabra Clean Up Project
French cruise line PONANT has launched a partnership with the Aldabra Clean Up Project to combat plastic pollution and preserve the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, as well as raise awareness in the global community. PONANT and the Aldabra Clean Up Project will work together to eliminate the tons of plastic waste that have washed ashore. The beach clean-up project started Feb. 22. As the foundation’s main sponsor, PONANT has committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure a successful program and monitoring the operational logistics throughout the project. The companies...
Tauck Launching First-Ever Douro River Cruises
Tauck has announced that it will offer its first-ever cruises on the Douro River in Portugal next year, and that its three new itineraries will sail aboard a riverboat that's being designed and built specifically for the Douro. According to the officials, the new ship, the ms Andorinha, will offer more suites, more spacious public areas and an intimate ambiance that naturally results from having fewer guests on board. Tauck notes that with a capacity of just 84 guests, the Andorinha will carry fewer guests than any other vessel currently operated by a major line on the Douro. “At...
Variety Cruises Unveils Newly Designed Website
Variety Cruises has launched a newly designed website at https://www.varietycruises.com. The new site features a streamlined, user-friendly modern design, making it easier than ever to connect agents and travellers to a small ship experience in the destination of their dreams. The site features both videos and destination photos on the homepage, which also includes guest reviews, as well as an integrated, live social media slideshow highlighting and hyperlinking the most recent Instagram posts from Variety Cruises. Under the site’s new “Book Now” page, guests can ask...
Uniworld Joins TTC Agent Academy
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection and its new brand, U by Uniworld – aimed at a new generation of river cruisers, has moved its Uniworld University advisor education content to the TTC Agent Academy. According to officials, this will be the single source e-learning platform for all brands under The Travel Corporation umbrella, including Trafalgar, Contiki and Insight Vacations. Uniworld SVP of Global Sales Kristian Anderson said the move was designed to simplify and enhance agent education, offering a single sign-on to access all TTC brands and more engaging content including...
Bonus Points For Agents From Scenic Group
Scenic Group, parent company of Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Emerald Waterways and Scenic Eclipse, has announced that Canada-based travel agents will receive a bonus of 25,000 Rewards Points for every new booking they make between Feb. 1 and March 31, 2019 on any of its three brands Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Emerald Waterways and Scenic Eclipse. There's no cap, so the sky is the limit. The Rewards bonus points will be in addition to the already generous points agents earn based on the value of the booking. Scenic Group's Rewards Program, started in 2018, grants one...
Something Nieuw
Picture this: Oprah Winfrey is donning pajamas and handing out shots of tequila as passengers taking part in Holland America Line's Girls' Getaway cruise go wild with excitement at the sight of the popular talk show host, film star and founder of O, The Oprah Magazine. In this week's Travel Courier cover story, assistant editor, Ann Ruppenstein writes that while the prominent Godmother of Nieuw Statendam, who officially named the ship earlier this month, likely won't be cruising along with clients on upcoming trips, rest assured they will still be entertained. Along with the...