Tag Archives: Mediterranean Cruise

MSC pays 5% commission on prepaid cruise activities

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By Tom Stieghorst
MSC Divina 410MSC Cruises said it will pay 5% commission on cruise activities that cost extra, if they are prepaid and booked through a travel agent.

The line said commissionable activities include spa treatments, specialty restaurants, beverage packages and celebration packages. MSC said they are in addition to the current commissionable shore excursions, hotel packages, transfers and air. Details are at msccruiseagent.com.

Few if any other cruise lines pay commission on such items.

MSC also said it will pay 25% commission on balcony cabins on MSC Divina later this year on sailings between Aug. 2 and Dec. 20. The travel must be booked May 27 through July 31 and apply to categories B1, B2 and B3.

Also, starting June 2, agents can earn tour conductor credits for selling a certain number of FIT bookings. The credits are typically earned when booking groups, but MSC said agents to not need to block group inventory.

One tour conductor credit will be awarded for every 20 full-fare guests on the same sail date, for bookings made up to 75 days prior to departure.

Sheehan: NCL pricing has softened

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By Tom Stieghorst

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Kevin Sheehan told Wall Street analysts on Tuesday that pricing has softened some since the late fourth quarter, when it was selling 2014 inventory at double-digit increases from the year before.

At the time, Sheehan said load factors were higher for the second, third and fourth quarters and lower for the first quarter, when Norwegian has 72% of its capacity in the Caribbean.

Sheehan said he had hoped to continue pricing unchanged.

“Unfortunately, that didn’t play out. As that period progressed, we needed to adjust our pricing somewhat to get to the finish line,” he said.

In a conference call, one analyst wondered when Norwegian’s newest ships, the Norwegian Breakaway and Getaway, would be recognized as so good as to be above the competitive scrum of promotional competition.

“We are obviously waiting for that moment in time,” Sheehan said.

He said that keeping ships in Europe rather than bringing them back to the U.S. has proven to be the correct strategy for 2014.

“We’re feeling a little bit better about the Wave season as we get through each week,” Sheehan said.

P&O floats out Britannia in Italy

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By Jane Archer 

P&O floats out Britannia in ItalyP&O Cruises took more pre-registrations in one day last week for new ship Britannia than in a whole week for Azura before it launched in 2010.

Marketing director Christopher Edgington said pre-registrations, targeted at past passengers only, allowed clients to put their name down for specific cruises but not cabins.

The maiden voyage, a 14-night Mediterranean cruise departing March 14 2015, was in high demand, as was a 12-night round-Britain cruise in July. They open for sale on March 27.

Speaking at Britannia’s float out – the moment when the dry-dock is flooded and water hits the hull for the first time – Edgington said: “Our past passengers are really excited about Britannia. We have created a ship that is right for them and for people who have never cruised by enhancing our signature features and adding exciting new ones.”

They include a new cookery school devised by TV chef James Martin, the Limelight dining and cabaret club, and a Mediterranean-style Market Café serving charcuterie and sweet treats from TV’s Cake Boy Eric Lanlard.

Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar and wine expert Olly Smith, who have venues on other P&O ships, are also part of Britannia’s culinary line-up. Instead of a restaurant, Marco Pierre White is creating dishes for gala nights in the dining rooms,

Hebden Bridge-based agent Louise Hunt, who works for Travel Councillors, won a P&O competition to be Madrina, or godmother, for the float out, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy. A bank worker until last year, Hunt admitted she was both nervous and excited. She said: “This is quite surreal, quite incredible.”