AUTOMATED bookings now represent 18% of Royal Caribbean’s total sales through agents, following the introduction of its Waves viewdata system last October.
The cruiseline was the first in the industry to launch on viewdata as it wanted to boost its electronic bookings through the trade.
Previously, only 75 agents used its reservations technology Cruisematch, which is available via global distribution systems, while the rest booked over the phone. Sales, marketing and operations director Pete Williams said: “The key with viewdata is getting agents used to knowing they can make an electronic booking.”
He estimates that viewdata will be superseded by the Internet as a booking tool for agents in a few years’ time. The cruiseline is looking at setting up a dedicated UK site with prices in sterling within the year.