NORWEGIAN Cruise Line is developing a new booking system that will allow agents and operators to process reservations over the Internet.
The first phase of the project, allowing Net cruise-only bookings, is due to be launched at the beginning of next month.
The second stage, which introduces a multi-currency facility, will be rolled out to tour operators six weeks later.
The full system, which will enable agents to book cruises, flights, hotels and land arrangements on-line, will take at least a further six months to complete.
UK executive director Bill Ellerington estimated that only 30%-40% of the cruiseline’s top-selling agents have Internet access at present.
However, the company is prepared to install Internet facilities free for agents that generate a large number of bookings.
Ellerington conceded agents using the Internet for bookings would have to pay telephone charges instead of using NCL’s freephone number but claimed they would be able to speed up the booking process.
“Currently, a retail agent booking using the traditional method over the phone will take up to 10 minutes to make a booking. In the US, agents using our Internet system are taking four to five minutes,” he said.
He added that agents who still wished to book over the telephone could still do so.
“I don’t think the Internet will replace traditional methods or call centres overnight.”
Ellerington said the company had decided against launching on viewdata. “It does work well for some companies but it may only have a few more years of life left.
“Rather than wasting resources, we decided to leapfrog viewdata and go on to the next stage, which we see as the Net,” he added.
Ship check
Name: Norwegian Sky.
Size: 80,000 tons.
Passenger capacity: 2002.
Launched: August 1999.
Facilities: eight restaurants, Internet cafe, tapas bar, champagne and vodka bar, sports bar, spa an eight-storey atrium.