NEW
Norwegian Cruise Line UK general manager Stephen Parks has promised to step up
marketing activity with agents
as
it develops its Hawaii programme.
Industry
veteran Parks, who spent 11 years as sales and marketing director with Walt
Disney Attractions, said NCL would launch aggressive promotions through the
trade in the wake of huge capacity increases in the cruising market.
Speaking
exclusively to Travel Weekly, he said: “Agents sell around 95% of our product
and we are committed to them.
“The
launch of our Hawaii programme will allow us to differentiate ourselves from
the other cruiselines and we want to invest in ways to help agents sell –
whether it’s consumer marketing, joint promotions or more training.”
NCL
will launch Pride of America into Hawaii next April, and Parks said UK agents
would get a preview of the vessel before its inter-island sailings start.
Norwegian Sky, which will be renamed Pride of Aloha, will join it in October
2004.
Parks
also pledged NCL would not make its website bookable to ensure customers go
through the trade.