Online cruise retailer Fast Track Cruises has teamed up with Virgin Holidays to put the operator’s entire cruise brochure on its website.
The Virgin Holidays mini-site, which is accessible via a link from Fast Track’s homepage, took three weeks to develop and is the leading cruise retailer’s first such partnership.
Managing director Robin Deller said the link allows Fast Track to benefit from the Virgin name and gives it access to exclusive product as it looks to expand its cruise-and-stay business.
“We do not see Virgin as a direct competitor. It means we can offer scheduled flights with a recognised brand and with Virgin Holidays there is a good a amount of flexibility.
“As a cruise agency we are specialising more and more in cruise-and-stay in anticipation of the fact that cruise operators need to find new-to-cruise customers.
“To do that you need to offer an element that appeals to what they are used to.”
Deller said the partnership will benefit both Virgin Holidays and Fast Track, with “sizeable but achievable targets” agreed, and should improve conversion rates by improving customer experience on the website.
The 84-page Virgin Holidays cruise brochure, which features predominantly Carnival Cruise Lines product in the US, Caribbean and Mexico, is a first for the operator and a major step forward for cruise becoming a mainstream holiday option.
Early bookings savings are available of £100 per couple plus a free cabin upgrade offer for bookings made before February 28 for departures in May, June and September 2007.