Complete Cruise Solution – the marketing arm for P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard and Ocean Village – has revamped its group deal policy to offer agents more exclusivity.
For 2008, groups will be known as Special Departures and, although most significant changes have been made to the terms on offer from P&O Cruises and Cunard, the new policy will see all four brands encouraging agents to put more focus on the deals.
Previously, agent partners who negotiated a number of special group deals would only hit the 15-plus bookings required on a fraction of those, so the new policy has reduced the number of Special Departures on any one sailing from 20 to just four.
As well as the change of name, the policy guarantees the Special Departures price for the full duration of the brochure rather than rising in line with general pricing as the sailing fills – although agents confident of selling at the higher price can opt to do so.
Complete Cruise Solution head of sales Giles Hawke said: “In the past lots of agents have taken a maximum number of groups and not got anywhere near selling enough to make it a group.
“This is a much more consumer and agent-friendly programme and gives agents the opportunity to get behind a particular cruise and put some investment into it. They can have faith in the price remaining constant so it gives them that degree of exclusivity.”
It is also hoped the name change will encourage agents to ask Complete Cruise Solution about group rates by making it clear that it is distinct from booking a large pre-existing group, such as an extended family or social club.