Thomas Cook shop manager Kate Fellows has launched her own cruise club for clients as she looks to build on good growth in cruise bookings last year.
Since agreeing to be a member of Travel Weekly Cruise Club, Fellows, who runs the Wulfrun Square Wolverhampton branch of Thomas Cook, has placed a greater emphasis on promoting cruise and targeting customers.
Fellows said: “We have been in the town 125 years and we have really started to promote cruise again. We have seen massive growth since last year and we really want to maintain that for the rest of this year.
“We are introducing people to cruise and the staff have a better understanding of the products.”
The cruise club was launched after looking through the customer database for potential cruise customers who were sent offers, promotions and invitations to ship visits.
“We have 85 members and we plan to make contact with them at least once a month,” she said.
Fellows has already organised for 40 people to see P&O Cruises’ Aurora this summer in Southampton. The branch is charging £20 for the trip and is offering discounts to customers who attend and book a cruise on the ship.
One of the biggest bookings the branch has taken was a short cruise onboard Royal Caribbean International’s Navigator of the Seas for a 25-strong theatre group.
Fellows said: “We had cards in the windows advertising party cruises and a man from the local theatre group came in and enquired about it, which was great. I also want to promote weddings at sea there is a lot of value in that.”
Fellows said the decision by Royal Caribbean to base Navigator of the Seas in Southampton has been brilliant for business.