Demand for Celebrity Eclipse cruises from Southampton has made the ship the best-selling vessel in the Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International fleets.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines vice-president and managing director UK and Ireland, Robin Shaw, admitted he has been “amazed” at the level of demand for the ship, which is also exceeding yield expectations by 10%.
He said: “There is always apprehension about putting a new ship in a new market but demand has been incredible.”
Celebrity Eclipse launches in April and will be named in Southampton, where it will be based for its inaugural 2010 summer season, sailing for the UK market, which is a first for Celebrity.
Shaw attributed Eclipse’s success to the fact it is offering a “real alternative” to the traditional ships that sail from the UK as well as the inaugural events in July this year, when sister ship Celebrity Equinox was named in Southampton.
Some 5,000 agents visited Celebrity Equinox over eight days of inaugural celebrations in July.
He said: “We cannot underestimate the importance of getting so many cruise specialists and multiples on Equinox. It enabled our trade partners to see that the product delivers so they can really believe in it and sell it with confidence.”
Shaw said UK passenger numbers for Royal Caribbean Cruises are up a total 30% this year. Within that figure, Celebrity Cruises has grown 40% and Royal Caribbean International is up 20%.
He said: “For 2010, we don’t have Constellation sailing from Harwich, but we do have Eclipse from Southampton so I expect similar growth.”
He said the UK office’s focus is to fill Celebrity Eclipse and Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, which will be based in Southampton year-round from 2010, but the UK office is also tasked with sourcing 50% of the passengers for Brilliance of the Seas, which is sailing seven-night Arabian Gulf cruises from Dubai starting January 2010.