Carnival Cruise Lines has warned it will “walk away” from agents who refuse to use its new online booking and marketing tool.
UK and Ireland managing director Lynn Narraway said: “We are trying to be more cost-effective, so we will only work with agents who will make use of the tools we are providing.”
Her comments came as the cruise line prepared to launch phase two of GoCarnival.co.uk, its online booking system designed to give agents more functionality. Currently, the system, which was launched in April, allows consultants to check live availability and book standard fly-cruise and cruise-only holidays in sterling.
The new version, to be launched at the end of the year, will allow agents to tailor-make packages with software that use API links.
Agents registered with GoCarnival will be able to allow clients to book commissionable Carnival fly-cruise or cruise-only packages through their agency website. Agents will receive commission and their clients’ contracts will be with Carnival Cruise Lines so the holidays will be covered by the cruise line’s Atol.
A new GoCarnival service will offer email and advertising templates, direct mail copy, images and window cards.
Narraway said: “We are giving agents the tools to help them expand their business. If they refuse to use them, we will walk away from them.”
Narraway said 4,000 agents were registered on GoCarnival and a record 25% of bookings for Carnival Magic, the new ship sailing in the Mediterranean next summer, were coming through the system.
“That’s good but it could be more. GoCarnival’s early savers are our best deals and are not available over the phone. We don’t want agents calling us when they could be using GoCarnival.”