Royal Caribbean International will not reveal its ‘wave’ season promotional prices until Monday (December 20), claiming that they are “so competitive” they are currently being kept under wraps.
The line is to embark on a £3.5 million new year marketing campaign claiming it will be offering “the best ever value” by a mainstream cruise line.
Royal Caribbean will be pushing its well-flagged “straight-talking” pricing drive with co-operative marketing efforts in partnership with the travel trade.
There will be no early booking discounts or onboard offers, just “straightforward prices” that will increase driven by demand, according to the company.
The ‘what you see is what you get’ campaign will include marketing tools to aid the travel industry in promoting cruises to their own client bases in addition to a nationwide TV, radio, and national press advertising push.
Agents will have the chance to win one of seven daily prizes whenever a 2011 booking is made between January 1 and February 28. Incentives and prizes available include designer sunglasses, digital photo albums and portable digital TVs. Two HD 3D TV’s will also be given away.
The cruise line is urging agents and consumers to book early to take advantage of the prices that will only last for an unspecified limited period of time.
The best value offers will focus on year-round cruises from Southampton on Independence of the Seas, winter Dubai sailings by Brilliance of the Seas, and new Grandeur of the Seas Mediterranean fly-cruises from Palma.
A dedicated microsite at www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/whatyousee will reinforce the prices and highlight the extras that are included in the main cruise fare such as a choice of restaurants, children’s entertainment and clubs, theatre shows, and a host of sports and fitness activities.
Head of field sales Mark Walter claimed the promotion marked a “step-change” in the promotion of cruising.
“All the prices and campaign elements are aimed towards making it easy for first-timer cruisers who will be comparing a holiday at sea with traditional land resorts options,” he said.
“We’ve scraped the traditional cruise jargon and focused on the incredible value that a cruise represents.
“To drive bookings in the turn-of-year period, the prices on offer will not be around for long – as 2011 cruises fill up, prices will increase to reflect demand.”
The campaign had been “tweaked” following agent feedback after the concept of its 2011 turn of year marketing campaign was outlined to agents attending the recent launch of Allure of the Seas.
“We have tweaked the campaign to make it even stronger based on the comments from agents and are confident that it will deliver fantastic support to our agent partners during the key Christmas and New Year period,” said Walter.