Carnival Breeze, the Carnival Cruise Lines ship launching in 2012, is to be based in Europe next year as part of a major push to get more bookings from the UK.
Speaking on new ship Carnival Magic two weeks before its launch, Carnival Cruise Lines chief executive Gerry Cahill said it was “almost definite” that Breeze would be based in Barcelona next summer.
Cahill said there has been a “dramatic jump” in bookings from the UK this year. which he attributed to Carnival returning to Europe this summer for the first time since 2008.
After its inaugural 12 night cruise from Venice to Barcelona on May 1, Carnival Magic will sail 7,9 and 12 night cruises from the Spanish city until October when it relocates to Galveston in Texas.
Cahill said: “Sales for Magic are going pretty well. Bookings from the UK have doubled over the last year. I’m very attracted to the UK market as it’s a common language with America. I want more bookings from the UK.”
While refusing to reveal future sales strategies to increase UK bookings, he indicated there were no plans to base Carnival Breeze in the UK at any time during the 2012 summer season.
Carly Perkins, UK marketing services manager, said the phase two launch of GoCarnival, the agents’ online reservation system, has helped increase bookings this year. The system was upgraded at the end of February to allow retailers to book whole packages, including flights, transfers, hotels and cruise.
Perkins said half the passengers booked on Carnival Magic’s August 14 cruise were from the UK.