Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is extending an all-inclusive drinks package to most 2013/14 cruises.
The line is also introducing an early-booking ‘Price Pledge’ for bookings made between today (July 20) and September 30.
The drinks offer is limited to the first 100 bookings per sailing taken between now and the end of September.
The initiative follows the line introducing the deal on four limited availability Canary Islands fly-cruises in 2013.
Passengers will receive free beers, wine, spirits and soft drinks on cruises departing after April 6, 2013 provided they book by September 30.
The deal covers all sailings with the exception of 2014 extended voyages by Balmoral and Black Watch.
Sales and marketing director Nathan Philpot said: “We know that many of our guests are on a tight budget in this challenging economic climate, and with this ‘all-inclusive’ drinks package, our 2013/14 cruise programme is even better value for money.
“Our ‘drinks inclusive’ package on the four selected 2013 Canaries fly-cruises, which we launched earlier this year, has proven extremely popular, and sold out three times as quickly as our cruises without this valuable add-on.
“There is a huge demand for ‘all-inclusive’ holidays, which now account for one in three package holidays booked, with a 50% growth between 2008 and 2011.”
Matching a move by rivals P&O Cruises and Cunard, the line says that if the price of the cruise is reduced for the cabin grade booked, it will refund the difference through a cabin upgrade, onboard spending credit or a cash refund.
Philpot said: “We have been discussing a ‘Fred Olsen Price Pledge’ with our key trade partners for a number of weeks, and this is one of a range of options that we are introducing to help to restore confidence in the cruise market to encourage guests to book early.
“We want to offer our guests the best possible deal on their cruise with us, and by booking early with the ‘Fred Olsen Price Pledge’, they will have the peace of mind that, should the cruise price reduce, then we will make up the difference, whilst they will be able to secure the best choice of cruise and cabins.
“We would ask all our travel agent colleagues to get behind our new ‘Price Pledge’, which aims to put an end to unsustainable pricing for cruise holidays in the marketplace.
“This, we believe, is in the best interests of all within the cruise industry and will help to bring about increased returns for agents.”
The price pledge applies to the cruise element of the holiday, and not to other package components, such as flights, hotels and transfers.