NORWAY’S Fjord Line has followed its launch into the UK market with a guarantee not to cut agents’ commission this year to keep trade support for the route from Newcastle to Bergen.
Sales and marketing director Mike Wood said travel agents will continue to be paid 10% commission on both ferry-only bookings and inclusive tour packages.
“We were discussing cutting commission when the route was owned by Color Line, but we want the trade’s support this year as we are a new name in the market,” he said.
The route was acquired from Color Line last December for about £30.8m.
The deal included the ship Color Viking, which has been renamed Jupiter and painted in new livery, and all crew and staff in both the UK and Norway were given the option to stay on with Fjord Line with their same contracts.
“Some in Bergen have left to stay with Color Line, but in the UK everyone has kept their positions,” said Wood, who has moved across to Fjord Line with managing director Dag Romslo.
He added that one or two extra people are to be employed by Fjord Line to take over the tour production and contracting previously handled by Color Line in Oslo.
Wood also intends to appoint two regional sales managers by the end of the summer – there is presently just one – to strengthen the ferry operator’s links with the trade.
“We have sent mailshots to the trade nationwide as it is important to get across the new name,” said Wood. “We are selling ourselves as the direct way to the fjords. The name makes it easier. It says where we go and what we do, which Color Line never did.”
Wood said while there has been 50% growth each year since 1996 in the company’s holiday business – 8,700 passengers were carried on its own holidays last year out of a total independent tour business of 69,300 – ferry-only bookings through the trade have fallen as agents dismiss them as too much work for not enough money.
“We are trying to get the message across that agents can make money selling a ferry ticket. A deluxe cabin can cost £600 in peak season,” he said.
To help trade bookings, Fjord Line has teamed up with Wallace Arnold to host a two-night educational to Bergen for 40-50 agents on May 17-18. An eight-day educational with smaller coach operators was held at the end of last month.
Fjord Line will also be hosting more on-board dinners. These are held on a Friday night when the ship is docked at Newcastle, so agents stay on-board overnight. No dates have been decided.
The Newcastle operation is now waiting to hear if it will get the new ship Fjord Line announced it is to have built, or whether it will go on the operator’s route from Bergen to Hanstholm in Denmark.
“We have 420 cabins on Jupiter and need 15% more to meet demand, covering the range from basic to deluxe five-star suites,” said Wood.
“We also need more four-berth cabins.”
fjord Line
Based: Newcastle and Bergen.
Routes: Newcastle-Stavanger/Bergen three times a week in summer (two in winter); Bergen-Hanstholm, Denmark, three times a week.
Fleet: Jupiter on the UK route; Bergen on Danish service.
Holiday programme: Norway ’99.
Sample fares: one-way car package in June costs from £250 for a car and up to five people and sleeperette; two-berth outside cabin in July costs from £159 per person one-way, car from £80; four-day sea break Newcastle-Bergen-Newcastle costs from £54 per person including three nights in four-berth cabin and breakfast.
Contact number: 0191-296 1313.