Name: Edwina Lonsdale.
Title: managing director.
Agency: Mundy Cruising.
Founded: 1970.
Location: Piccadilly, London.
Number of staff: nine plus a further six who work for Mundy’s general sales agency, The Cruise Portfolio.
Proportion of business devoted to cruising: 100%.
Customer profile: wealthy couples and singles aged 50 plus. They tend to be company owners or directors, and are discerning and demanding customers.
How many of your customers are new to cruising? 25%
What are the most popular ships among your customers? Caronia, Seabourn Sun, Silver Wind and Silver Cloud, Crystal Symphony, Song of Flower and Minerva.
What are the most popular cruising destinations among your customers? The eastern Mediterranean and the Baltic.
What are the advantages of selling cruising? “If you specialise you can get extremely good at the job. It’s very nice to sell something you have confidence in. We have a high satisfaction rating.”
What are the drawbacks? “It’s very competitive. You don’t have a whole source of non-cruising customers to move on into cruising. And passengers are extremely demanding.”