PREMIER Cruise Line’s new general sales agent in the UK, The Cruise Collection, is attempting to woo back tour operators that featured the cruiseline’s products in the past.
The Birmingham-based company has been appointed by Premier to replace its former UK partner, Globe Corporate Travel.
Globe cut its ties with the cruiseline after two ships were unexpectedly chartered to US companies last year (Travel Weekly August 16).
Premier was previously sold by UK tour operators Tradewinds, British Airways Holidays, Cosmos, Unijet, Kuoni and Sovereign. However, industry sources say Premier made itself unpopular by repositioning cruises without notice and withdrawing ships to satisfy the US and South American markets.
The Cruise Collection’s sales manager on the Premier business, Chris Smith, admitted there had been difficulties in the past. However, he is holding a series of meetings with tour operators to reassure them that these will not be repeated.
The Cruise Collection is selling a total of six Premier ships in the UK. These are the Big Red Boats I, II and III, Seabreeze, Islandbreeze and Rembrandt.