Seabourn has pledged to give the trade “opportunities” to experience both its expedition ships as the line urged UK agents to “do more expedition business”.
The line last month booked a record number of passengers for sailings in 2023 and 2024.
It also reported its best‑ever one-week booking period for expedition voyages since launching expedition vessel Seabourn Venture last July.
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The 264-passenger ship is set to arrive in Greenwich in May 2023, with sister ship Seabourn Pursuit also due for delivery next year.
Addressing agents at a trade event in London last week, Tony Roberts, vice-president of commercial operations and head of UK and Europe, said: “We’re working on opportunities to showcase Seabourn Venture while she is here.
“There will be opportunities to see the ship and see what she has to offer.”
Regarding sister ship Pursuit, Roberts told agents to “watch this space”, adding: “There might be opportunities to see her as she comes into service.”
He said: “We’ve had the largest number of travel partners on Seabourn ships this year. I want us to do more expedition business in the UK. There’s a bit more expedition business coming from the US market [currently].”
Roberts confirmed the line was attempting to move away from discounting late and was working on bringing the booking curve forward.
“Typically, we go on sale 18 months before sailing but by next spring it will be 24 months,” he said. “This really suits the UK market because guests here like to book earlier.”
Around 45% of Seabourn Ovation’s passengers on Barbados departures this winter are British. Seabourn’s UK and Europe vice-president Lynn Narraway said: “We want to take ownership of the ship.”
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