Apex deployment ‘a massive opportunity for agents to boost sales’

This was the message from the line’s vice-president and managing director EMEA Jo Rzymowska, who outlined the plans for the line’s second Edge-class vessel during an event in London on Tuesday (1 November).

Apex will offer a range of four- to 13-night sailings from Southampton from May 2024 through November 2024, with itineraries including a new 12-night Norwegian Fjords and Arctic Circle cruise.

"We’re raising the bar for cruising from the UK by putting Apex out of Southampton for the whole season," Rzymowska told TTG.

"There is a massive opportunity from a sales point of view for our travel partners, as well as the opportunity for them to experience the ship in-person. We always like to make sure we get as many agents as possible onboard because we know seeing is believing.

"The agency community always has been, and always will be, fundamental to our business, and not just for Apex, but for our entire fleet of 15 ships.

"[The trade] is our largest channel of distribution, and consumers want to get independent advice, especially those who haven’t cruised before."

Rzymowska urged agents to sell cruise by highlighting brand differentiation and "selling on value", as opposed to selling a holiday based on the price. "If you sell on price, you’ll lose on price," she warned.

"If you sell on knowledge and brand differentiation, you tend to retain the client. We are very focused on working with our travel partners and training them on our product."

With the deployment of Apex in Southampton, Celebrity said it will continue to reassess how it works with its agent partners, through new training initiatives and in-person events.