App-driven agency aims to become 'Airbnb of booking cruises'

Working remotely over the past year, the team of four set about building the app and brand.

“Before Duncan and Craig joined the team I set them a challenge of booking a cruise online in a week and they couldn’t do it,” recalls Monk.

“They had a list of about 50 issues – that was our starting point.” He says My Kind of Cruise would cater for both first-time and veteran cruisers wanting to streamline the booking process.

“We initially wanted this tobe for the new-to-cruise market, but as time went on we realised how much the whole market needsit – what Airbnb did for holiday rentals, wewant to do for booking cruises.”

The app allows users to “instantly” search sailings based on their favourite lines or destinations and “learns” about the user, saving their preferences. They can swipe through different cabin types, ship facilities and excursion choices, while there are also sections on each destination and itinerary options.

They can also add fellow app users to their travelling group and create a profile hub to share cruise-related content. There is a customer service live chat function too.

The app, which will be free to download on iOS and Android, will be soft launched in August.

A member of the Travel Trust Association, My Kind of Cruise will earn commission on each booking made via the app and hold client money in a trust account.

So far, more than a dozen major cruise brands – including Royal Caribbean, P&O Cruises and Seabourn – have signed up. “They really liked it, so it gave us the confidence to say, ‘we’re on to something here’,” says Monk.

During a year of uncertainty and rewritten plans, My Kind of Cruise is aiming to enter the market at the right time.

As Rowlinson puts it: “Cruising is going to come back with a vengeance. We’re a new brand, and I don’t think there’s a better time to launch a new product like this.”