Celebrity unveils expanded educational programme with 1,000 agent places

Celebrity has released a new advert that will appear on TV, video-on-demand and YouTube to help drive bookings. It will run until the end of the wave season.

The advert’s strapline is “Have It All”, meaning why have just one restaurant or one beach when you can “Have It All” while sailing on a Celebrity ship. 

Giles Hawke, EMEA vice-president, said releasing the advert before Christmas would benefit agents. “It really helps agents because customers ask about it,” he explained.

“It’s partly to steal a march [on other companies], but it means when agents get to the post-Christmas period they can get straight to booking holidays.” 

Hawke noted how December was traditionally a “surprisingly good” month for bookings. 

Stirrup added: “The trade prefers a longer campaign. All holiday companies are coming out with their campaigns that bit earlier because it gives the trade a chance.” 

Due to ongoing airlift issues, Hawke confirmed that Celebrity is offering £49 flights from Gatwick and Manchester to the Mediterranean next summer. 

“Flying from the north, Scotland and Ireland, it has been challenging,” explained Hawke. “There has not been the airlift that we had hoped for.” 

Hawke added that Celebrity was looking to secure charter flights for next year, but admitted they would likely not be available until 2025. 

Nonetheless, Hawke said the line hoped to grow sales from the UK in 2024. “We’ll be banging the drum and making sure that agents understand how to sell Celebrity,” he added. 

“This year has been a record-breaking one and we expect next year to be even bigger.”