Norwegian Cruise Line to host 1,500 agents on UK and Ireland ship visits
Will PayneNorwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is looking to grow its Meetings, Incentive, Conference and Events (MICE) output in the UK through a new internal appointment and a raft of travel agent engagement events.
NCL has confirmed it will host 1,500 travel agent partners on a series of ship visits across the UK and Ireland between May and October 2023.
The immersive day trips will take place across five of NCL’s ships and will cover a total of 22 separate dates across nine locations, including Greenock, Liverpool, Newcastle, Southampton, Newhaven, Tilbury, Belfast, Dun Laoghaire and Cobh.
Each event will give the line’s agent partners the opportunity to experience NCL’s service and facilities and will include visits aboard Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Gem.
Gary Anslow, senior sales director UK & Ireland at NCL, said: "Ship visits are an integral part of enhancing an agent’s brand knowledge, and offers the opportunity to experience the NCL product first-hand.
"We’re looking forward to welcoming all our valued agents on board, to have insightful conversations around the constantly evolving travel industry and to share news on our existing fleet and new ship launches."
Prima will host agents in Southampton on 4 and 25 June, 16 July, 17 September and 1 October, and in Belfast on 20 September.
Meanwhile, Getaway will offer agents the chance to get onboard in Southampton on 8 August, 15 September and 1 October, in New Haven on 22 September and in Dun Laoghaire on 29 September.
Dawn’s visit dates are 10 May in Greenock, 7 June and 20 September in Liverpool, 4 August in Tyne, 14 September in Southampton.
Trade visits onboard Gem will take place on 11 September in Tilbury and Star will host agents on 25 September in Cobh and 3 October in Southampton.
Meanwhile, Based in Southampton, Sabrina Greca will take on the newly created role of international senior corporate sales manager, working to increase sales in the MICE sector and head up the newly-formed Experiences at Sea division for all markets outside of North America.
She said: "The value for money of a cruise-based event versus a land-based event, whether a whole ship charter or a smaller group on an existing sailing, is incomparable.
"From health and wellbeing trips using the Mandara Spa, to F&B conferences using our stellar collection of onboard bars and restaurants, we know the MICE opportunity is untapped when it comes to UK sales."
Anslow added: "Charters and onboard events are a material part of our business in North America and a number of our international markets, but they remain a huge opportunity in the UK and Ireland."
Greca will join the NCL team on two travel agent-dedicated webinars on 18 and 20 April to discuss the potential for sales in the MICE sector.
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