LAST Friday a whopping 2,000 excited Australian travel agents descended on Sydney’s International Passenger Terminal to get their first taste of the city’s newest entertainment quarter, Carnival Spirit. Revelry was in the air as the agents took on all 12 decks in their endless quest for fun and adventure, and...
LAST Friday a whopping 2,000 excited Australian travel agents descended
on Sydney’s International Passenger Terminal to get their first taste of the city’s
newest entertainment quarter, Carnival Spirit.
Revelry was in the air as the agents took on all 12 decks in their endless quest for
fun and adventure, and they weren’t disappointed, with the ship sporting something
for everyone, from mini
golf, to Carnival
Waterworks and Green
Thunder, the swinging
Shanghai Piano Bar, Casino,
and Superstar Live Karaoke
to name a few.
Carnival also hosted a
Zen to Adrenalin treasure
hunt across the ship, giving
the agents the chance to
win one of three cruises, as
well as a Sydney Sailaway
Party, Mexican Fiesta, Caribbean
Beach Party, Piano Bar Sing-a-long,
Single and Ready to Mingle party, and
Skyy’s the Limit dance party.
The ship also offered agents the chance to enjoy the spa, soak up the sun with friends in Serenity,
take in a Variety Music show, an adults only comedy show, Hawaiian Music fest, or rock along to
a live Michael Jackson Music Show.
In fact, there was so much going on
for everyone that even if agents started
at 12pm and did not stop through the
night, they would not have been able
to take in everything that was on offer.
Speaking to media at a press
conference onboard, Carnival Cruise
Lines Australia and NZ director Jennifer
Vandekreeke, lauded agents efforts in
promoting Carnival Spirit joking “that’s why we’ve let them take over the ship”.
Quelling concerns over the
possibility of the company amping
up its direct to consumer sales
channels Vandekreeke said “We
100% support out travel agents”.
“They are the vast majority of our bookings, and they have done such a wonderful job so far”.
“We want to continue our travel agent partnership,” she added.
Chiming in on the subject CCL president Gerry Cahill said that in the US only 19% of the
company’s overall sales are made through direct channels, “so the majority is still with agents”.
When asked about the possibility of further future expansion of ships into other
international markets Cahill told media that “Our intention is to expand”.
