Norwegian Cruise Line has unveiled details of a new agent partnership programme launched in the UK a year after it was first started in in the US, Travel weekly reports in a newsletter.

The initiative will officially launch via webinars on May 9 and 10 and agents will be invited to attend roadshows in London, Manchester and Glasgow to learn more in September and October. Partners First will consolidate all the support the line offers agents from training and fam trips, commissions and other incentives and drive all future strategies. 

“Probably the most important part of driving demand for us has been travel agency advocacy, building relationships with travel partners that really makes them become ambassadors," Francis Riley, Norwegian’s president and general manager, was quoted as saying. He added the hope is that agents come to consider the operator as a partner of choice and work more closely with it for mutual benefit, the report said.

Earlier this week, NCL Corporation that is the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line and NCL America, reported a net profit of $3.3 million for the first quarter of the year, compard to a loss of $7.9 million in the same period last year. Operating income rose 23.8% to $46.4 million and ticket prices rose 24%, the company said.