MSC Cruises offers UK agents option to hold cabins for customers for three days without deposit

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 May 2015 06 May 2015

MSC Cruises, the world's fourth largest cruise shipping company, says it is giving travel agents in the UK more flexibility in selling its product by introducing ‘options’ across all itineraries.

From 18 May, trade partners will be able to secure cabins and flights on option for customers without the need to take a deposit and without commitment. Quotes will remain open for up to three days, depending on availability and departure date, the company said in a statement.

MSC Cruises executive director UK and Ireland Giles Hawke said: “Opening up options is a new way of selling for us in the UK and Ireland – and one we believe will prove a real benefit for agents and their customers.

“By offering this facility, agents can strengthen their role as a trusted advisor and underline the value they bring to the sales process. Clients can secure the ship and cabin they want at a guaranteed price then go away to discuss it with family before making their final commitment.

“Having the booking on option means clients won’t see their preferred cabin sold or any price increases while they are making up their mind, which avoids any negative feedback for agents and gives them an extra weapon to secure bookings.

“It should also cut down on cancellations and allows agents to ensure customers have all information to hand when they do confirm their booking. We will be the only mainstream cruise line offering this service to agents in the UK. MSC Cruises already offers options in a number of overseas markets and we have seen what a strong selling tool it can be.”

Agents will be able to create options via MSC Cruises’ trade booking portals – MSCBook in the UK and MSC Online in Ireland – or via the contact centre. Customers will receive an email explaining how long the quote is valid for.

On sailings up to 30 days from departure the option is valid until the end of the day it is taken; for sailings up to 60 days out the option is valid for one additional day; for sailings more than 60 days out it is valid for two additional days. After this time the option will automatically expire and be deleted from the booking system.

The move is the latest in a series of trade-focused initiatives introduced to make life easier and more profitable for agents. In recent months MSC Cruises has rolled out revamped agent training, launched the upgraded MSCBook selling portal in the UK and rolled out a new call centre telephone system to reduce waiting times.

Seven hour spectacle planned for Mein Schiff 4 naming ceremony

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 May 2015 06 May 2015

A seven hour series of events that is open to the public has been planned for the naming ceremony of Mein Schiff 4, the second 99,300 gross ton newbuilding of TUI Cruises in Germany for 5 June in Kiel.

The public will have access to the Ostseekai berth from where they can follow the proceedings that will include a host of performances, including ones by Adel Tawil, Skyline Feat, Doro, Kristina Bach and Panikexperten.

The event will start at 1700 ship will be named at around 2100. The party will then run to the midnight, TUI Cruises said in a statement.

Medinvest to buy Silja Festival accommodation vessel instead of Bridgemans

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 May 2015 06 May 2015

Tallink, the Estonian cruise ferry company, said an earlier agreement to sell the 1986 built accommodation vessel Silja Festival to its Canadian charterer has been cancelled and the ship has been sold to an Italian buyer.

"The agreement between Tallinn Swedish Line Ltd., a subsidiary of AS Tallink Grupp and Bridgemans Services Ltd. to sell the MS Silja Festival has been cancelled," Tallink said in a statement. "Tallinn Swedish Line Ltd. has come to an agreement with Medinvest SPA to sell the MS Silja Festival. The vessel is expected to be delivered in June 2015," the company said.

Bridgemans has used the ship as an accommodation vessel on the west coast of Canada and for this purpose, major changes were made to the cabins of the 34,000 gross ton former cruise ferry.

Ferry booking resource Direct Ferries launches new look website

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

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Published: 06 May 2015 06 May 2015

Direct Ferries, the online ferry booking platform, says it has launched a new look website, www.directferries.co.uk which offers access to 91 ferry companies (and the Eurotunnel), 1,542 ferry routes and over 355 ferry ports offering connections by sea to over 96 countries and islands.*

"Direct Ferries is the one-stop shop for ferry travellers. The site features thousands of ferry crossings and the very best ferry deals all in one place, (currently ferries from Dover to Calais start at £36)," it said in a statement.

There is a comprehensive list of ports and detailed information on routes and destinations, allowing travellers to find the cheapest and most direct ferry crossing. It is not just about deals, the route and port finder makes it easy to find out which operators sail on which routes by looking at a country or by port in the drop down list.

The website features routes all over the world, for example sailings from South Korea to Japan and Russia to Sweden. A handy route map is clearly visible and a simple bar graph shows the average prices paid on a month by month basis.

Matt Davies, managing director at Direct Ferries, said: “We have worked very hard to make the website as clear and easy to navigate as possible. By featuring the best ferry deals in one place, together with informative destination content; customers will not need to look anywhere else. We encourage our customers to interact with us by providing information about their journey, and by rating the ship they travelled on. This means we can provide detailed information on each of the ferry companies on the site, as well as include customer opinions and on board reviews of each of the ships we feature.”

The site also offers train and ferry combined tickets and has a dedicated mini cruise section. By partnering with accommodation provider, booking.com, visitors to the site also have the widest choice of accommodation at the best available prices. Whether stopping overnight on the way to or from the ferry port, or looking for accommodation for the duration of the holiday, there are hotels included for every port and destination. Freight customers are also catered for with a dedicated freight ferry booking service, the company said.