Having recently refined its group policies to offer travel agents more flexibility, more options and more time to market and sell their group inventory, premium cruise line Celebrity Cruises has designed an additional incentive. A new booking promotion gives travel agents who book groups on select ships and sailings additional “Group Amenities Plus,” or “GAP,” points as well as per-stateroom savings – both of which translate into cruiser benefits, making it easier for agents to close the sale.

We have recently modified our group policies to help our travel partners increase their business,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, Senior Vice President, Sales. “This booking promotion is another way to do that, by delivering amenities and added savings to their clients who sail as part of a group.”

During the promotion’s booking window of October 1-31, 2010, new group bookings on select sailings will earn travel agents four bonus Groups Amenities Plus, or “GAP,” points. New bookings as well as existing groups that name bookings during an extended booking window of October 1 – December 31, 2010, will also result in up to $100 off the ticket price of each stateroom in the group. Cruises of four or more nights that will sail anywhere in the world between April 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012, are eligible, excluding cruises on Celebrity Silhouette and Celebrity Xpedition, and Celebrity Eclipse’s Europe cruises. Named group space on oceanview, veranda and suite category staterooms will translate into stateroom savings based on the length of the cruise. Cruises 4-6 nights in length will generate $25 savings per stateroom, cruises 7-9 nights in length will generate $50 savings per stateroom, and cruises of 10 or more nights in length will generate $100 savings per stateroom.

Playing off its travel-agent focused marketing campaign, which focuses on the mantra “Go ahead. Ask your travel agent,” Celebrity has created a groups “e-kit” on its travel agent portal, www.cruisingpower.com that encourages travel agents to “go ahead” and “ask” Celebrity how to earn more GAP points and receive stateroom savings for groups.

The promotion does not apply to sailings with zero GAP points, and is subject to availability.