Cruise and Maritime Voyages today announced the official launch of its North America office and introduction of travel agent tools to support industry professionals in selling its “Cruises of Distinction” to destinations throughout Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the surrounding regions. With four years of success and high satisfaction ratings from consumers in the UK and Europe, Cruise and Maritime Voyages stated it is pleased to launch its brand of classic cruising with a British flair to the North American travel market.
“Cruise and Maritime Voyages is enthusiastic about supporting growth in the North American market – we are thrilled to introduce our distinctive product line and 100% commissionable fares,” said Alexios Tsokos, vice president sales and marketing. “Our opening of this office in South Florida, which will serve as our North America base, plus our development of agent tools and resources, an attractive commission program and our recently appointed travel industry sales team – demonstrates our commitment to the travel agent community and to the industry as a whole.
“Additionally, the fact that we provide agents with commission on the entire cruise price further showcases our dedication to travel agents,” continued Tsokos. ‘With Cruise and Maritime Voyages, agents receive commission not only on the actual cruise fare but also on taxes, fees and port charges – unlike many other cruise lines that impose non-commissionable portions to their rates. It’s what we call ‘Agent-Friendly Pricing’ – agents receive commission on the entire price a client pays for their cruise…a differentiating factor that has been resoundingly well received as part of our travel agent partner program.”
Cruise and Maritime Voyages is steadfast in its goal of developing solid business relationships with traditional and home-based travel agents. Once registered via the company’s website at CruiseandMaritime.com, agents benefit from: “Agent-Friendly Pricing” – featuring no non-commissionable fees; attractive commission program – up to 15 percent on special promotions; full searching, booking capability, and “live” cabin selection online; availability of marketing tools, webinars, training, and industry research for agents; access to exclusive agent offers and deals for their clients; unique “Voyages of Distinction” in Northern Europe and beyond; toll-free travel industry hotline for live assistance; and a dedicated travel industry sales team
Cruise and Maritime Voyages features sailings onboard two classically inspired vessels – the Marco Polo and the Ocean Countess. Both vessels carry around 800 passengers and sail from ports in the UK and offer a diverse and distinctive selection of cruise programs where the emphasis is always on providing attentive service and a friendly “home away from home” atmosphere.
The Marco Polo has classic design with a dark blue hull and teak decks. Sailing year-round and in a child-free environment, Marco Polo’s cruise programs take travelers to explore and experience some of the most scenic European cruise vacation destinations – from Norway’s fjords to the Baltic Capitals…from Europe’s northernmost point in the Arctic Circle to the British Isles…from Amsterdam’s spectacular Christmas Markets in winter to its blooming bulbs of spring, and beyond.
The Ocean Countess, known in previous years as the Cunard Countess, presents agents with an array of fascinating options to offer their clients including a selection of cruise programs from the British ports of Hull in the Northeast, Liverpool in the Northwest and Glasgow Greenock in Scotland. The line’s many British Isles itineraries take cruise travelers to such areas as Scotland’s Shetlands, Orkney Islands, England’s Isles of Scilly and much more.