Carnival Cruise Line has bolstered travel partner support with the addition of four new U.S. sales territories, a new “Independent Agent Program,” and a dedicated group desk designed to provide additional technical support for travel agent questions related to group bookings, the company said.

The line has added a new territory in the Eastern United States to cover the region of Boston and Rhode Island. Also added is a new sales territory in Jacksonville, Fla. In the Western United States, a territory in the Four Corners border region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah has been added as well as one covering West Texas. Four business development managers will be assigned to these areas.

In addition, a new “Independent Agent Program” will offer local trainings, sector-specific webinars, dedicated newsletters and targeted support for this group of agents. Leading these efforts are sales directors Alicia Steuart and Sheila LeBlanc, who will be supported by sales managers based in various regions across the country.

“We created these new sales regions and the independent agent program to provide added business development support for travel partners,” said Carnival’s Vice President of Sales and Trade Marketing Adolfo Perez. “The growth in these geographies and the independent agent channel, combined with our recent preferred supplier agreements with TRAVELSAVERS/NEST, Signature and Ensemble, make this the right time for us to expand our field team resources.”

Also new is a Groups Desk, which was launched earlier this month as part of Carnival’s contact center service team. Available to travel agents Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. U.S. eastern time and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. U.S. eastern time, the Groups Desk team is trained to assist travel agents on specific questions they have related to group bookings. The desk can be reached at (800) 327-5782.