Cunard recently welcomed 20 travel agents aboard its newest ship, Queen Anne, for its first familiarization trip. The four-night roundtrip voyage sailed from Southampton to Rotterdam on August 28, according to a press release.
During the trip, agents stayed in Balcony staterooms and experienced the ship’s signature venues and alternative dining options. They also participated in immersive training sessions to deepen their knowledge of the Cunard brand.
Tom Mahoney, Director of UK Sales at Cunard, said: “We’re thrilled that our valued travel agent partners enjoyed their time aboard Queen Anne, gaining valuable insight into how our new ship elevates the Cunard experience. Our familiarization trip program is vital as we seek to build strong relationships and give the trade plenty of opportunities to see first-hand what makes a Cunard voyage so special.”
Following the trip, Simone Lines from Bailey’s Travel secured a two-week Canary Islands booking for Queen Anne just two days after returning.
She said: “Having first-hand experience of Queen Anne definitely gave me the confidence to sell to my clients. I was able to show images of the stateroom and talk them through the onboard experience. They mentioned that my enthusiasm for Queen Anne made them want to book and how lovely it had been to talk to someone who had been on the ship themselves.”
Additional Cunard familiarization trips scheduled for this year, all departing from Southampton, include:
- September 11 – aboard the Queen Mary 2, sailing to Zeebrugge
- October 13 – aboard the Queen Mary 2, sailing to Hamburg
- November 15 – aboard the Queen Victoria, sailing to Amsterdam
