Windstar Cruises announces Windstar Academy

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 05 April 2014 05 April 2014

Windstar announced today the launch of its Windstar Academy, a customized online course for travel partners packed with sales tips, guest testimonials, and insights on selling luxury small ship cruising. Windstar’s program offers a comprehensive sales course and is available to travel partners looking to expand their business in the luxury segment of the cruising industry.

Windstar Academy is a three-part comprehensive educational program, with each course divided into four lessons. Course objectives include:
– Introduction to Luxury Small Ship Cruising
– Brand Understanding
– Windstar’s Fleet Expansion  
– Windstar’s Onboard Experience & Destinations
– Identifying the Windstar Client
– Sales & Marketing Support  
 
Upon graduation, travel partners will receive a Windstar Specialist certificate. Graduates of the program also qualify for two CEU credits from The Travel Institute, and three credits from the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA). In addition, graduates who complete the course by April 30, 2014, are eligible to receive a $100 bonus commission on all new qualifying Windstar bookings made by July 31, 2014. 

MSC Cruises USA grows executive team

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 05 April 2014 05 April 2014

Yesterday, Richard E. Sasso, president of MSC Cruises USA, announced a dedicated and specialized executive team has been assembled to build on the momentum of MSC Cruises’ expansion into North America and to ensure that the needs of the line’s travel agent partners are met.

Ken Muskat, former senior vice president Sales & Marketing, who joined the line in June of 2013, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing, PR and Guest Services. In this expanded role, he will continue to oversee the North American sales, marketing, public relations and customer service aspects of the organization, while adding responsibility for the reservations department, handling trade and consumer reservations.

In making the announcement, Sasso said, “Ken’s contributions in under a year have helped propel awareness of MSC Cruises to our travel agent partners and consumers in North America. It’s been an eventful twelve months and we look forward to hitting even more milestones in the coming years.”

Muskat started with MSC Cruises in June 2013 as the line finalized preparations to home port the MSC Divina in Miami, its first ship with a year-round presence specifically for the North American market. Muskat led the orchestration of celebrations for the ship’s arrival, including the escort provided by a fleet of FIAT 500 watercrafts, as well as a number of travel agent specific initiatives, such as road shows, a dedicated radio program, launch of a travel agent Facebook page, and more.

Sasso also announced the appointment of Rick Cazzell in the newly created position of Vice President of Trade Support & Guest Services. He will take on responsibilities for reservations, consumer direct sales, customer service and IT.

Cazzell will report to Muskat, who commented, “Rick brings tremendous experience running call center operations, delivering customer service training and expertise in systems and technology that will elevate the service we provide to our trade partners.”

Cazzell brings more than 25 years of experience in a number leadership positions within a variety of travel contact centers.  Most recently at Silversea Cruises, he oversaw day-to-day operations of the direct sales team working directly with various other departments, including Marketing and IT, to deliver bottom line results.  Prior to that he has also led other such travel related contact center operations for companies like Interval International; PRC where he oversaw the Expedia.com’s Care and Sales teams; and American Express where he spent over 12 years in a variety of roles.

Shoring up MSC Cruises group sales department, Sasso also announced that MSC Cruises veteran Jim Henwood will take on the expanded role of Senior Vice President Hotel Operations and Group Services.  This new position will ensure total alignment and flawless execution of group business, especially the affinity group market, from the quoting process to the execution onboard.

Michael Schwartz newly named Quantum Experience Advisor for Culinary

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 04 April 2014 04 April 2014

Royal Caribbean International and The Genuine Hospitality Group are proud to announce James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Schwartz as the latest Quantum Experience Advisor for Culinary. Known for his fresh, simple and pure approach to food and drink, Michael will help influence food and beverage experiences aboard Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s highly anticipated cruise ships set to debut in November 2014 and April 2015, respectively. Michael’s new role comes in addition to the latest announcement of the introduction of Michael’s Genuine Pub on Quantum-class ships, the first American gastropubs at sea, announced last week at Royal Caribbean’s culinary reveal in New York City. As Quantum Experience Advisor for Culinary, Michael joins athlete and adventurer Dhani Jones, Quantum Experience Advisor for Sports and Fitness, and HGTV-star Genevieve Gorder, Quantum Experience Advisor for Design. For a video about Quantum Experience Advisor and Chef Michael Schwartz, please see http://tinyurl.com/lpqsx3l.

“We are very much looking forward to continue working with Michael in his new role as a Quantum Experience Advisor, where he will help us deliver culinary WOWs aboard Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, executive vice president of Operations, Royal Caribbean International. “Our onboard culinary program has always emphasized fresh, natural ingredients, and Michael’s culinary philosophy will be a perfect complement as we work together to serve up never-before dining experiences at sea aboard the Quantum Class.”

For Quantum Class, in addition to Michael’s Genuine Pub, he will help create memorable onboard experiences for guests, like developing new twists to the Chef’s Table, food and beverage pairings, and programming for guests onboard. Michael is further building on his work with Royal Caribbean, having designed seasonal tasting menus for the cruise line’s Oasis-class fine dining restaurant, 150 Central Park, as well as helped select and integrate fresh, high quality ingredients into 150 Central Park’s supply chain.

“I’m very pleased to be named a Quantum Experience Advisor and become even more engaged with the Quantum Class,” said Michael. “With the new Michael’s Genuine Pub and other Dynamic Dining options onboard Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, there are plenty of opportunities to showcase how good food and good drink can help enhance a Royal Caribbean Quantum-class vacation.”

Michael’s approach is simple, as he believes that the secret to good food is… good food. He has shared his passion for where food comes from since the 2006 debut of his flagship Miami-based restaurant, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, and has been recognized by his peers and the diners that flock to his restaurants for his commitment to community and responsible, seasonal food sourcing. In 2012, Michael introduced his own craft beer, Michael’s Genuine Home Brew, an American Ale brewed with Florida-grown brown rice and sugarcane, which will be a featured selection in Michael’s Genuine Pub.

Michael’s Genuine Pub will be among the new Dynamic Dining experience, just-revealed last week for the Quantum Class that will offer guests more choice and flexibility than ever before. With Dynamic Dining, guests are empowered to decide when, where, and with whom to dine – as well as how to dress every evening – among a landscape of 18 world-class restaurants as varied as dining in the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. For more information about the new Dynamic Dining experience, please visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com/DynamicDining.

Michael began his career in Philadelphia, and earned his culinary chops in kitchens from Los Angeles to New York City, until settling in Miami in the early 1990s. Michael’s recipes and restaurants have been covered by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, TODAY Show, CBS Early Show, and more.

Quantum ships span 18 decks, encompass 167,800 gross registered tons, carry 4,180 guests at double occupancy and feature 2,090 staterooms. Quantum of the Seas will sail out of the New York Harbor from her homeport of Cape Liberty on 7- to 12-night itineraries during the winter 2014/15 season. Anthem of the Seas will call Southampton, UK, home in April 2015 and offer cruises to the Mediterranean.

MSC Cruises announces new travel agent "Serving You" initiative

Details

Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: More News More News

Published: 04 April 2014 04 April 2014

At a press conference held at the cruise industry’s top travel agent conference, CLIA’s Cruise3Sixty, MSC Cruises today announced several new initiatives created specifically to underscore the line’s commitment to the travel agent community and its valued travel agent partners.

MSC True Partnerships, its long-standing travel agent program, is now adding a new “Serving You” initiative that elevates MSC Cruises’ dedication to travel agents as it continues its expansion into the North American market. MSC True Partnerships has brought to the trade community MSC reward points for bookings that earn agents additional cash; paid commission on ancillary items such as shore excursions, transfers, air and hotel packages; a new and improved travel agent website, and an engaging and successful travel agent-dedicated Facebook page.

Richard E. Sasso, president, MSC Cruises USA, described the significance of the “human factor” as the key driver behind the new “Serving You” initiatives.  “First and foremost, we are making a significant investment by more than doubling our sales force so we have greater face-to-face interaction with our travel agent partners ensuring we work together to design and develop sales strategies for our mutual success,” he said.

Field Business Development Managers are being recruited to cover states in key regions of the country: Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle; Massachusetts and Rhode Island; Illinois and Wisconsin; Indiana, Ohio and Michigan; Northern New Jersey; North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia; New York (Manhattan metro and Long Island) and Connecticut; Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey; Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., and Western Canada. In the Fort Lauderdale headquarters, a team of additional new Business Development Specialists have been added to the sales force to manage certain accounts via telephone and a separate new team of Sales Support Specialists to assist the Field BDMs with the needs of their accounts.

Sasso continued, “The best sales team in the industry is only half the battle. It is equally important that our valued travel agent partners get to know the individuals in our expanded sales roster.”   

Travel Agent Roadshow

Ken Muskat, newly minted executive vice president of Sales, Marketing, PR and Guest Services, announced the launch of a 20-city MSC True Partnerships Serving You Roadshow that will hit key cities in the US and Canada beginning in May through the end of the year.  MSC’s executive team, led by Muskat, will lead the roadshows.   “Bringing the executive team to these cities to not only share the news about MSC but to also listen and learn is critical if we want to be successful in this market,” said Muskat.

“Recruiting the talent and building the platform is a crucial step,” he continued.  “We are also committed to putting faces to names by introducing our new team to our travel partners to foster and strengthen these valuable relationships.”

Win a FIAT

Continuing the alliance between MSC Cruises and FIAT, MSC Cruises announced a first-ever joint promotion where one lucky travel agent and one lucky consumer will each win a brand new FIAT 500c POP, with a retail value of more than $21,000. This chic and fun-to-drive convertible blends Italian design with precision engineering, creating one of the hottest cars on the market.

“FIAT helped make a huge splash for the arrival of the MSC Divina when she sailed into Miami for the first time escorted by FIAT watercrafts,” said Muskat. “We knew this was the perfect match to showcase our Italian heritage and provide one fortunate travel agent with a piece of the ‘Mediterranean way of life’ to take home.”

Travel agents can enter to “Win a FIAT” on new cruise bookings made beginning April 4 through May 18, 2014, on seven-night Caribbean sailings on board MSC Divina between August 2, 2014 and December 27, 2014. Once the booking is made, travel agents must register it on MSC Cruises travel agent website, http://msccruisesagent.com/fiatgiveaway. Eligible travel agents will receive one entry per stateroom booking when registered during the promotion period. Complete rules and entry details can be found at http://msccruisesagent.com/fiatgiveaway (no purchase necessary to enter).

The line announced a similar promotion for consumers who book and sail on MSC Divina in the same time frame.  The consumer promotion begins on April 7 and runs through May 18, 2014; details can be found at www.msccruisesusa.com/us_en/FiatGiveaway.aspx.  Both the travel agent and consumer winners will be announced as part of a holiday celebration in late December of this year.

Expanded Marketing

As a result of bringing new hardware and year-round presence of the MSC Divina to the North American market, the line has been more active than ever on the consumer marketing front with expanded presence in TV, outdoor and radio in key markets.  Complementing increased efforts of social media and online advertising, the expanded marketing is designed to drive brand awareness of MSC Cruises among consumers, which will also help travel agents to promote and sell the brand.

Continuing to look for new ways to raise awareness of its year-round commitment to the market, and timed to coincide with CLIA’s Cruise3Sixty, the line has branded buses traveling between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale during the month of April.  A handful of buses will be completely wrapped with the outside ship images of MSC Divina on the sides and back with other buses containing only a back image.  A total of 14 buses will be traveling in the area with a “Call Your Travel Advisor” call to action.