Exclusive: ‘key to more bookings lies in destination immersion’
Vice president of international sales for Carnival Cruise Line Ian Baillie on the importance of destination immersion and how agents can use it, as well as new ship launches, to attract new clients and cement repeat bookings
A new ship launch is always guaranteed to get people talking. From column inches to industry chatter, these vessels – whether ocean, river, expedition or luxury – generate huge excitement among cruise industry professionals and guests.
They are a tangible representation of “newness”, giving weight, quite literally, to every word uttered about growing demand and record passenger numbers. Like others, we at Carnival Cruise Line are introducing new tonnage to satisfy the increasing desire to cruise. However, they are just one piece of the puzzle and they can only ever be successful if the ashore experiences match the innovation that we see onboard.
This is why we’ve seen plenty of focus on destinations in recent times. At CLIA Conference this May, and across Cruise Week in September, the key theme was #DiscoverMore, shining a spotlight on itineraries. With a focus on the traditional cruise favourites and new ports of call, this has enabled agents – and in turn guests – to create a fuller picture of what is on offer across all facets of the industry.
This picture is rapidly becoming one centred around one concept: immersion. Guests want to experience as much of the world as possible – and not just in a “seeing” mentality. They want to hear, smell and taste the destinations they visit.
This focus is important for both repeat and new-to-cruise bookings. It’s never guaranteed that guests will come back for more and likewise, there’s no guarantee that cruise will become the de facto holiday of choice for the next generation. It’s up to us – lines and the trade – to make it a reality.
Speaking of the trade, destination immersion is now a core part of agent training. Learning about the onboard experience remains vital, but we need to arm agents with the tools and information to become destination experts.
This is where fam trips come to the fore. Yes, agents use these to learn about a ship and all its offerings, however of equal importance is the need to understand what a cruise line offers in destination.
It’s imperative that, when possible, we provide as many of these opportunities as possible – hence, our Key to Fun incentive. Running until November 1, this will give 20 agents the chance to visit Celebration Key, our new private exclusive destination in Grand Bahama launching in July 2025.
Celebration Key will offer a huge range of activities, giving every guest an opportunity to sample the Bahamian island experience, whether it be relaxation or something more adventurous.
Carnival reports rise in demand for natural wonder cruising
We’re also seeing a rising trend of guests taking a cruise to marvel at natural wonders, such as the Northern Lights or a solar eclipse. For us, we recently announced a solar eclipse cruise as part of our ex-UK 2026 summer season.
Introducing new ports of calls and immersive experiences is not a simple decision, however. There’s a huge amount of responsibility on us as cruise lines to protect destinations and the oceans for future generations.
This is why the destination-cruise line relationship is vital and why the industry is focused on working collaboratively, so everyone benefits from cruise ship calls. It’s a challenge, but one where the core strength of the industry comes to the fore: working together to develop solutions.
Iain Baillie is vice-president of international sales at Carnival Cruise Line
