VP of business development Jo Reid's vow to "better serve agents" when bringing Danielle Radford, a new BDM, on board in February, has paid off; Lee and his team are "really pleased," with the results delivered from the trade this year.
"We have had a lot to talk to travel agents about, but equally we have been overwhelmed by the support we have received as well. The UK is doing really well for us."
Lee also touched upon the "platform to grow" that Celestyal's trade relationships and strong presence in two key regions, including its agreement with Qatar, affords the cruise line, committing to strong ambition in both areas.
"We think there is the opportunity to add more capacity over the coming years. We will expand and we will add further vessels in the coming years."
If there was "a lot to talk to travel agents about" in 2024, the tail end of the year and upcoming wave campaign very much continues to ride that wave.
"We have awarded a number of agents who have supported us this year with a Qatar super-fam; on November 27th, we are taking 30-plus of them out to Qatar for the Formula 1 Grand Prix aboard Celestyal Journey."
That isn't the end of the cruise line's "super-fams." With details scarce, agents can expect more on that front over the coming months.
Equally exciting is the imminent arrival of a revamped trade portal.
"Prior to wave, we will launch a new agent portal. The reason why that is so important to us is that it is one piece of a year-long project to change a lot of our digital infrastructure.
"That new portal will be a one-stop-shop for working with Celestyal; it will include education, rewards and the ability to book as well. Expect new content, new itineraries, and a whole new suite of assets available to agents in the first or second week of December.
"We have taken an agent-first approach to that digital transformation; it will be fast followed by our new consumer website."
Sailing beyond that, wave campaign will bring a new approach, which Lee says will be "very focused around call-to-actions, a new strapline and a new message overall."
