Si Morris-Green, group marketing director, said The Travel Network Group’s Cruise Club Concierge platform, which offers a number of exclusive cruise products and was unveiled to the consortium’s 248 Cruise Club members last month, had seen a “phenomenal” response from members during its opening weeks of trading with “a great number of enquiries and bookings”.
“We’ve seen some members taking bookings from specialist cruise businesses,” he told TTG.
“The fact we’re giving members the chance to make bookings they wouldn’t normally be able to is putting a massive tick in our box as a consortium and shows that we’re really sticking our colours to the mast and backing our members in the cruise sector.”
Morris-Green said the Cruise Club Concierge had so far secured commercial partners with 32 cruise lines operating in the UK market.
The Cruise Club will offer a consumer-facing magazine four times a year, as well as new branding and stationery, such as ticket wallets and brochures.
The Travel Network Group will also run eight nationwide workshops for members to improve their cruise knowledge, among other benefits.
Morris-Green added that The Travel Network Group had subsequently been contacted by members from other consortia wanting to join the Cruise Club.
“We haven’t been focused on adding new members but… if people like it then they could think with their feet.”