Interactive tour

Agents who visited the ship praised a new tour format from Royal, which saw them split into teams and tackle tasks and quizzes in Oasis’s seven zones.

“It was outstanding compared to other tours - interactive, fun, and really representative of RCCL’s brand” said Iglu.com sales team leader Tracy Jordon.

“We’re definitely learning more,” added her colleague James Turner. “Normally you’d tour the Adventure Ocean areas but you wouldn’t be playing the games or trying experiments.”

Rebecca Ostridge, a travel consultant at the new Thomas Cook cruise concept store in Maidenhead, called it “a really informative day.”

“I’ve only worked for Cook for a year, so it’s a whole new experience,” she said. “I’ve only ever seen a Cunard ship, and it’s great to see something that is so different to that.

“This felt like a great way to do a ship tour. It was so fun, and to all be involved as a team as well - you get to feel like you’re experiencing it as a passenger.”

New ships

The cruise operator currently has five new ships on order, including two which will be the same size as Oasis of the Seas.

Their forthcoming launches will add a 6.9% capacity increase for the global cruise market in 2015 alone while Anthem of the Seas will launch in Southampton next year.

Leven said: “Anthem of the Seas is the most technologically advanced holiday resort in the world and it is hugely exciting that this new ship will be sailing from the UK.

“It brings so many opportunities for agents who can truly show off a ship that challenges the expectations of travellers when it comes to holidays at sea.

“We hope that our extensive investments into new ships, new technology and new ideas are making it easier than ever to sell a cruise.”