Speaking to TTG following the launch of Iona last month, Paul Ludlow said agents were “valued more than ever by P&O”.

He added the decision to choose Hays Travel owner Irene Hays as godmother was, in part, as a nod of gratitude to the trade for their support and in recognition of the immense challenges faced by agents over the last 14 months.

“We really wanted to choose somebody who had made a difference and Irene Hays really stood out for us. Travel agencies have gone through a huge amount. And the [Iona] ceremony was a reflection of how we’ve pulled together as an industry,” he said.

“We couldn’t have done it without travel agents. I think we’ve supported travel agents in return, and together we’ve pulled each other through.”

Ludlow added while the line had “always valued its travel agent partners”, P&O recognised their importance “more so than ever”, and that he wanted to “get as many agents as possible on Iona”.

“We’re actually talking to travel agents now about how we can get them on ahead of Iona’s first sailing in early August,” he revealed.

“It’s going to be more complicated,” Ludlow acknowledged, adding he was “sure that agents’ landscapes have changed a little bit, but it’s still our intention to showcase Iona physically to agents ahead of her first sail
ing in early August”.

Asked how many agents were likely to be invited onboard Ludlow said he would “love to invite thousands if they can come”.

He added the line would manage the invitations through its Shine Rewards club, which has more than 15,000 travel agents signed up.

Elsewhere, Ludlow revealed hopes the line might be able to resume agent ship visits from “around autumn time”, once “normal operations have resumed”.