Amadeus has today launched Amadeus Cruise Shop in the UK and Ireland. The new browser-based shopping and booking solution is designed to benefit experienced cruise specialists who can create a booking in under two minutes using the streamlined Fast Sell feature. It is equally beneficial for travel agents that are new to selling cruise holidays, thanks to a user-friendly, step-by-step search and booking process. 
Amadeus Cruise Shop has successfully completed a pilot programme following its industry debut at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London. More than 100 current pilot users in the UK and Ireland have provided feedback confirming the customer benefits of using the new solution.
In summer 2013, Amadeus undertook research into consumer perception regarding cruise holidays and the opportunity and challenges this presents the industry. Significantly, 8% of adults reported that they were open to the possibility of booking a cruise holiday in the next 12 months.
The opportunity for increasing sales by offering cruise holidays as an alternative to similarly priced resort based holidays is clear with a third of people (32%) stating that they would be tempted to go on a cruise holiday if they were of lower or comparable cost to an all-inclusive holiday.
Amadeus Cruise Shop has been created using agile development methodology where enhancements are delivered in frequent ‘sprints’. The successful pilot phase of this fully browser-based solution has resulted in an application that is closely aligned to the needs of today’s travel sellers. Already more than 100 travel professionals are using Cruise Shop and the feedback has been extremely positive. Amadeus will be rolling out the solution to existing customers in a phased approach over the coming months and Cruise Shop goes on general sale on 19th September 2013.
Rob Sinclair-Barnes, Marketing Director of Amadeus UK, said: “We are excited about the development of this smarter cruise shopping and booking technology, which we believe leapfrogs anything that is available in the business-to-business space today. The intuitive workflow is centred on the shopping habits of 21st century travellers, making it much easier for travel professionals to match the needs of customers who value their advice and expertise. Together with our 13 cruise line launch partners available in Cruise Shop today, we value trade sales. With the right technology, we see a real opportunity for the industry to play an even bigger role in the ongoing cruise success story.”
Amadeus Cruise Shop offers:
- Advanced shopping functionality including dynamic filtering of results to match customer requirements, enhancing the agent’s ability to proactively advise and sell.
- Alternative cabins, sailings and dates are readily displayed to provide the opportunity to switch-sell and up sell at the click of a button.
- Interactive calendar displays offer an at-a-glance view of cruises available for departure throughout the month.
- Comprehensive, integrated ship guides and itinerary map displays are designed for easy sharing with customers via email or on screen.
- Travel sellers can easily manage their sales margins through the administration module’s mark-up tool.
- Cruise lines available: Azamara Club Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Silversea, and Hurtigruten (coming soon).
