Earlier this month, the world of Celebrity Cruises came alive for 85 agents from over 24 travel agencies across the UK and Ireland, as they were part of a series of seminars at sea aboard the soon-to-be permanent Southampton based, Edge series ship, Celebrity Apex.
The ship played host to two 3-night seminars, with the first group of 40 agents embarking in Amsterdam and visiting Dover and Portland. The second group of 45 agents embarked in Cobh and visited Liverpool and Waterford.
Amidst this gathering upon the seas, all agents were embraced by a mix of immersive experiences, led by Leon Hand, Training Manager for Celebrity Cruises EMEA. The agents embarked on a guided tour that unveiled all aspects of Celebrity Apex. Amongst some of the behind the scenes experiences, agents were able to visit the Navigation Bridge, Theatre, and Galley, gaining an exclusive glimpse into the inner workings of the Edge series ship.
The agents were treated to Q&A sessions with the shipboard officers, who provided insight into working onboard, as well as indulging in Celebrity’s endless culinary offerings, including the speciality restaurants, and going ashore to explore some of the ports of call that will be included in Apex’s 2024 sailings, when she is homeported from Southampton. The lucky agents were also the first to experience a brand-new interactive treasure hunt game, aptly named DISCOVER APEX, transforming the learning experience into an engaging experience whilst they discovered more about the ship.
Leon Hand, Training Manager EMEA for Celebrity Cruises said: “Hosting our record-breaking seminars at sea has been an absolute delight. Onboard the Forbes Travel Guide rated Celebrity Apex, we’ve given our enthusiastic agents a taste of the ship as if they were VIP guests themselves. This immersive experience fuels their ability to sell Celebrity Cruises with genuine passion and authenticity. We ran workshops that covered everything from deployment to booking systems and the art of upselling. These opportunities are key for our brand, as they give our agents the unique opportunity to sail onboard as a guest, this enables them to sell with first-hand experience and learn in a fun and interactive way.“
Agent attendees of Celebrity Cruises’ Seminars at Sea shared insightful and enthusiastic feedback. One agent commented: “I’ve gained an incredible wealth of knowledge and now I feel empowered when it comes to selling the Celebrity brand.” Another agent added, “You truly can’t grasp this ship until you’ve experienced it firsthand. I now have the utmost confidence in identifying the perfect clients for Celebrity Cruises.” A Travel Weekly New-to-Cruise attendee commented, “This was an absolute game-changer for me. I dove headfirst into the world of Celebrity and cruising, something completely new to me. I’ve absorbed invaluable lessons that will undoubtedly elevate my sales pitch. I’m genuinely grateful for this personal touch and experience I can bring to my conversations with customers moving forward.”
Some of those who attended the seminar onboard Celebrity Apex spoke to Leon Hand for a dedicated episode of the brand’s podcast – Conversations with Celebrity. The episode covers the new-to-cruise agents’ experience of being onboard Celebrity Apex and how the seminar will help them sell Celebrity with confidence. The episode will be released in June for those interested to find out more.
During the same British Isles sailing, Celebrity Cruises hosted a further 70 travel agents onboard Celebrity Apex for exclusive ship visits. Embarking from Cork and Liverpool, all of these agents took part in indepth tours of the Forbes star-rated Edge series ship.
