Silversea & Crystal Report Record-Breaking Bookings

Are people sick and tired of hearing "We're in a recession?" Evidently so if you consider that both Silversea and Crystal Cruises reported record-breaking sales data this week. Perhaps a combination of excellent cruise fare pricing and "bad news burnout" convinced travelers to stop procrastinating and simply book a vacation.

Silversea announced that May 26, 2009 was its highest call volume day in the company's 15-year history. In a three-week period culminating on the twenty-sixth, bookings surged almost 150 percent compared to the same period last year and average call volume for May was up nearly 40 percent in comparison with the previous month, April 2009.

The cruise line has always offered compelling sailings, but they've sweetened the deal this year with 50 percent savings on over 50 itineraries, a $1,000 onboard spending credit on 70 2009 voyages, and free or specially priced airfare on specific dates.

"This past month we saw continual spikes in booking activity that far exceeded our expectations and shows we are making excellent headway in boosting our sales," said Steve Tucker, Silversea's vice president of field sales for North America.

"With the launch of our new Silver Spirit just months away," he continued, "the growing excitement in the marketplace for our product is certainly a contributing factor. Plus there is no doubt the extraordinary savings programs we have implemented are helping to drive these positive booking trends. This confirms that luxury travelers appreciate value and know a great deal when they see one."

For more information about Silversea, speak with your travel agent or call the cruise line at 1-(877) 215-9986.

Crystal Cruises is also touting its recent success in luring travelers to make plans for close-in cruises as well as those more than a year out. In fact, Crystal reported record-breaking bookings for the week ending June 2. It was the cruise line's highest booking week since expanding its All Inclusive As You Wish program ($1,000 per person onboard spending credit). Bookings and revenue were 100 percent higher than the average weekly totals since the beginning of this year.

Itineraries that proved especially popular include this summer's voyages in the Baltic and Mediterranean, New England/Canada and European cruises this fall, and winter sailings in South America.

“It’s very positive to see such a strong response to Crystal’s promotions,” said Gregg Michel, president of Crystal Cruises. “Guest satisfaction has been very high and the travel agent community has been very supportive of our programs. Luxury travelers appreciate enriching experiences, abundant choices, consistency of reputation, and extraordinary value.”

For more information about Crystal Cruises, talk with your travel agent or contact the cruise line at 1-(888) 799-4625. (Don't miss their recently redesigned website.)

—Andrea M. Rotondo

Image of Silver Spirit courtesy of Silversea