The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) expands its membership with the inclusion of three prominent cruise lines, enhancing its portfolio of expedition cruise operators.
- Scenic, a renowned outfit known for its ultra-luxury offerings, joins the association, demonstrating the growing appeal and recognition of expedition cruising.
- Aqua Expeditions brings its expertise in intimate, adventurous voyages, offering routes through exotic locales such as the Amazon and the Galapagos.
- Aranui Cruises adds its unique itineraries to the Marquesas Islands, further diversifying the travel options available within the network.
- The inclusion of these operators coincides with the launch of ECN’s new digital training guide for agents, aimed at boosting expedition cruising awareness and sales.
The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) marks a significant milestone with the addition of three prestigious cruise lines, expanding its membership to 23. The newly inducted members – Scenic, Aqua Expeditions, and Aranui Cruises – bring additional diversity and expertise to the ECN, which aims to advance the popularity and understanding of expedition cruising among UK travel trade partners. This development underscores ECN’s commitment to showcasing the varied and distinctive aspects of this niche market.
Scenic, distinguished for its ultra-luxury cruise experiences, expressed optimism over this partnership. Nichola Absalom, the managing director for sales and marketing at Scenic UK, remarked that Scenic has been notably impressed with ECN’s growth and ambition. Such a collaboration is anticipated to enhance the understanding among travel agents of the distinct differences between ultra-luxury expedition cruising and mainstream cruising, thereby opening new avenues for selling these experiences.
Aqua Expeditions, known for accommodating a select number of 16-40 guests per ship, offers intimate voyages that explore some of the world’s most renowned rivers and coastal areas, including the Amazon, Mekong, and the Galapagos Islands. This inclusion into ECN is expected to bolster the agency’s offerings and bring attention to these unique travel experiences.
Aranui Cruises, offering comprehensive 11-night journeys to the Marquesas Islands, also joins the ranks. These trips, which visit a multitude of destinations including Bora Bora, provide travellers with enriching experiences in some of the world’s most beautiful locations. Such offerings align well with ECN’s vision of embracing the extraordinary world of expedition cruising.
In tandem with these new memberships, ECN has released a digital training guide titled ‘Selling Expedition Cruising: Wave 2024’ aimed at equipping agents with the knowledge and tools necessary for promoting these voyages. This guide highlights current promotions, unique selling points, and provides insights into the demographic profiles of typical expedition cruise travellers. This initiative represents a strategic move towards increasing awareness and driving sales within the expedition cruising sector.
The Expedition Cruise Network’s strategic expansion and educational initiatives reflect its dedication to fostering growth and interest in expedition cruising.
