Silversea cruises showcased the growth and new opportunities in Ireland at the annual conference of the Travel Centres consortium in Naas.
Amanda Middler of Silversea reiterated the new marketing and sales opportune ites available through Silver Wind being based in Dublin, told delegates to “think expedition,: and announced a Black Friday sale with bonus commission.
Ms Midler reported a remarkable 9pc growth in Silversea’s bookings in Ireland despite some cancellations and emphasized a 90pc growth since the pandemic, largely driven by new partnerships with small agents and successful exhibitions.
With six new ships launching across all seven continents, she said Silversea now offers itineraries to over 900 destinations, including both popular and lesser-known locations such as the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
Ms Middler shared personal experiences from a recent Arctic cruise, highlighting the immersive nature of Silversea’s expeditions, which include opportunities to explore wildlife and stunning landscapes in small groups, including the upcoming itineraries based in Dublin.
For the first time, Silversea will kick off a Black Friday campaign with attractive offers and bonuses for agents, alongside a flash sale and a wave campaign starting December 12. Midler also encouraged agents to utilise Marketing Central for promotional resources.
Amanda Middler shared with delegates: We’ve had a great year in Ireland, and I really do thank you for your support. We’re actually seeing about a 9pc growth at the moment, even when accounting for some cancellations. This growth is coming from small agents that may have never considered Silversea before, as well as a lot of exhibitions. Thank you all very much indeed for your support.
With Silversea and our small ships, we’ve had a 90pc growth since pandemic. We now have six new ships sailing across the seven continents of the world. Very importantly, we go to over 900 destinations, so there are itineraries available for everybody. Just look at the Mediterranean—some of these tiny little Greek islands and the Mediterranean ports that we visit, Northern Europe as well, which is really big for us, along with the Caribbean islands. So, there truly is a destination out there for your clients!
We also have four beautiful expedition ships that sail year-round to the Galapagos, the Arctic, the Antarctic, and some lovely warmer destinations as well. Some of you come to me and say, “Tell us about Expedition.” It’s where you’re getting off the ships and hopping into Zodiacs, accompanied by an expedition leader, exploring in small groups of ten.
I was so lucky on my recent Arctic cruise—I saw families of polar bears and could have pinched myself! One day, we were on a Zodiac and whales were literally swimming around us. What amazed me was the expedition guide who was with us, explaining that a humpback whale, for example, had traveled thousands of miles from somewhere like South Africa. Just thinking about it as a four-month-old whale was incredible. The knowledge they shared was remarkable. We also saw baby polar bears, reindeer, and walruses, and had the freedom to choose what we wanted to do.
So, think about Expedition! Very importantly, we have a ship based in Dublin—one of our expedition ships, Silver Wind—next year. Itineraries will take us all the way up to Iceland while also covering some lovely Scottish ports. So, take a look at those itineraries. There’s a lot of opportunity to grow, and we’re very lucky because once we get a ship, we tend to keep them. We have just over 70pc repeat clients, but there are still countless people who haven’t cruised yet, and these are the individuals we should be targeting.
We should take this opportunity today to ask, “Have you ever thought about cruising?” I love when someone tells me, “I’ve never cruised, and I’m not sure,” because I enjoy the challenge. I often suggest, “How about a cruise in the Mediterranean, maybe Barcelona to Rome, stopping in Monte Carlo?” The ship docks very close, and from the pool deck, you can see the cars racing around for the Grand Prix. It’s especially appealing if a lady wants to get her husband on the ship for the first time—imagine being there for the Monte Carlo Grand Prix!
There are lots of opportunities, and we do a lot to help you at Silversea. I know many of you think I live here, but I actually live in Glasgow. However, I spend a lot of time in Ireland. You’ll also know my colleague, Linda, who is around as well. We will do anything we can to assist you—whether you want to organize events or set up Zoom calls, please don’t hesitate to ask.
For the first time in Silversea’s 30 years of sailing, we have a Black Friday campaign starting on Monday, which is very exciting! So, be sure to check out the Black Friday offers we have ready, along with a bonus commission for you. From Monday, if you book a classic voyage, it’s just over £150, and for expeditions, it’s £300 (a bit more in Euros).
We also have a flash sale coming before Christmas, and then on December 12th, we start our wave campaign. The wave campaign will have really strong offers, and I have the pricing ready. If anybody wants to have a look at it and put some plans in place, feel free to let me know!
Marketing together, finally, what will really help you as well, guys, is to sign up for Marketing Central. It’s the most amazing tool where you can produce flyers and invites. You can look at our videos, download them, and use them. There’s really great information on Marketing Central, so do have a look and consider promoting some of the offers we have.
Also, as we are part of the Royal Caribbean group, remember that the three companies—Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea—all have a status match programme. So, if you have someone from a multi-generational family who has been on Silversea, we’ll match their status if they went on Celebrity, and vice versa. It’s a great saving for everyone.
