“Taking this year’s results, we’re really optimistic the British market’s contribution to the overall share of Celestyal business will continue to increase,” Reid said on Wednesday (19 July). “We’re in a really good place and things are going incredibly well for us.”
The line’s soon-to-launch ship, Celestyal Journey, will depart on its inaugural sailing on 2 September, with the vessel taking over Celestyal’s eastern Mediterranean programme, covering Greece, Turkey and Egypt.
Reid said the vessel had been "selling well" over the past few weeks, adding her aim was to "fully immerse our trade partners" in the ship’s arrival.
Celestyal has recently launched a series of initiatives - including ship visits and booking incentives - to support sales.
Activities include gifting agents a £20 voucher for Greek restaurant chain The Real Greek for every Journey booking made, as well as the chance to win a spot on one of the three fam trips organised for next year.
“Trade partners will always be a focus for us and we will continue to find ways of working closely with them moving forward,” Reid said. “Agents are at the heart of everything we do and they are the vision for our future.”
The line is also focused on expanding its team, having recruited several members of staff over the past few months, including former Cosmos and Avalon Waterways sales and marketing chief Janet Parton.
Parton joined Celestyal last month as vice-president of business development for the UK, Europe and Australia, tasked with building the business’s distribution in each region.
Reid added the company was also working on replacing its current fleet with newer vessels.
“It’s no secret that this is really important to us and it’s something we will continue to look at over the coming months," she said.
