The scheme allows agents to set up an appointment at a dedicated time with a customer experience representative from the new cruise brand, which was launched by the MSC Group on 10 June.

 
Appointments provide a 30-minute block to allow agents to place a waitlist on a suite for one or more of Explora I’s eight inaugural sailings. 

Chris Austin, chief sales officer for Explora, said the line wanted to "totally remove on-hold time" and "put the control in the hands of our travel partners".

"Explora Journeys will be an ocean escape like no other, allowing guests to relax, create memories, reconnect with what matters most in their lives and experience what we refer to as an ‘ocean state of mind’,” he added. 

"One our key points of differentiation is how we support our global travel advisor community. They get to speak to our dedicated ambassadors at their convenience and waitlist suites for their valued clients exclusively before we open for public sale later this year."