Speaking as Vista was named in Malta’s capital Valletta on Monday (8 May), president Frank Del Rio – son of Oceania’s founder Frank Del Rio senior – said: “Vista represents the future of Oceania Cruises. She’s the launching pad to our dazzling and dynamic tomorrow... and captures our 20th anniversary in perfect style.”
Oceania managing director EMEA, Bernie Carter, said he expected the “halo effect” of interest in Vista to act as a key trigger to boosting its UK profile, which Oceania will use to drive new bookings.
“We have seen this happen with other ship launches,” he continued. “Within Oceania, there’s a commitment at corporate level to increase UK business, which is our largest source market outside North America.”
The UK still accounts for less than 10% of Oceania’s overall bookings, although the line is upping the ante with new promotions and trade-friendly initiatives.
Foremost among those is the axing of its well-established OLife Choice programme, which lets guests choose a complimentary benefit from a number of options. This is due to be replaced with a simpler system, which Harry Sommer, president and chief executive elect of parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, promised would be more generous, with additional amenities likely to be included.
Full details are due to be unveiled in mid-July, with booked guests given a choice of either staying with their existing OLife option or swapping to the new streamlined scheme.
This change comes as Oceania ramps up UK trade relations with a string of enhancements following the launch of its Cruise Connoisseur Club for top agent partners at the end of last year and new targeted marketing partnerships. This summer will also bring a programme of ship visits for more than 200 retail staff when Vista arrives in the UK.
“We intend to work more closely with partners promoting us and need to give them more time and expertise,” promised Carter.
Del Rio said Oceania’s forward business for 2023 was looking “solid” with 2024 building at a “great pace”, while Sommer claimed the NCLH Group was seeing outstanding booking pace across all three brands.
And although he conceded there were “pockets” to fill in the second half of 2023, he said this was to be expected at this time of the year. “When I look across 2024, we are booked so far ahead of where we would be in a normal booking cycle, it’s very encouraging to see,” he added.
