The new process can be initiated when agents with a group booking contact their regional sales manager. The operator’s team will then check availability and offer pricing and group benefits, which include discounts, onboard credit and extras such as private transfers and drinks packages depending on sailing.

The move comes after the organisation saw a "dramatic" increase in group bookings, with pent-up demand caused by the pandemic thought to be behind the rise, as larger groups opt for "bucket-list" cruises with both the operator’s Scenic Luxury Cruises and Emerald Cruises brands.

"It’s been an unexpected bonus for us," said Scenic Group’s director of trade sales Andrea Stafford. "In fact, the rise in groups business has made us look again at how we treat that whole area of our operation.

"We have renewed our focus on groups and streamlined the entire booking process for agents to make things as simple as possible."