Greece-based Celestyal Cruises has hired three business
development managers (BDMs) to work with Canadian and U.S. agents and tour
operators.
"The U.S., of course, is a huge source market for us,"
said Gordon Dirker, Celestyal's vice president of business development in the
Americas. "I would say close to 35% to 40% of our customers are Americans,
and we want to build on that and grow the company."
To further that goal, Celestyal opened an office in Miami
last year and started building a sales and marketing team dedicated to North
America.
The three BDMs are Andrae Roberts-Dukes in Baltimore, covering
the Northeast and Eastern Canada; Maria Triantos in Chicago covering the
central region of the U.S.; and Ryan Campbell in Seattle covering the Western
U.S. and Canada. All three report to Dirker.
Robert-Dukes comes from Trafalgar/Brendan
Vacations/Costsaver and has also been a BDM for Unique Vacations.
Mykonos is one of Celestyal Cruises' destinations.
Triantos was most recently Midwest regional sales manager for
Mayflower Cruises and Tours. Campbell joins Celestyal from Premier World
DIscovery, where he was a district sales manager.
"We need a team that knocks on the doors and works with
agents to drive sales," Dirker said. "I would say close to 95% of our
business is through agents or through the] trade, so that's where we like to
build."
Dirker predicted Celestyal will double its business over the
next several years. The cruise line will look to acquire more ships if
expansion plans are successful.
"This past season was a fantastic season," he
said. "We had a very successful and profitable year. And if we can
maintain that pace, then the ownership is going to be very keen to write some
checks, hopefully."
Celestyal's fleet has two mid-sized vessels, the Celestyal
Crystal and the Celestyal Olympia. The ships sail itineraries to Greece and the
eastern Mediterranean.
The cruise line this month announced a suite refurbishment for
the Crystal, overhauling its 43 junior balcony suites and 16 suites.
Renovations will overhaul furnishings, fixtures and carpeting, and are slated
to be completed before 2019 spring and summer sailings. A suite refurbishment
was completed on the Olympia two years ago.