Citing 23% additional cruise capacity in the Mediterranean this
summer, Crystal Cruises said that the region is experiencing
softness, and Crystal is launching an unprecedented discount for
customers and a promotion designed to get travel agents on Crystal
ships in the region.
"The Mediterranean is
soft, everybody is feeling a softness," said Bill Smith, Crystal's
senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Everyone is slamming
away at the Med with big discounts."
In December, Crystal
launched a sale offering a 10% discount on Med sailings through
Feb. 29; due to the current conditions, Smith said that the
discount would now extend through March 31.
Smith said that
consumer demand is still high for Med cruises, but that due to so
much additional capacity being transferred from the Caribbean to
the Med, there was bound to be pricing pressure. Crystal has only
one additional Med sailing this year over last.
"We saw the capacity
increase and knew it would be competitive," Smith said. "We knew
there was potential softness."
In addition to the
10% discount, Smith said that in order to avoid having to offer
deeper discounts, the line is offering travel agents a promotion to
get them onboard Crystal ships in the region. Agents that sell
three cruises in the Mediterranean or the Baltic regions, in any
combination, will receive a complimentary cabin for two on a
Crystal cruise in the Med.
"We had a lot of
options to consider," Smith said. "Realizing we may have available
inventory in the summer in the Med, we use some available space,
and instead of discounting it, get travel agents on to experience
the product."
To
contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].