CruiseAgents and Costa in Australian First

Australian on-line cruise wholesaler, CruiseAgents, have reinforced their position at the forefront of technological innovation with the release this week of realtime cabin selection and booking.

Travel agents using the CruiseAgents system can now check availabilities, choose a cabin and book immediately with the client paying in Australian dollars and confirming their Costa cruise on the spot without waiting for frustrating callbacks or holding on the phone.

“There were a lot of late nights getting the two systems to co-operate, “ said Brett Dudley, managing director of CruiseAgents, “but the result is a very exciting innovation and a first for the industry that I’m sure will have other cruise lines looking closely at our process.”

Premier Italian-flagged cruise line, Costa Cruises, entered into a Preferred Sales Agent (PSA) agreement with CruiseAgents in early 2007 with the aim of increasing the growing brand’s presence in Australia as well as offering a booking alternative for both agents and the cruising public.

“Our experience is that cruising clients have a tight relationship with their travel agents, often relying heavily on their advice and industry knowledge. Our new system, I believe, will not only save time and money, but strengthen the bond of trust between agents and clients by providing a vastly enhanced and streamlined service that will really be appreciated by travellers. Clients are bound to be impressed by their agents’ ability to complete their booking so quickly and efficiently,” concluded Dudley.

CruiseAgents invites travel agents to log into the new system at www.cruiseagents.travel and see for themselves how quick and easy it will be to book their next Costa cruise.

For further information, please contact CruiseAgents on 1300 55 88 64 or e-mail marketing@cruiseagents.travel

About CruiseAgents:

Sydney-based CruiseAgents launched in June 2002 and has grown to become Australia’s premier online cruise wholesaler and fulfilment specialist. CruiseAgents has been awarded many accolades and continue to lead in cruise travel technology. Cruiseagents is a member of the Travel Compensation Fund.

About Costa Cruises

Costa Cruises is Italy and Europe’s number one cruise vacation line. For the past 60 years its ships have plied the seas of the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream holidays with the utmost in terms of fun and relaxation. In 2007 over 1.1 million Guests chose to go cruising with Costa, a record for the European cruise industry. The Company’s 12 fleet members, each with her own distinctive characteristics and unique style, all fly the Italian flag and sail to 250 destinations in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East and the Indian Ocean. 5 more vessels have been commissioned and will enter service by 2012. Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification of corporate compliance with the highest standards governing social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2001), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 1996), safety (OHSAS 18001, 1999) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2000). All Costa’s ships have been awarded RINA’s voluntary “Green Star” notation based on the highest environmental protection standards. Costa Cruises is also an official partner of the WWF for the protection of the marine ecoregions of the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles and Brazil.