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FORT LAUDERDALE — Windstar Cruises will soon add the capability for online booking, president John Delaney said in a presentation at CruiseWorld.
The Seattle-based small-ship line has picked Versonix to provide the system, called Seaware. It is also used by Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and AMA Waterways, Delaney said.
Until now, agents have had to call to reserve space and change bookings at Windstar. The new system is in testing and is expected to go live around Dec. 1.
The small-ship line also has hired advertising agency Black Tomato to create a new marketing campaign.
In his presentation, Delaney said that since Windstar was acquired by the Anschutz Corp. in 2011, about $18 million has been invested in upgrading its three sail-assisted vessels and $30 million in renovating the three conventional ships acquired from Seabourn.
The additional ships have allowed for new itineraries. Windstar is expected to announce a major Asian deployment for one of the ships next week.
Delaney emphasized the great advantage of its fleet is ship size, ranging from 148 passengers to 310. He showed the audience a photo of the Star Breeze squeezing through the Corinth Canal in Greece as an example.
Another photo depicted an evening dinner at the ancient library in the ruins in Ephesus, Turkey. Delaney said larger cruise ships offer something similar but have to use a larger public plaza instead.
Sourse: travelweekly.com
