NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE INTRODUCES NCL CONNECT ON SOUTH AFRICAN ROADSHOW

– Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) to engage with selected partners and agents in

Cape Town and Johannesburg from 15-21 January 2025

– The South African Roadshow includes meetings, training sessions, a hosted dinner, a ship visit on Norwegian Dawn, and an introduction to NCL Connect – the company’s new marketing platform for the travel community.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, will introduce NCL Connect, a new co-branded marketing solution specifically designed for the travel partner community, on a South African Roadshow this week.

Kevin Bubolz, Vice President & Managing Director Continental Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Nirosha Sidat, NCL Country Manager South Africa, will host sessions with key partners – including a tour of Norwegian Dawn in Cape Town – to share the latest updates from NCL.

“Not only is South Africa fast-establishing itself as a world-class destination for cruise ships, but the South African market is increasingly interested in cruising, with the demand for cruise holidays and expedition cruises soaring,” says Sidat. “Our new More at Sea™ package meets this demand, enhancing the cruise experience with unlimited beverage packages, specialty dining, Wi-Fi packages and incredible shore excursions. When it comes to both our guests and partners, we’re committed to being the easiest cruise line to engage with, and as part of our longstanding ‘Partners First’ philosophy, we’re thrilled not only to be meeting our trade partners in person – but that we’re able to offer them an exciting new platform to grow their cruising business!”

NCL Connect is a tightly integrated marketing solution where travel partners can instantaneously co-brand digital content – pre-designed by NCL’s in-house marketing team – that offers their clients an immersive look into cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line. It offers travel agents and advisors the opportunity to leverage a co-branded website complete with NCL sailings for clients to explore while driving leads directly back to the travel advisor.

The new platform complements NCL’s robust Marketing Headquarters with 800+ ready-to-use or customisable assets such as videos, flyers and more. NCL Connect offers an extra level of marketing support available to travel advisors that provides instant, personalised co-branded content in just one click. The content is then easily shared via all social media, email, and other marketing media channels, with additional digital experiences introduced on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

“Our goal in terms of trade marketing in 2025 is clear: make it personal, make it impactful, and most importantly, make it easy for travel advisors,” says Sidat. “We’re bringing the full weight of our in-house marketing expertise to the table but packaged in a way which makes it easy for travel advisors to take full advantage. Promoting, selling and booking an NCL cruise has never been simpler. I know advisors are going to love it.”

NCL Connect, which is powered by technology from Approach Guides, will be introduced in Cape Town from 15-17 January and in Johannesburg from 20-21 January 2025. 

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