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| Newsletter for September, 2007 |
Subject: News from Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance
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Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance Newsletter |
Niche Cruise Specialists September 2007 | |
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| Dear Larry,
This summer has been busy for NCMA and it all adds up to more benefits for each of you. NCMA has announced a new online training program with a new specialist designation. For agents completing this new program will go the title of "CERTIFIED NICHE CRUISE SPECIALIST" and with that a special bold listing on our web site, annual supply of bonus commission certificates and other special treatment from the member cruise lines of NCMA. All of this and you get the new training program at a special price of $15. See the featured story on the right
In addition to this we have added two new members. The first is Pandaw Cruises which feature river cruises in Burmah and Vietnam on luxury replicas of traditional colonial river ships.
The other new member is American Canadian Caribbean Line. ACCL provides cruises to the Great Lakes, U.S. canals and rivers, the U.S. Intracoastal and bay waterways, the Northeast and Canadian Maritime Provinces and the Caribbean Islands and Central America. The line's two ships, the Grande Mariner and the Grand Caribe, each carry 100 passengers, and were commissioned in 1998 and 1997, respectively.
Check them out on their web sites.
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| Pandaw's Newest Boat to Feature Cambodia and Vietnam |
The brand new 60 berth Orient Pandaw will make its Maiden Voyage in late September 2008 with a new 10 night expedition from Saigon in Vietnam deep into the heart of Cambodia.
The expedition includes 2 nights in Saigon and 2 nights in Angkor with our deluxe Pandaw Partner hotels. Four further Upper Mekong Expeditions are planned for the late 2008 high water season between late September and early December, Pandaw's other two ships operating on the Mekong River ply a seven night itinerary between Saigon and Angkor. In response to not inconsiderable client demand we decided to extend this popular cruise to go deeper into the heart of Cambodia.
In the rapids between Kratie and Stuc Treng is one of the last Irrawaddy dolphin grounds on the planet. We intend to visit this area in a sensitive and eco friendly fashion using smaller local boats. This expedition will also allow for more time to explore the wetlands around the mouth of the Tonle Sap with its stupendous bird life and floating villages.
The Orient Pandaw is currently under construction in Saigon to our traditional Pandaw plan with the same much loved staterooms. The expedition is now on offer at www.pandaw.com.
Prices Per Person in USD
Upper Deck Sharing $4,111
Upper Deck Single $5,510
Main Deck Sharing $3,800
Main Deck Single $5,198
Prices include: pre and post tours lunches and, accommodation with full breakfast in five star hotels stated above or equivalent, airport transfers; on board ship: all main meals, local drinks at bar, mineral water, coffee and tea, entrance fees, guide services, cultural shows
Prices exclude: pre and post cruise: dinners; on board: imported wines and spirits, port dues, personal laundry, telephone or other communications, gratuity to crew
Contact us:
+44 131 514 1037 information@pandaw.com www.pandaw.com |
| Getting Into The Holiday Spirit with RiverBarge Excursion Lines |
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 We're Ringing Our Bell and Getting in the Holiday Spirit at RiverBarge Excursion Lines!
Our November 27, 2007 and all December 2007 excursions are wrapped up with specials for you and your clients. Holiday offers for you:
· $100 Bonus Commissions awarded to each agency that books a new individual stateroom on any select 2007 holiday excursion.
· $500 Grand Prize to one travel professional when you take part in our Travel Professional Holiday Contest.
Our holiday Nov. 27-Dec. 4, 2007, Dec. 4-8, 2007 and our Christmas Bonfires on the Levee Dec. 19-27, 2007, excursions include these holiday offers for your clients:
· Best Barging Buys on our Nov. 27th and Dec. 4th excursions.
· $50 in Barge Bucks.
· Special 15% Back to Back Discount when booking our Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 excursions.
· Reduced single occupancy supplement from 50% to 25%.
· Complimentary parking in New Orleans - space is limited.
The New Year's in New Orleans excursion from Dec. 30, 2007-Jan. 2, 2008, offers your clients:
· Onboard Open Bar throughout the excursion!
· Reduced single occupancy supplement from 50% to 25%.
· Complimentary parking in New Orleans - space is limited.
For reservations or for more information, call 1-888-GO BARGE, ext. 1, (1-888-462-2743, ext. 1). |
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Discover Spitsbergan This Holiday with Norwegian Coastal Voyages |
In winter this rugged island of massive glaciers, mountains and polar bears, known as Spitsbergen, is magical in Arctic twilight and, when atmospheric conditions are right, the shimmering Northern Lights flash across the sky. Polar night's, dogsled and snowmobile safaris, and the return of the Sun festival highlight Norwegian Coastal Voyage winter adventure vacation scheduled from February 12 to May 10 on this remote Arctic island, midway between Norway and the North Pole. An early-bird special provides a $150 per savings on winter bookings made before September 30.
The six- to 10-day Spitsbergen land adventures, priced from $2,999 to $5,199 per person, double, give a choice of a stay in Longyearbyen, capital of the Svalbard Peninsula with 1,900 residents; which can be combined with a two-day snowmobile safari to pristine Kapp Linne; or a five-day dogsled safari to the glacier-covered mountains on the island's east coast. Polar bears are most likely to be seen on dogsled and snowmobile safaris. For reservations and information, call 800.582.0835, and for a free brochure dial 800.582.0835. News and specials at: www.hurtigruten.us |
| Special NCMA Rate at Home-Based Travel Agent Expo in LV |
Home-Based Travel Agent Expo 2007 will be held December 4-6 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
In order to take advantage of this special $10 registration offer exclusive to NCMA, just visit their website at, www.HomeBasedTravelAgentExpo.com. Click on the "Register" button on the left hand corner. You will be asked for a promotional code after you complete your contact information. To take advantage of the $10 rate, please enter promotional code 212.* You MUST enter this code in order to receive the special rate.
The second annual Home-Based Travel Agent Expo & Conference will bring together industry suppliers with the hard to reach home-based travel agent community. We created a venue for the often neglected home-based agent, who has a significant client base and substantial buying power. Agents are able to attend the Home-Based Travel Agent Expo & Conference for world-class education, networking with peers and travel suppliers and more, in order to increase their own bookings. New for 2008! The first 2,500 agent registrations will receive a complimentary show ticket to one of five hot Las Vegas shows!
If you have any questions, please contact Casey Reisner at Home-Based Travel Agent Expo & Conference. She can be reached at 212-895-8274 or via e-mail at creisner@questex.com.
*Valid on new registrations only. .
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Check out all of our members on the web site and don't forget to sign in and check out the special deals and invitation listing.
Sincerely,
Larry Dessler
Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance | | |
| New Online Training |
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The Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance has introduced an online training program to allow travel agents to become Certified Niche Cruise Specialists in the comfort of their home or office.
"Although we offer in-person training sessions throughout the United States several times a year, we realize is it not always convenient for agents to attend these sessions," said NCMA Executive Director Lawrence Dessler.
"We felt that adding an online training component would allow us to reach a larger number of agents who would like to specialize in this lucrative and fast-growing segment of the cruise industry," Dessler said.
To become a Certified Niche Cruise Specialist, agents need to create a Niche Cruise Academy account by going to www.nichecruise.com and clicking through on the online training icon. Once an agent has created an account, they can register and select the Certified Niche Cruise Specialist Course. After successful completion of the course and certification examination, the agent has become a Certified Niche Cruise Specialist.
With the designation, agents receive a special Certified Niche Cruise Specialist diploma that is suitable for framing and a variety of benefits that entitle them to higher commission on selected NCMA cruises as well as a highlighted listing on the NCMA web site along with various other benefits available only to Certified Niche Cruise Specialists..
To remain a Certified Niche Cruise Specialist, agents must take and pass at least one Niche Cruise Academy online course every two years.
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