Your November Update from Michael Wilson

Hello and welcome to my November update!

Wow, what a week it’s been! At last, we have seen the long-awaited launch of P&O Cruises’ Summer 2023 and Winter 2023/24 programmes and once again we have achieved record bookings and market share. On the first day alone, we booked almost a thousand passengers and achieved virtually half of the market share for bookings placed through agents, and it’s been a similar story for every launch day thereafter. This really is positive news and is testament to the exceptionally strong demand for future cruise holidays.

I would like to personally thank everyone who has trusted us with their advance registration to make their booking this week, a process that puts us streets ahead of our competitors, as confirmed by our almost 100% booking success rate. I will cover the advance registration process later as this is one of our major strengths, particularly when you are trying to book popular cabins on high-demand cruises.

Staying on the subject of this latest launch, I recently came across an ongoing chat on a popular social media group discussing the issue of booking with travel agents. I was both surprised at the level of misinformation but delighted to see so many posts from you complimenting the quality of service you receive from Bolsover Cruise Club. It is no exaggeration how much we stood out from competitors, and it’s because of this level of recognition we label and market ourselves as “Your Favourite Cruise Agent”.

I would like to cover a couple of the items of misinformation. Numerous posts were negatively suggesting agents ask for your balance many weeks before the true date set by the operator, and whilst I know this is the case for several of our competitors, this is certainly not true when booking through ourselves. We simply ask for your balance just a week prior to the operator due date, providing enough time to safely process the settlement before it is due and avoiding a potential automatic cancellation.

Additionally, I should mention we are one of the few agents that operate direct payments with P&O Cruises. This means we input your card details directly into a secure system linked to the operator, and therefore your actual payment goes directly to them. In other words, we don’t sit on your money for even a second, giving you maximum and unbeatable peace of mind.

The other hot subject was the price you pay, and many posts were similarly tarring agents with the same brush, suggesting there are often hidden charges. Again, this is not a true and fair reflection when you book through us, as we make absolutely no additional charges. I make no apology for making a few knocks at our competitors; our team of highly experienced staff continue to offer unbeatable service, don’t ask for your balance until it is due, don’t have an armoury of hidden extras in the background and, of course, our own ‘launch cashback’ provides you with better fares than booking direct. No wonder so many of you have trusted us again to handle your latest P&O Cruise holiday!

By the way, our payment date policy and no hidden fees apply to all operators and not just P&O Cruises. Furthermore, the ‘direct payments’ I mentioned also apply to most other operators including Cunard, Celebrity, Princess, and Royal Caribbean to name just a few, giving you optimum financial peace of mind! Another great reason to choose Bolsover Cruise Club as your favourite booking agent.

I mentioned ‘advance registrations’ earlier and this is a process where we take all of your booking details in advance to then book your holiday as soon as it’s released for sale. We have designed our own bespoke system to record these registrations, and our Sales Team process the bookings at record speed once the programme goes on sale! It’s a system we have deployed and perfected over a number of years and no other agent has this level of technology. The combination of this technology and a highly experienced Sales Team means we can book thousands of cabins in a short timeframe, enabling us to secure our client’s main preference in the majority of cases. Whilst we can never promise 100% as some accommodation is very limited, our success over the years has been second to none. On that note, the P&O Winter 2023/24 programme goes on sale from Monday 22^nd November onwards so please be sure to pre-register now if you’re interested.

With so much positivity around I’m pleased to say I had my booster vaccination last weekend and it’s great to see nearly 11 million people in the UK have also received theirs, ensuring vital protection over the coming months. I urge you to make sure you get yours; despite all the negative press about bookings, I simply waited until 182 days after my second vaccine as instructed, walked into one of the major centres accepting walk-ins on a Sunday morning and with no queues or fuss, was jabbed within a few minutes of my arrival.

To conclude, can I remind you that cruising is now well and truly underway with over 200 ocean ships back in service, and this figure is set to build significantly as we move into 2022. So as the winter months are upon us, there are plenty of opportunities to catch some winter sunshine and our Sales Team would love to hear from you and help you find the right holiday.

My personal favourite to consider for a great interesting destination, guaranteed sunshine, value for money and ease of travel is the P&O Cruises Caribbean programme that’s just started featuring Britannia and Azura. Below are some of the highlights and if I’m tempting you, be sure to call one of our experienced team on 01246 819 819 and take your first move to stepping back on board!

** Highlights include **

• November ‘21 to April ‘22 two-week round-trip sailings from Barbados
• Featuring Britannia and Azura, P&O Cruises superliners
• Visit a host of Caribbean islands starting from the heart of the region
• Fly on dedicated charter flights arranged by P&O Cruises from Gatwick, Birmingham, and Manchester (subject to availability – other regional departures also available)
• Bonded luggage – delivered directly to your cabin from airport check-in
• Fast-tracked upon arrival – no need to pass through immigration, coaches will be waiting to transfer you directly to the cruise terminal
• Prices from only £989pp including flights
• Book a Select Price and benefit from additional onboard spending money

Thanks for following my updates and I wish everyone travelling over the next month Bon Voyage and have a great holiday.

Yours sincerely

Michael Wilson