Travelocity TOTAL CRUISE Advances Online Cruise Booking Again With First Flexible Flight and Cruise Shopping Engine
Leading Online Cruise Brand Launches Industry-Leading Technology Giving Consumers Flight Options and More Control
FORT WORTH, Texas, Jul 21, 2003 -- Travelocity(R), the most popular travel service on the Web, today announced the launch of "Travelocity TOTAL CRUISE(SM)," an industry-first offering that allows consumers to simultaneously book their airline flights and their cruise vacation packages online. Total Cruise places Travelocity cruise and flight options in one easy-to-use booking path, rather than making consumers book each component separately.
In the past, cruise shoppers have had two options when booking air in conjunction with their cruise: pay for cruise line air without knowing the air carrier or flight schedule until just prior to sailing, or book their cruise and flights in two separate transactions.
With this groundbreaking shopping capability, however, which offers both convenience and lower prices, consumers have more choices and control than ever before. They can immediately see both cruise line air and real-time Travelocity flight options in a single view, select an airline of their choice and choose the specifics of their flight. Consumers will be able to view the entire customized cruise package prior to purchase, including their specific cruise stateroom, and any hotel add-ons, transfers or insurance they may have selected.
"In becoming the first online travel service to develop a product like TOTAL CRUISE, we have reinforced our leadership in online cruises, taking innovative technology and first-rate customer service to a new level," said Michelle Peluso, COO for Travelocity. "Additionally, by offering more options and flexibility, we`ve given both consumers and the cruise lines one more reason to work with the leading cruise brand in online travel. We now have a more convenient service that streamlines the booking experience for our customers."
Bryan Saltzburg, Travelocity vice president for cruises, said keeping up with the ever-changing demands of today`s savvy traveler was the main reason behind the development and launch of TOTAL CRUISE.
"Travelers shopping for cruises today, whether for the first time or the one-hundredth time, have told us that it is important to them that they know their flight information before they go," Saltzburg said. "The last scenario in the world any cruiser wants is to invest in a dream vacation and then miss the ship because they weren`t able to synch up their flight plans. TOTAL CRUISE eliminates those worries and hassles completely."
Travelocity`s Industry Leadership
A recent consumer travel trends study commissioned by industry analyst PhoCusWright reinforced Travelocity`s position as the leader in the cruise space, stating "Perhaps the largest seller of cruises online is Travelocity, which represents about one-third of all online travel agency cruise sales."
During the past few months, Travelocity has continued to push the envelope in selling cruises. During this year`s wave season, Travelocity experienced triple-digit growth in cruise bookings and record-breaking sales days. In fact, on a good booking day, Travelocity fills the equivalent of two large cruise ships with passengers. From the latest breakthrough technology to significant growth in sales, these success stories continue to demonstrate Travelocity`s position as the leading online cruise brand and one of the largest sellers of cruises anywhere.
"It is important that the industry continues to make it easier and more convenient for travelers to book their entire vacation, including transportation to the ship," says Dan Hanrahan, senior vice president, marketing and sales, for Royal Caribbean International, one of Travelocity`s leading cruise line partners. "Innovative offerings like the Travelocity flight and cruise booking options create a win-win situation for Travelocity, the cruise lines and consumers."
"TOTAL CRUISE delivers value to consumers similar to other multi-component shopping offerings at Travelocity, like the recently-launched Travelocity TOTALTRIP(SM)," said Peluso. "And through our innovation and industry leadership, travel suppliers are realizing yet again the mutual benefits of our partnerships."
About Travelocity
Travelocity, a Sabre Holdings company, pioneered the online travel space and continues to be the most popular travel service on the Web, giving consumers access to hundreds of airlines, thousands of hotels and cruise, last-minute and vacations packages, and best-in-class car rental companies, all backed by 1,000 customer service representatives staffed to provide 24-hour assistance. With 40 million members, Travelocity is the seventh largest travel agency in the United States. It has been recognized worldwide for its leadership in the online travel space, and it operates or powers Web sites in five languages across four continents.
Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE: TSG) is a world leader in travel commerce, retailing travel products and providing distribution and technology solutions for the travel industry. More information about Sabre Holdings is available at http://www.sabre-holdings.com . Additional information about Travelocity can be found at http://www.travelocity.com .
Contacts:
Judy Haveson
1-212-554-7425
judy@vollmerpr.com
Amy Fuhrer
1-972-488-4790
amy@vollmerpr.com
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