Cunard hosts agents on Queen Anne amazing first fam trip

Cunard recently hosted travel agents aboard the luxury cruise line’s newest ship Queen Anne as part of her first-ever familiarisation (fam) trip.

A total of 20 travel agents joined for a four-night roundtrip sailing from Southampton to Rotterdam, which departed the south coast on 28 August.

On board, agents enjoyed Balcony staterooms and were able to experience the 3,000-guest ship’s signature venues and alternative dining concepts. They also took part in immersive training sessions to broaden their brand knowledge.  

Simone Lines, from Bailey’s Travel, even secured a two-week Canary Islands booking for Queen Anne just two days after returning from the fam trip.

She said: “Having first-hand experience of Queen Anne definitely gave me the confidence to sell to my clients. I was able to show images of the stateroom and talk them through the on board experience. They mentioned that my enthusiasm for Queen Anne made them want to book and how lovely it had been to talk to someone who had been on the ship themselves.”

Fam trip feedback from travel agents

Sara Burdis of Bolsover Cruise Club, said: “If you’re considering a cruise holiday, don’t hesitate to choose Cunard. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the diversity of ages on board – there are families, groups of friends, everybody having a wonderful time and something for everybody. I went to the comedy show, in the Royal Court Theatre, on my first evening and it wasn’t what I was expecting form Cunard entertainment, it would appeal to a range of ages and was just amazing.”

Victoria Prescod, Travel Consultant at Travel Counsellors, added: “It’s been so hard to choose my one favourite thing on board, but if I had to pick, it’d be the Britannia restaurant. It really is special. However, a general favourite has been how comfortable I have felt. I don't feel out of place on board at all despite not being what you might consider a classic Cunard cruiser, which in itself is clearly a total misconception.”

Lucy Newman from Fred Olsen Travel said: “There’s a first time for everything as I’d never done a silent disco before, especially on a Cunard ship, but it was my biggest surprise of this trip and it drew in such a crowd. I've had a wonderful time and it's been a great balance of education and experiences so a big thank you to the Cunard team for making us feel so welcome aboard the lovely Queen Anne.”

Beth Ellis of Iglu added: “Thank you Cunard for such an amazing opportunity and for putting this fam trip together for us. It has been such a fantastic first fam trip and a wonderful opportunity to experience all Queen Anne has to offer. Cunard's reach goes so much further than people perceive. I will be waxing lyrical!”

Jo Osmond, also from Travel Counsellors, said that Queen Anne’s wellness pavilion is a “really lovely space” while Hannah Chisnall from Cruise 118 revealed that Queen Anne’s food is “the best food I’ve had at sea”.

Additional Cunard familiarisation trips this year, all sailing from Southampton, include:

• September 11 - on Queen Mary 2, sailing to Zeebrugge
• October 13 - on Queen Mary 2, sailing to Hamburg
• November 15 - on Queen Victoria, sailing to Amsterdam

Tom Mahoney, Director of UK Sales at Cunard, said: “We’re thrilled that our valued travel agent partners enjoyed their time aboard Queen Anne, gaining valuable insight into how our new ship elevates the Cunard experience. Our familiarisation trip programme is vital as we seek to build strong relationships and give the trade plenty of opportunities to see first-hand what makes a Cunard voyage so special.”

Agents can visit www.ShineRewardsClub.com for the latest Cunard news and information, as well as to earn Shine points for bookings and training.