EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Leading Canadian Travel Executives Enthuse About NCL’s Aqua

Some of Canada’s leading host agency and tour operator executives headed south for an introductory cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s first Prima Plus class ship Aqua.

Travel Market Report Canada’s John Kirk was on hand to capture video and impressions of the ship, including its naming ceremony featuring godparent and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet.

Kirk also interviewed Canadian Derek Lloyd, who is now Vice President of Strategic and National Accounts for NCL, with a focus on the new ship, big changes coming to NCL’s private island Great Stirrup Cay, and how travel advisors are essential to explaining and promoting the NCL product to consumers.

For this latest video, Kirk gathered prominent Canadian travel executives – Jane Clementino from TRAVELSAVERS CANADA, Greg Luciani from TravelOnly, The Travel Agent Next Door’s Flemming Friisdahl, Sandra Wesson from Transat Distribution Canada, Caroline Hay from Trevello World Holdings and Elish Tait from Air Canada Vacations.

Here are a few snippets of what these travel leaders found impressive aboard Aqua:

“Norwegian certainly delivers on More at Sea with this ship. The beautiful Aqua definitely has more space in the bathrooms, in the balconies, in the Ocean Boulevard, even in the Atrium. It’s very obvious that there’s that extra 10%, just gives that much more roominess on board.”

Sandra Wesson, Director Product & Industry Relations, Transat Distribution Canada.

“My favourite part about this ship is the open space. There are so many places to go, so many places to sit. And then of course the crew. The crew are amazing, they’re friendly, they’re so nice and they’ve been doing an amazing job taking care of us. It’s definitely something I’ve enjoyed, and it’s something our customers will enjoy a lot.”

Flemming Friisdahl, Founder & CEO, The Travel Agent Next Door

“As soon as I walked on this beautiful ship I felt relaxed. I thought there was just a level of design that made it feel like your living room in some places. There’s a level of detail and comfort so you didn’t feel like you were on a cruise ship, you felt like you were in a hotel.”

Jane Clementino, SVP & General Manager, TRAVELSAVERS CANADA

“It is very important to mention the promos that NCL has. The Canada at Par program combined with the More at Sea offers our clients so much value, and I think that is a really standout offer that Norwegian Cruise Line has for the Canadian market specifically.”

Caroline Hay, Vice President Cruise, Trevello World Holdings 

Watch the entire video above.