Travel, Tourism Experience – Cruise Lines
Carnival Cruise Line
Highlights:
Major project focused on maiden voyage of MS Carnival Destiny, then the largest cruise ship in the world. Agency arranged media coverage of her trip from Boston Harbor to New York City. Once in New York, agency arranged for more than 500 members of media, travel agents and other travel-related individuals to spend overnights on board the ship while she was docked on the Hudson River. First class accommodations and amenities were provided to all guests.
All four New York newspapers covered the event as did every New York television affiliate and appropriate cable outlets. Network highlights included “CBS Morning News,” Fox Network News, Bloomberg TV and CNN Travel Guide. Radio and magazine coverage also was substantial.
In addition, agency arranged distribution of photography to Associated Press and Reuters. Newspapers nationwide and internationally picked up on various photos. Television stations nationwide also carried a satellite fed video news release. Additional coverage in key East Coast markets was obtained as the ship proceeded south to her final destination in Miami, Florida.
Aloha Pacific Cruise Lines
Highlights:
An all-new $100 million S.S. Monterey was prohibited by the U.S. Coast Guard from sailing on its maiden voyage because its new stabilizers had not been properly installed by its builders in Finland. Before it could leave the Port of Baltimore it had to undergo some heavy-duty adjustments in order to comply with U.S, maritime laws.
More than 100 members of consumer and trade media had been steered to Baltimore by the agency to attend a shipboard party cruise. The owners were relying on media to help launch their expensive venture but it appeared as if the Coast Guard would force them to scuttle their plans.
The agency said, “Put the Monterey in dry dock and hold the party there.” Canceling the media party would have created a substantial scheduling inconvenience. Transportation and lodging already had been arranged. A rain check also risked losing many editors and writers. On the day of the event, the media group was ferried to the S.S. Monterey’s dry dock location aboard a pair of luxury yachts. And, as the guests climbed a specially rigged ladder to the main dock of the ocean liner, a storm of confetti and the ship’s band greeted them on deck.
The party was a hit. The media got its indoctrination from the agency and met the ship’s owners, officers and crew. The day aboard the vessel ultimately converted into rave reviews by media guests – many of whom indicated this was a “first” in their cruise line experience.
Their presence aboard the vessel in dry dock helped to shape a unique breaking news/feature which resulted in wire service photos and stories in newspapers and magazines from coast to coast, as well as news placements on television including a major feature on CNN.
The S.S. Monterey had a successful launch and maiden voyage to its homeport in Honolulu.