Crystal partners with Aspire to launch trade engagement programme

Luxury cruise line Crystal has rolled out a new trade engagement programme in partnership with Aspire.

 

Crystal Trade Society has been designed to complement parent company Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group’s Global Advisory Board while addressing the “unique needs” of the UK market.

 

The programme will bring together a select group of Crystal’s top-performing trade partners as well as agencies identified as key to future growth.

 

The line is initially targeting eight agencies, with Mundy Cruising’s Alex Loizou, SixStarCruises’ Connell Blackburn-Green, Panache Cruises’ Anna Perrott and Touchdown’s Robbie White already confirmed.

 

Crystal Trade Society will meet in-person three to four times annually, with at least one gathering hosted onboard a Crystal ship.

 

The meetings are designed to provide an open forum for “candid discussion” around sales strategy, marketing collaboration, operational improvements and the evolving needs of the luxury travel advisor.

 

Aspire will serve as official media partner for Crystal Trade Society, providing editorial coverage of the programme and its results across its print, digital and social media channels.

 

Luke Smith, vice-president of trade sales for the UK and EMEA, said: “I have been very clear in my ambition for Crystal to be the most trade-friendly luxury cruise line in the market.

 

“To deliver on that promise, we must move beyond statements and take action. Crystal Trade Society is about listening first and engaging directly with our UK partners, understanding what truly matters to them, and making tangible changes based on those conversations.

 

"Partnering with Aspire allows us to tell that story authentically, while holding ourselves accountable to the trade.”

 

Anna Perrott, chief commercial officer of Panache Cruises, added: “The idea behind Crystal Trade Society resonates strongly with us. At Panache Cruises, we believe the most successful partnerships are built on open dialogue, shared ambition and a genuine willingness to listen and evolve together.

 

“To be invited to contribute to a forum designed to shape the future of Crystal’s trade relationships in the UK is both an honour and an exciting opportunity. We value collaboration at this level, where insight and experience can directly influence strategy, and we look forward to playing an active role in helping drive mutual growth in the luxury sector.”

 

Robbie White, head of commercial and cruise at Touchdown, said: “We are delighted to be members of the Crystal Trade Society. At Touchdown, travel industry professionals are central to everything we do, so contributing to this collaboration with the trade makes the project especially meaningful and exciting for us.”