CruiseCompare brings flash sale model to cruise sector

Cruise price comparison website CruiseCompare has teamed up with Cheapflights for the launch of Groupon-style cruise flash sales on its site.

Cruise price comparison website CruiseCompare has teamed up with Cheapflights for the launch of Groupon-style cruise flash sales on its site.

The deals are available for a limited period of seven days with savings of up to 50% being offered to members of the site on a range of cruises.

It is hoped the tie-up with Cheapflights for the launch period will attract younger and first-time cruisers to the site. The downturn has seen cruise booking lead-in times shrink and lines forced to sell more distressed stock at cut price rates to fill ships.

CruiseCompare said offers will be exclusive and handpicked and it is working on a cost per acquisition model with suppliers, so the service is “risk free” for operators.

Managing director Danielle Fear said the development comes after the positive reception the site has received in the sector since its launch earlier this year.

“Consumer response to the site has been phenomenal and we have now gained a strong email database and over 45,000 Facebook fans in a short time which has helped firmly establish ourselves in the marketplace,” she said.

“Cruise consumers now have a different mindset. They want luxury goods and experiences but they want the best deals.

“Our model taps into the late booking trend, which enables cruise lines to offer cruise departures behind the rate of sale, or ensure they have a strong forward booking for 2012.”

CruiseCompare was founded by former DFDS Seaways digital marketing manager Tom Fotheringham and is backed by venture capitalists Jeremie.

It claims to have over 40,000 active users and published over 10,000 deals from cruise lines each day.

Fear said: “Our funding is supporting major new website features in 2011 like the flash sale, which will support our desire to become the market leader in this space.”