Windstar Cruises will invite around 100 UK agents on board Star Legend next year before choosing a select few of the attendees to embark on a fam trip sailing.

The revamped 312-passenger ship departs from London on an 11-day Norway Famous Fjords sailing on August 3, 2023.

Business development manager Anna Perrott, who returned from maternity leave this week to oversee sales in Europe as well as the UK and Ireland, has identified the departure as an opportunity to widen trade distribution.

Perrott said places for the “immersive” ship visit and fam trip will be given away in a variety of ways, including through competitions that agents take part in.

Details about how agents can earn a place at the ship visit or fam trip will be confirmed soon, she added.

“We’re looking to host as many agents as possible,”  said Perrott. “I want to focus on the UK more than anywhere else. This is my main focus.”

Perrott said the number of European departures the line currently offered was “very small” but highlighted how Windstar was expanding its programme with a string of sailings in the Middle East.

Exclusive pricing was also available to UK customers in an attempt to “boost” bookings, Perrott added.

“We know that the US market is different from the UK,” she said. “We want to focus on the Med because for a UK traveller, it’s not as far to travel.

“We want to make sure that we’re promoting the right product.”

Elsewhere, Dianna Rom has been promoted internally to senior director of sales and has taken over from Steve Simao, who left the line earlier this year following a management restructure.