New ‘Away We Go With Carnival’ On-Line Travel Hub Also Unveiled
MIAMI (February 3, 2015) – Popular travel expert Samantha Brown is the star of an engaging new video series on Carnival’s YouTube channel designed to provide “cruise rookies” with all they need to know about the seagoing vacation experience, with helpful information on everything from on-board dining and activity choices to cruising with kids and frequently asked questions.
The “How to Cruise With Travel Pro Samantha Brown” series is part of a revamp of the line’s YouTube channel which, in addition to robust new content and a brand new look and feel, offers streamlined playlists and an optimized mobile experience while allowing consumers to more easily search for topics they’re most interested in.
The series will also be part of the featured content on awaywego.carnival.com, the line’s new online travel hub with articles and videos by top travel and lifestyle bloggers focusing on destinations, culinary options, cruising tips, and more.
“Cruise content is among the fastest growing sectors within YouTube, with a 21 percent increase in viewership year-over-year and an incredible 63 percent increase in the length of viewing time,” said Stephanie Evans-Greene, Carnival’s vice president of brand communications. “Our Samantha Brown video series, along with our totally redesigned YouTube channel and the new Away We Go With Carnival on-line content hub, provides those interested in cruising with lots of great information about the experience presented in a way that best suits their particular viewing needs,” she added.
Roughly a minute in length, the breezy and insightful “How to Cruise” videos are designed to serve as a one-stop shop to educate viewers about cruising and debunk many of the myths associated with oceangoing vacations.
Shot on board Carnival Breeze, this interactive video series consists of five videos, each featuring three to five individual segments with topics ranging from what to pack and choosing an itinerary to getting your money’s worth and “hacks” that every cruiser should know. Each video encourages viewers to select the next cruising topic which is displayed on screen with quick links to specific videos in the series.
“While cruising is certainly fun and affordable, not everyone has sailed before so this new series is designed to answer questions and offer some tips for making the most of your time once you’re on board, all in a fun, entertaining and lighthearted way,” said Brown. “And Carnival provides the perfect vehicle for ‘getting your feet wet’ so to speak, with ships offering so many different choices on board, as well as a wide variety of cruise durations, itinerary choices and embarkation ports,” she added.
Commented Pete Johnson, executive creative director for Boston-based Arnold Worldwide, Carnival’s advertising agency, “Marketing for vacations is usually filled with eye candy and inspirational content that doesn’t tell you much about what the experience is really like. While it can be beautiful to look at, it’s not helpful for anyone doing research. Away We Go with Carnival and the Samantha Brown series are meant to provide utility to shoppers as they begin to learn about the category, and present the experience of cruising in a more relevant and approachable way.”
In addition to starring in the video series, Brown will host a live Twitter Q&A at @CarnivalCruise on Thursday, February 5, from 2 to 2:30 p.m. EST.
For additional information on Carnival’s cruises, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.
Carnival can also be found on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival
YouTube: www.youtube.com/carnival
Journalists also can visit Carnival’s media site, www.carnival-news.com or follow the line’s PR department on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CarnivalPR.