Over the course of a decade more than 9,700 graduation cruises have been redeemed and over 1.9 million courses completed by graduates of Princess Cruises’ Princess Academy.

Now marking the program’s 10th anniversary, Princess Cruises is offering a new contest and new Princess Academy enhancements based on input from travel partners.

Offered free of charge and accessed online from home or office, Princess Academy lets consultants choose from a range of elective courses to learn about topics most relevant to their business, including categories like sales opportunities, onboard programs, destination expertise like Alaska or Europe, customer service and helpful technology like EZair to book flights.

As they move up through four ranks, they gain ‘stripes’ as they successfully complete the course work to earn greater rewards.

Princess Cruises spokesperson Brea Burkholz says the cruise line has seen double-digit growth year-over-year for travel agencies that actively participate in Princess Academy and reach Commodore level. “In addition, recent data shows that Commodore agents are more likely to book higher, more lucrative categories and increase bookings as quickly as six months after completing Commodore level,” says Burkholz.

“Princess Academy is free, on-demand learning that allows agents to select the courses that are most useful for them in building their expertise,” she adds. “With more than 40 courses available, consultants may choose from a variety of topics regarding onboard programs and activities, destinations, and booking and sales information. We also offer the best rewards in the industry – including a free cruise for consultants that complete Commodore level and are registered under a producing agency.”

In celebration of the Academy’s 10th anniversary, the Commodore Booking Contest offers active Commodores a chance at one of 10 prizes, including a cruise on the new Majestic Princess to the Mediterranean and a cruise aboard Caribbean Princess to the Panama Canal, just for making a booking using POLAR Online. Consultants who make a booking for a balcony stateroom or above receive two entries. The contest runs June 5 – Nov. 1. Bookings not made via POLAR Online are still eligible for entry. See the Princess Academy Dashboard for contest rules.

Princess Cruises also recently introduced new enhancements based on travel consultant input, including new dashboard for easier access to courses, personal status information and news; course improvements including interactivity, voiceover on various courses and new design with enhanced graphics; and improved depth of information so consultants can select exactly what they want to view.

Princess Academy is approved by CLIA and awards five credits towards Accredited Cruise Counselor, Master Cruise Counselor and Elite Cruise Counselor certifications. For Canadian agents, the program has also been approved by the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors for 15 credits that may be applied towards the requirements for the Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) designation.

Princess Academy is available through the dedicated OneSource Travel Agent Center portal at onesourcecruises.com.