Traveltek is pleased to announce that Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is now available on our cruise booking API and has been integrated with the iSell Cruise Platform, giving travel agents direct access to one of the world’s most prestigious luxury and expedition cruise lines.

This integration provides Traveltek users with live pricing and availability directly from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, including multiple fare types, guaranteed cabin selections, and instant booking confirmations where available.

Premium German Luxury and Expedition Cruising

With over 130 years of experience in luxury and expedition cruising, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises offers unique routings, culinary excellence, and exceptional service to the world’s most beautiful destinations.

The EUROPA and EUROPA 2 are both 5-star rated luxury ships by Insight Guides Cruising and Cruise Ships 2025, delivering the highest standard of cruise experiences with outstanding service, varied cuisine, and exceptional routes across the globe.

Award-Winning Expedition Fleet

The three state-of-the-art expedition ships – HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC inspiration, and HANSEATIC spirit—feature cutting-edge environmental technology and the highest ice class (PC6). This enables unique routes to the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as warm-water destinations such as the Amazon, making them among the most versatile expedition vessels at sea.

Real-Time Booking for Luxury and Expedition Cruises

Travel agents using Traveltek’s API can now offer clients:

• Live availability across all Hapag-Lloyd vessels
• Real-time pricing with multiple fare categories
• Guaranteed cabin selection
• Instant booking confirmation (where available)
• Access to both luxury and expedition itineraries

Getting Started with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Looking to start selling Hapag-Lloyd Cruises? Contact sa***@********es.com to learn more about becoming an authorized agent.

If you already have Hapag-Lloyd Cruises credentials, contact Hayley West at ha****@*******ek.net to activate the integration on iSell.

Want to learn more about Traveltek’s cruise booking technology? Get in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Hapag-Lloyd cruise ships are available through the Traveltek API? All five Hapag-Lloyd vessels are available: luxury ships EUROPA and EUROPA 2, plus expedition ships HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC inspiration, and HANSEATIC spirit—all built to German quality standards.

Is Hapag-Lloyd Cruises a German cruise line? Yes, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is Germany’s premier cruise line, founded in Hamburg in 1891. The company represents German excellence in luxury cruising with German-speaking crew, German culinary traditions, and departures from German ports including Hamburg and Bremerhaven.

What makes Hapag-Lloyd Cruises different from other luxury cruise lines? Hapag-Lloyd Cruises combines German engineering precision with 5-star-plus luxury. The line offers both intimate luxury ocean cruising and expedition voyages with the highest ice class rating (PC6), German-speaking service, and European departure ports—particularly appealing to German and European travellers.

How do I enable Hapag-Lloyd Cruises on the iSell platform? Existing Hapag-Lloyd agents can contact their customer success agents to activate the integration. New agents should contact sa***@********es.com to establish credentials first.

Does the API support instant booking for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises? Yes, the API provides instant booking confirmation where available, along with live pricing, real-time availability, and guaranteed cabin selection for all Hapag-Lloyd vessels.

What destinations do Hapag-Lloyd expedition ships visit? The HANSEATIC fleet visits polar regions including Antarctica (Antarktis) and the Arctic (Arktis), plus warm-water expedition destinations like the Amazon, Galápagos, and remote islands across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Many itineraries depart from or return to European ports.

Do Hapag-Lloyd ships depart from German ports? Yes, many EUROPA and EUROPA 2 itineraries depart from Hamburg and other European ports, making them convenient for German and European travellers.

The post Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Now Available on iSell appeared first on Traveltek.

Growing Opportunities in the German Market

The German cruise market is experiencing significant growth, with annual passenger capacity expected to reach 2.5 million by 2033 – up from around 2.1 million this year according to the 2025 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. TUI Cruises is leading this expansion, with their two newest ships, Mein Schiff Relax (launched spring 2025) and Mein Schiff Flow (arriving 2026), adding 360,000 passengers to their capacity and pushing them beyond the one million passenger mark.

This growth opens up substantial opportunities for travel agents to tap into the German-speaking market. With Mein Schiff now integrated into the Traveltek API, agents can access this expanding market segment directly through their existing platform. With more ships and capacity available, you can now offer German travellers a wider choice of itineraries and sailing dates whilst benefiting from the premium inclusive model that appeals to this demographic.

To learn more about Traveltek’s market leading API and award winning iSell platform, contact us today.

The post Mein Schiff Now Available on the Traveltek API appeared first on Traveltek.

For the travel agent or online booking agent, this can mean constantly reinvesting in new technology to stay ahead of the game. With an astonishing 72% of US adults preferring to book their trips online, a travel seller must offer a seamless booking experience to compete successfully. From personalized itineraries to real-time pricing, customers expect perfection, at the click of a button.

At Traveltek, we understand this challenge, which is why our solutions like iSell and iBos are built on AWS infrastructure to deliver the performance and reliability your customers demand.

AWS: Transforming Travel & Hospitality

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is driving the travel and hospitality industry with its cloud technology, data analytics and artificial intelligence. By utilizing AWS, companies are reshaping how they operate and engage with customers. Traveltek has been at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging AWS capabilities across our entire product suite to deliver enterprise-level solutions to travel businesses of all sizes.

• Personalized Experiences – AWS uses AI and machine learning to offer personalized experiences, offers and upgrades based on preferences and historic bookings.
• Operational Efficiency – cloud technology allows businesses to scale up or down without the need to reinvest in physical infrastructure. Airlines can optimize fleet management and hotels can maximize bookings, all using predictive analytics.
• Real-Time Booking – IoT solutions, powered by AWS streamline baggage handling, hotel check ins, inventory management and flight notifications.
• Customer Service – AWS supports AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants, providing customer service 24/7 for routine booking management like flight updates, hotel amendments and car rental queries.
• Secure and Reliable – AWS automatically encrypts data at rest and in transit. It meets global security standards to support industries handling sensitive and is considered extremely secure.

Customer Service & Operational Efficiency

With seamless booking and personalized experiences the norm, travel customers are adding impeccable customer service as a key differentiator when it comes to choosing a travel provider. Amazon Web Services has a big role in improving customer service in the travel industry.

With AWS analytics and machine learning, companies can use customer history to provide tailored recommendations. For after-sales service, AI-powered chatbots provide round-the-clock support, resolving common queries instantly. And with AWS, customer service is available in multiple languages, streamlining communication effortlessly.

Cloud Technology in Travel

Cloud technology has transformed the travel industry. Cloud platforms enable airlines, hotels and other travel companies to offer real-time booking, personalized customer experiences and flexible access to data anywhere. In terms of operational efficiency, cloud technology is a significant benefit, enabling travel providers to scale their operations up or down on demand without investing in physical IT infrastructure. They can easily adjust their computing power and storage by simply ‘renting’ more or less resources, on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis.

And the benefits don’t end there. Utilizing cloud technology allows centralized data management, harnessing valuable booking history and preferences in a single, cloud location. This facilitates data analytics and machine learning to create even more personalized travel experiences and targeted marketing.

With Traveltek’s cloud-based solutions running on AWS, your business gains all these advantages through our user-friendly interfaces – no cloud expertise required. Our iBos platform, for instance, centralizes your entire operation in the AWS cloud, providing powerful analytics and reporting tools that help you make data-driven decisions.

Can Small Travel Agencies Benefit from AWS?

Driving major airlines, global hotel chains and booking platforms, Amazon Web Services provides crucial support on a large scale. But what about smaller travel agents and tour operators? It may come as a surprise to learn that AWS was designed with small and medium-sized businesses in mind. Things like pay-as-you-go pricing mean there’s no need for large-scale investment decisions; secure, high-performance infrastructure, AI, data analytics and customer support are all available to small businesses, allowing them to compete effectively with the big players in the industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is basic concept of AWS?

Amazon Web Services delivers cloud computing through a network of globally distributed data centers. The data centers house multiple services including data storage and machine learning that users can access on demand.

How does AWS integrate with a travel agent’s systems?

Travel agencies can migrate their booking engines, CRM systems and databases to AWS for full functionality. AWS can also integrate with GDS through API technology. Traveltek handles this integration complexity for you – our solutions come pre-integrated with major GDS systems and run seamlessly on AWS, so you can focus on selling travel rather than managing technology.

How can I get started with TravelTeks software for my travel agency?

Starting your journey with TravelTek is simple. Contact our sales team who will guide you through the process of deciding which software is best for your business. We’ll show you how our AWS-powered solutions can transform your operations, whether you’re a small agency or a large travel management company.

How is AI used in the travel industry?

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are used extensively in the travel industry. Travel technology uses AI and machine learning as a tool to predict traveler bookings, personalize experiences, customer service, dynamic pricing, inventory management, enhanced security and more.

What are the current innovations in travel technology?

On-board WIFI, smart luggage, sustainable route optimization, biometrics and contactless travel are all set to evolve and improve the way we travel in the future. TravelTek technology is constantly improving to maintain its position as a leading provider of technology solutions in the travel sector.

What software does TravelTek offer?

At TravelTek, we offer a full suite of award-winning travel technology, developed over two decades in the business, including iSell, iBos, Cruisetek and more. All our solutions are powered by AWS infrastructure, ensuring enterprise-level performance, security, and scalability regardless of your business size. Why not contact our team to discuss your travel agency business.

The post Amazon Web Services in Travel and Hospitality appeared first on Traveltek.

Under the new deal, BR-DGE’s payment orchestration solution will be integrated into Traveltek’s internet booking engine, iSell. The enhanced offering will enable Traveltek to access BR-DGE’s impressive modular payments capabilities, including payment method connectivity, tokenisation, dynamic smart routing and multi-acquiring, and data analytics through a single integration into BR-DGE’s platform.

Designed exclusively for the travel industry, Traveltek’s award-winning iSell platform is already used by a significant number of large travel businesses around the world. Giving travel merchants the power to create customised holidays for their customers, iSell provides access to flights, hotels, cruises, tours, and ancillary products directly through the platform in a single transaction.

Securing this latest partnership is a clear indicator of BR-DGE’s remarkable growth over the last couple of years, solidifying its position as a leader in payment orchestration for platform businesses in the travel, gaming and digital goods industries. As many of these businesses look to consolidate different gateways and expand payment method connectivity, BR-DGE enables them to tap into new services and select one or multiple orchestration layers through a single integration, and provide a consistent customer experience across multiple touchpoints.

The partnership announcement also adds to Traveltek’s recent momentum, following its acquisition by Juniper Group last year, its expansion into the United States in 2021 along with the £1.3m in funding that was secured in the same year to further develop its technology. Founded over 20 years ago, the Scottish travel technology company now delivers cutting-edge booking solutions for travel agents, tour operators, and wholesalers of all sizes.

Mal Barritt, CEO of Traveltek, commented on the partnership: “This is the latest in a series of exciting announcements from Traveltek, as we strive to simplify searching, booking and managing leisure travel. BR-DGE is a trusted and industry-leading payment orchestration platform. By integrating BR-DGE’s solution into our own offering, we can provide our merchants with the best possible technologies to support their own business growth.”

The global travel industry shows no signs of slowing, with 68% of people planning to travel abroad in the next 12 months and 84% of people planning to spend either just as much or more on their holidays next year as they did this year, according to ABTA, a trade association for the UK travel industry.

As an independently-owned, vendor-agnostic payment orchestrator, BR-DGE is fast becoming the go-to partner for high-volume enterprise merchants in the travel sector through its modular solutions. Traveltek joins other major travel brands to have selected BR-DGE’s payment orchestration services to provide exceptional end-to-end online payment experiences, connectivity, smart routing, data analytics, and tokenisation, amongst other services.

Tom Voaden, VP Commercial at BR-DGE added: “Global travel is surging. While this trend is great news for the industry, it also puts a lot of pressure on travel platforms, which need to handle vast volumes of bookings and transactions from thousands of touchpoints through a wide range of payment methods with confidence and speed. Platform downtime is not an option. That’s where payment orchestration comes in, and BR-DGE’s solution was designed to solve exactly this issue.

“We’ve seen huge demand recently from travel platform businesses who see the value of using our modular orchestration layers to strengthen their operational capabilities and deliver more value for their end merchants. Securing this partnership with Traveltek means a great deal to us. Together, we are set to provide Traveltek’s merchants with simplified integrations, more interoperability, speed to market, enhanced customer experience and new growth opportunities.”

Bringing together over 400 payment technology solutions in one place, BR-DGE works as an independent, trusted and vendor-agnostic partner for the whole ecosystem, creating value and driving better outcomes for payment providers, their merchants and consumers.

Founded in Edinburgh in 2018, BR-DGE now processes millions of transactions monthly on behalf of high-volume customers spanning travel, ecommerce, gaming and other sectors. In 2024, the company also signed several tier-one merchants, adding c700m annual transactions to BR-DGE’s platform over the course of 2025. With an emerging large order book already in the pipeline, BR-DGE is positioned to become the go-to source and distribution outlet for payments connectivity, routing, and data services.

The post Traveltek Teams Up with BR-DGE to Transform Travel Payments appeared first on Traveltek.

Expedition and exploration cruises are among the fastest-growing travel segments, with CLIA reporting a remarkable 71% increase in the number of passengers sailing on expedition itineraries from 2019 to 2023. With the addition of Aurora Expeditions to Traveltek’s partnership network, agents will be better equipped to meet this growing demand through access to flat file pricing, itineraries, and ship content on Traveltek’s platform.

Aurora Expeditions is an award-winning, Australian-owned expedition company that has been pioneering experiential travel for over 33 years. Aurora Expeditions is known as AE Expeditions in the UK market, the same great product with a different trading name. A leader in polar expeditions, Aurora Expeditions is deeply committed to environmentally respectful travel, being 100% climate neutral and certified as a B-Corp. The company takes real actions to care for the planet.

Founded on guiding principles of adventure and exploration, Aurora Expeditions offers intimate and friendly small-ship experiences. They take travellers on perspective-altering journeys to some of the most remote and incredible places on Earth

Aurora Expeditions operates two purpose-built ships, with a third launching in December 2025. The Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle, and the upcoming Douglas Mawson are designed for global discovery, carrying just 130 passengers each in polar regions, allowing them to get to the heart of each destination.

This new partnership is a strong testament to Traveltek’s mission to provide travel companies with the most comprehensive cruise supplier network, offering solutions for all types of travellers. An expert in cruise, Traveltek currently provides access to a vast network of suppliers, including air travel, hotels, cruise lines, payment services, and ancillary options.

Speaking of the latest partnership, Hayley West, Head of Supplier Relationships at Traveltek commented “I’m delighted that we have partnered with Aurora Expeditions, an expedition cruise line offering educational adventures of a lifetime with expert guides and supporting sustainable travel.

Aurora Expeditions is a great addition to the Traveltek platform offering even more variety and providing travel companies with the information they need to service their customers’ travel reservations.”

David Tanguay, Global Head of Sales at Aurora Expeditions added “We are excited to have entered into this partnership with the team at Traveltek to grow our network and build on our existing relationships with the travel trade. This partnership will ensure that travel partners can access the essential information about Aurora Expeditions they need to easily manage and fulfil their customers requirements, ensuring clients can embark on the journey of a lifetime.” 

Next Steps

• Learn More: Watch our recent webinar with Andrew Turner, Aurora Expeditions’ Sales Director, to get a general overview of what Aurora Expeditions has to offer: Watch Webinar.
• Get Started:
  • If you’re not yet partnered with Aurora Expeditions, contact Andrew Turner, Director of Sales at at*****@******************co.uk to establish a partnership.
  • Already a Traveltek customer working with Aurora? Simply raise a Jira ticket to enable Aurora Expeditions in your iSell platform.

Looking to learn more about Traveltek and how you can get started with our award winning iSell platform. Contact Us and our Sales team will get in touch.

The post Traveltek Broadens Expedition Cruise Portfolio with Aurora Expeditions Partnership appeared first on Traveltek.

About Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises, known for being “180 degrees from ordinary,” offers a boutique cruising experience aboard their intimate yachts, which accommodate between 148 and 342 guests. This small-ship intimacy allows for personalised service, exclusive access to smaller ports, and the freedom to immerse yourself fully in both the journey and the destination. Travelers love Windstar for its unique blend of luxury, adventure, and unforgettable cultural experiences.

Discover more about Windstar Cruises at www.windstarcruises.com

How to Get Started with Windstar Cruises on iSell

If you already have a commercial agreement in place with Windstar and are a Traveltek Customer:

• Please raise a ticket on Jira, and our support team will set up the connection for you.

If you would like to establish a commercial agreement with Windstar:

• Click the link below to learn more about becoming a partner with Windstar Cruises.
• Once your agreement is in place, raise a ticket with Traveltek Support, and we’ll set up your connection.

Agency set up link: Travel Agency set-up and change form

Looking to learn more about Traveltek and how you can get started with our award winning iSell platform. Contact Us and our Sales team will get in touch.

The post Windstar Cruises Now Available to Book on iSell appeared first on Traveltek.

This collaboration unites the strengths of both organisations to deliver an enhanced suite of tools that will empower travel businesses to thrive. By integrating Traveltek’s comprehensive booking platform with TProfile’s personalised CRM and marketing automation capabilities, travel agents and tour operators can enjoy:

• Streamlined Operations: The main aim is to reduce the number of duplicate entries that travel agents currently have to make, reducing admin error and driving efficiency.
• Personalised Experiences: Utilising the ability to create personalised and bespoke itineraries which can be synced with Traveltek’s suite of products.
• Enhanced Growth Opportunities: the main aim is to give travel agents a wider set of market-leading tools, meaning less admin and more time to sell.

Together, we’re committed to revolutionising how the travel industry operates and enabling businesses to provide unforgettable journeys for their customers.

A number of pilot customers are keen to get going and demand for this collaboration has been strong.

Cressida Sergeant, CCO of Traveltek commented “We were really impressed with the level of quality in TProfile’s product, but also the attitude and commitment of the team, to make this partnership a success. The overwhelming reason for this strategic tie-up though is customer demand, and we are excited to see this partnership come to fruition”

Tony Evans, CEO of TProfile commented “This is an excellent partnership for TProfile and I want to thank the team at Traveltek for making it happen. We are totally committed to delivering advanced solutions and workflow efficiencies and, given the existing mutual customers and potential new opportunities, a strategic tie-up with Traveltek is both logical and exciting. Both development teams have been working meticulously during this first phase to deliver seamless integration and data synchronisation between the two systems, and we look forward to delivering immediate improvements in our mutual customers’ business workflow and customer service delivery.”

The post Exciting times ahead as Traveltek & TProfile announce strategic partnership appeared first on Traveltek.

Crystal, a leader in exceptional cruise experiences, has been a symbol of high-end travel and excellence in the cruise industry for more than three decades. Following its acquisition by A&K Travel Group in 2022, Crystal has undergone a major transformation, relaunching its flagship vessels, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony.

The newly revitalised Crystal sets a new benchmark for cruising with a focus on world-class experiences. The ships feature top-to-bottom makeovers, boasting elite restaurants including an exclusive Nobu outpost, and redefined suites that offer unparalleled elegance and space. Suites are more elegant and spacious, with personal butlers dedicated to fulfilling every guest’s needs, ensuring an extraordinary and personalised cruise experience.

This partnership enhances Traveltek’s luxury travel portfolio, offering travel companies a broader range of options and increased flexibility in their offerings. As part of its commitment to delivering comprehensive solutions, Traveltek has steadily broadened its supplier portfolio featuring air travel, hotels, cruise lines, payment services, and ancillary services. This extensive network solidifies Traveltek’s position as a leader in travel technology, offering unparalleled choices and capabilities to its customers.

Tracy Sharp, Global Director of Revenue and Supply at Traveltek commented “As the cruise industry continues to lead travel’s growth, with global capacity projected to expand by over 10% in the next four years, we remain committed to enriching our platform with new cruise partners over the next 12 months.

2024 has already been an exciting year of growth and collaboration for Traveltek, with many new partnerships across the cruise industry. So, it gives me great pleasure to announce Crystal sailings are available to book on our platform. Working with Tony, Matias and the wider team at Crystal has been a real pleasure. Several Traveltek customers are already booking Crystal, so this partnership will give them the seamless booking capability they require.”

 “It’s been a pleasure working with the Traveltek team in getting our mutual systems communicating to provide our travel advisors worldwide access to Crystal’s product, inventory, pricing, and confirmation capabilities on the Traveltek platform,” said Crystal’s SVP Trade Sales LATAM, UK & EMEA Matias Lira. “This is one of many steps recently taken in a major technological initiative at Crystal which we are excited to share.”

The post Crystal Joins Traveltek Platform, Expanding Luxury Travel Offerings appeared first on Traveltek.

Avalon Waterways, known for prioritising its agents and expanding its routes, offers exceptional river cruises with unique features like the Open-Air Balcony® and Comfort Collection Beds℠ that face panoramic views. Avalon Waterways’ commitment to customer preferences includes increased health-focused itineraries, sustainability efforts, and solo traveller deals, earning them the prestigious ServiceMark accreditation in a first for the British travel industry.

Avalon Waterways sails across the world including Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. 

Integration of Avalon Waterways into Traveltek’s platform will provide clients with a wider array of luxurious, immersive travel options, complete with exceptional service and unique cruising experiences.

Traveltek’s Global Director of Revenue & Supply, Tracy Sharp commented “I’m thrilled we are partnering with Avalon Waterways, another heavyweight in the river cruise industry, as Traveltek continues to focus on adding further cruise lines on our platform. This shows our commitment to offering a truly global range of cruise partners for our clients in all markets.”

Phil Shipman, UK Sales Director for Avalon Waterways agrees, “We are over the moon to be partnering up with Traveltek. This is a great opportunity to further expand the wide range of Avalon cruises and destinations to clients across the world. Working with Traveltek is a key objective as we continue to prioritise working with the travel trade and I’m excited to see the results.” 

The post Traveltek adds Avalon Waterways to its Growing Network of Cruise Lines appeared first on Traveltek.

The partnership allows for mutual customers in North America (such as MAST Travel Consortium) to track and manage their cruise booking commissions inside the Sion platform.

In response to the increasing demand for a modern, efficient way to search and book cruises, we introduced our groundbreaking Connect product suite in late 2023. The suite includes AgentConnect, a state-of-the-art cruise booking system for travel advisors, and CruiseConnect, an advanced cruise API.

Cruise is a growing market for travel advisors and agencies. McKinsey reports a 6 percent yearly revenue growth in the past decade and major cruise lines planning for increased capacity.

The Connect suite is designed to provide travel companies with unmatched speed and accuracy, setting a new standard in the cruise booking industry.

This new partnership between Traveltek and Sion will enable advisors to create their cruise bookings on AgentConnect and easily import their booking data and commissions into Sion. Advisors will no longer need to manually enter the data, which saves them time and removes the risk of human error.

Speaking of the partnership, Rebecca Esterhuizen, Senior Vice President North America at Traveltek, stated “In partnering with Sion, Traveltek is not only advancing its commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions to the leisure travel sector but also ensuring that our partners, including our mutual partners at MAST Travel Consortium, receive unparalleled service and support. This partnership is an exciting new era for AgentConnect and demonstrates the ease for travel advisors and agencies and elevating their client experiences.”

Irving Betesh, Co-Founder & CEO of Sion added: “Customers love Sion because it’s easy to use and helps them get paid faster. Partnering with Traveltek gives our agencies even more tools to grow their business. And when advisors aren’t overwhelmed with admin, they can focus on what truly matters – their clients.”

The post Traveltek Announces New Strategic Partnership with Travel Technology Company SION appeared first on Traveltek.