Windstar Cruises has today announced a new sponsorship with AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), the world leader in sports and entertainment. Starting in February, Windstar will become the official cruise line of AEG owned venue The O2, the world’s most popular live entertainment, leisure, and retail destination.
As the world’s busiest arena, The O2 hosts over 200 events a year and has welcomed legendary artists and comedians including U2, Trevor Noah, Adele, The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish, Chris Rock, Madonna, Beyoncé, Drake and many more since opening in 2007. It has also been home to world-class sporting events including the London 2012 Olympics, NBA season games, UFC and the Laver Cup.
Windstar’s sponsorship reinforces a company commitment to supporting and working with brands in the Anschutz Corporation family. Windstar Cruises is owned by Xanterra Leisure Holding, LLC, which like AEG, is part of the Anschutz Corporation. The sponsorship brings Windstar brand exposure across the venue to reach new potential travellers for the line’s small ship cruises. Visitors to the newest Premium space, The NinetyThird by Qatar Airways, will see a Windstar ship model on display year-round.
As the third largest cruise market globally, the UK is a key growth focus for Windstar. Windstar Cruises is strengthening its presence in the region, working with The Cruise Line, which recently launched a new UK website with pricing in pounds. Itineraries created to appeal to UK travellers include a new series of three- to four-day cruises sailing roundtrip from London departing from the iconic Tower Bridge, 10-nightCanary Islands cruises sailing roundtrip from Santa Cruz de Tenerife between November and February, easily accessible sailings in the Mediterranean and Greece and two seven-night Northern Europe voyages with homeports in London.
“We are thrilled to be showcasing our brand in this iconic venue and to be reaching new prospective guests for Windstar,” said Windstar President Christopher Prelog. “AEG, The O2, and Windstar are all leaders in their respective categories, and we feel this is a great first step in a meaningful and rich collaboration.”
Nathan Kosky, Vice President at AEG Global Partnerships commented: “We warmly welcome Windstar Cruises, our newest sponsor to The O2, as they explore new opportunities for their expansion. We look forward to working together to showcase their offering to the millions of fans who visit the venue every year.”