It came after Uniworld president and chief executive Ellen Bettridge revealed the ship was 90% sold for the year and in “the top three of our fleet of 18”.

Beadle told TTG: “There has been a lot of interest from the groups market in the UK because of the size of the ship [which has capacity for just 128 passengers]. It makes it easier for people to charter the whole ship.”

She admitted that Paris as a destination tended to be more of an “impulse purchase” for Brits due to its proximity to the UK, but said the itineraries offered on the Joie de Vivre, which will sail in northern France between Paris and the Normandy beaches, were proving popular.

“It’s exceeded expectations – we felt perhaps that it wouldn’t be easy introducing a ship in a city which has had a lot of publicity for the wrong reasons, but it shows that people will go through with their purchase for the right product,” she said.

Beadle stressed the importance of agents being able to experience the product, and said the line was hoping to plan a series of day visits to Paris to enable agents to visit the ship.

Homeworkers have been given the opportunity to experience the French “flavour” of Joie de Vivre through a virtual launch of the ship as part of Uniworld’s Homeworker Network, with the line partnering with Patisserie Valerie to host French-themed coffee mornings in 10 locations in the UK.