7 Reasons Why Your Clients Want a Premium Cruise Suite
As a trusted travel advisor, part of your job is to help make your clients’ travel dreams come true, right? One proven strategy to help you get there is upselling.
The booming cruise segment is a great example, as there are virtually endless opportunities for generating new and repeat business. After your mainstream cruise clients have taken a few cruises, some will be looking for something new and different, something beyond the norm. That’s the perfect time to suggest upping the ante on their cruise experience with, say, a premium suite.
Here are seven reasons why your clients will want a premium suite, and the exclusive experience of sailing in luxury on the high seas - even if they don’t know it yet. Your simple recommendation of what they’ll get with a suite accommodation and how they’ll be pampered could be just the inspiration they need to book with you.
1. More space
While a standard cruise suite (at about 236 to 271 square feet) can feel cramped for many travelers, a suite (at up to 1,500 square feet or more) gives an open feeling of space and expansion. Designed more like a traveler’s living space at home, they typically include multiple bedrooms, sitting and dining areas, multiple bathrooms (some with bathtubs), walk-in closets, and a private veranda. Suites give guests room to move around - and a feeling that they can breathe the entire travel experience in more deeply.
2. Front-row seat to each destination
The outdoor living space of many luxury suites provides spectacular views 24/7. And, who wouldn’t want a front-row seat from their own private veranda as the cruise ship arrives at each of the destinations on their chosen itinerary?
3. Amenities to enjoy
Bumping the typical cruise experience up a few notches, premium suites offer more amenities than standard suites. For instance, they may include an in-suite Nespresso machine, Swarovski binoculars to use during the voyage, complimentary internet service throughout the voyage, an enhanced in-suite bar setup with additional wines and spirits for entertaining, more luxurious bedding, or a private car transfer service (up to 50 miles) as needed.
4. Unexpected value
Often, cruise lines deliver more special offers and added value experiences when a guest books a premium suite. Some might be obvious, such as bespoke living space or ample shipboard credits given. Others must be personally experienced onboard to be appreciated, such as a built-in heated jacket wardrobe in a suite on an expedition ship, where guests can grab a warm coat before heading out on their private veranda on a cool morning or hang their wet outdoor parka to dry quickly when they return from their off-ship expedition adventures.
5. Splurge and be pampered
The coveted perks of VIP treatment come with premium suites, such as priority access boarding and disembarking, first-choice reservations in alternative restaurants, and more personalized service all around. Suites also offer stewardesses to cater to the traveler’s every need.
6. Space to entertain
For travelers who plan to host dinners or meetings while onboard, suites are the perfect choice. Customized service is on hand to accommodate the guest’s entertaining needs. And, there are different types of suites to chose from, some offering an apartment-style layout that stretches over two stories, to provide as much space as the gathering calls for.
7. Perfect for multigenerational travel
Premium cruise suites offer living space options that can comfortably accommodate several guests in one party. Those traveling with every possible family combination, from little ones to grandparents or even aunts and uncles, can enjoy time together - and apart. They have the convenience of traveling together, but with the separate bedrooms found in the grand suites, they have their own space to retreat to when they want a bit of privacy.
And for you, the trusted travel advisor, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you gave your clients a new kind of exclusive cruise experience that they’ll always remember - and will most likely book again. Plus, you’ll collect the increased commission that comes with selling premium suites.
FROM THE SPONSOR: Because we believe that choice is integral to an ultra-luxury experience, Seabourn’s intimate, all-suite resorts at sea offer discerning travelers a range of thoughtfully designed and sumptuously furnished premium suites to accommodate their unique, individual preferences. Expanded layouts incorporate inviting settings for entertaining, including large dining tables, guest baths and pantries with wet bars. Some categories adjoin sweeping, curved verandas with ocean views, perfect for hosting sunset dinners or cocktail receptions – and an expanded in-suite bar setup is one popular added amenity in our premium categories. Other features of our premium suites are envisioned for private enjoyment, such as whirlpool bathtubs in some bathrooms. Separate bedrooms enable couples to blissfully enjoy different sleeping and waking schedules. Seabourn’s innovative Wintergarden Suites raised the bar for indulgent premium features with a private, oceanview solarium with a deep soaking tub and sofa. Signature Suites and Wintergarden Suites can be conjoined with an adjacent Veranda Suite to form a Grand Signature or Grand Wintergarden Suite providing multiple living and sleeping areas, bathrooms, and verandas for families or caregivers. Seabourn Venture, our eagerly anticipated expedition ship, offers Owner’s, Signature and Wintergarden Suites as well, and introduces a new level of premium accommodation with a spectacular, two-level Wintergarden Suite.