Look to Luxury Land Clients When Filling Luxury Cruise Ships
With the expected arrival of a host of new cruise inventory, one thing is for certain in 2018: the luxury cruise market is fixed for growth. Filling these new ships with existing cruise clients is a likely tactic for meeting this challenge head on, but tapping into your luxury land client list could serve as an even better line of attack.
Let’s face it: at the end of the day, shuffling your current cruise client list can only go so far. And what many travel agents fail to realize is they have luxury cruise sales potential just waiting to be tapped – namely, their luxury land clients. While it’s true that some luxury land clients shy away from cruising due to misperceptions and first-timer uncertainties, those are issues an experienced agent can overcome. What remains are far more reasons why these two types of travel can and should attract comparable vacationers.
TMR spoke with travel advisors who sell both land and cruise luxury products, and they shared their tips on how to capture these ‘not-so-new’ luxury travelers and convert them to luxury cruise passengers.
Emphasize the Service.
Luxury is luxury. Or is it? Travel professionals are united in their view that the distinct difference when it comes to luxury cruising is personal service. According to Adam Rog, director of cruise for TravelEdge in Ontario, whose agency’s sales volume rests comfortably between $700-800 million per year, regardless of what world-class hotel you stay in, regardless of the city, the hospitality folks have only a limited amount of time to truly get to know your client and their needs and desires. This puts luxury cruise companies in a much more favorable position to impress passengers. “Land tours are wonderful, but there is an additional amount of time of pampering on luxury cruises because they have enough time to get to know you,” pointed out Rog. “World-class hotels only have 24-72 hours to ‘wow’ you whereas a cruise line has 7 to 10 days.”
Keeping Good Records is Key.
Tracking the ages of your clients and their family members as well as staying current on their family situations can be a useful tool when searching for new luxury cruise clients. “Check the birthdates of your clients every now and then. Some that are at retirement age and previously liked to travel on their own may be looking to take their kids and grandkids on a vacation. Getting them to cruise together is guaranteed to be a successful family trip,” said Cathy Bell, owner of Seabee Cruises and Travel in Oviedo, Florida.
Think Outside the Box.
If you want to keep your client’s attention, mixing it up once in a while should do the job. Consider putting together groups with a pied piper that no one else has. For example, Ange Wallace, owner of Wallace Pierson Travel based on Amelia Island, Florida, sets up groups with a twist, so to speak. For a recent cruise to Antarctica, Wallace invited a well-known weather man to lead the party, who provided his expertise to them during lectures and also dined with the guests. “While the cruise lines do this, in order to stay relevant, we also need to put these types of groups together on our own with a centerpiece that no one else has access to,” said Wallace. Another tactic Wallace has employed is selling pre- and post- cruise options so she can offer her clients an entire package. “For a Mediterranean cruise, you can offer them two nights pre-cruise in Barcelona and two nights post-cruise in Rome, maybe. The itinerary is unique and there is no way they can google you on price [comparisons].”
Highlight the “Unpack Once” Benefit.
Unpacking once wins hands-down when it comes to the reasons why luxury cruises are more manageable and convenient than luxury land tours. As one agent put it, “The ship is my home and I don’t have to do anything else. You want to be on a ship where someone is taking care of you. I don’t think there is any other way to travel,” said Connie Burke, at Universal Travel in Houston, Texas.
Send Frontline Agents To Experience the Product.
Once you expose your agents to the luxury cruise products, the selling portion will flow naturally. More importantly, travel advisors will return to share feedback with clients about the luxurious suites that far surpass standard cabins and hotel rooms, both in size and design. They will be able to share their personal experiences, including exchanges with dining room wait staff, who made it their job to address any dietary needs they had, and more. Educating your agents on the products will earn you a reputation as the agency ‘in-the-know’. “You want your client to refer you as the guru of [luxury cruises] and product knowledge is key to making that happen,” said Rog.
Listen and Then Qualify.
Taking a walk down memory lane can not only excite your client about their next journey, it can help you decipher what they liked best. By narrowing down what appealed most to them about their luxury land vacation, you can pinpoint what to highlight when proposing a luxury cruise. And don’t forget to highlight the celebrity chefs on board and how more luxury cruise lines are addressing those edgy passengers by spending more time in port cities.
Bottom line: if you’re not using your luxury land client list to market luxury cruises, you are most certainly missing the boat.
FROM THE SPONSOR:
Seabourn is the world’s finest ultra-luxury resort, it just happens to be at sea. Specializing in unforgettable experiences and unparalleled service, we sail to all seven continents in luxurious style, on smaller, intimate ships. With close to one staff member for each guest, those who stay with us feel like members of an exclusive club. Our ships feature all ocean-front suites, most with a veranda. This makes it possible to enjoy spectacular, ever-changing views, while only unpacking once. We bring Extraordinary Worlds to guests – their ultra-luxury suite travels the world with them. It’s no wonder why people who cruise with Seabourn once tend to come back again and again. Learn more here.