Want to Sell More Cruises? Focus on Cruising’s Strong Value
by Andrew Sheivachman /FORT LAUDERDALE-- Travel agents are invaluable to consumers—particularly in the world of cruising.
But what should agents focus on when the there are so many cruise lines, destinations, itineraries, and options to offer customers?
A panel of cruise line executives at the recent cruise3sixty here urged agents to stress the overall value proposition when pitching clients on a potential vacation.
Product details and differentiation between lines should be secondary, they said. The needs of the client should super cede all other concerns.
‘Friendly competitors’
“We are friendly competitors,” said Brian O’Connor, the moderator of the panel and vice president of sales at Princess Cruises.
“But there are bigger segments of the travel industry that we consider bigger competition than we do each other: land trips, destinations and resorts.”
The cruise lines are in the same position as travel agents because of the difficulty of educating consumers about the differentiation between various cruise products.
“A big challenge for us is to ensure we get the cruises into that discussion—included as part of a consumer’s vacation plan,” said Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean’s senior vice president of sales, trade and support services.
“We want to make sure consumers are considering cruises as part of their discussion with vacation planners.”
Strong value—high satisfaction
Agents should always lead with the fact that vacationers who cruise end up more satisfied than their peers who stay on land, according to the cruise execs.
“We get better customer satisfaction rates,” said Ken Muskat, vice president of sales at MSC Cruises USA.
“When customers go land they have a good time, but when they cruise they have a nicer time. We have to grow the cruise industry market.”
Agents are one of the most important reasons why cruisers are so satisfied, the execs said.
Without travel professionals taking care to pair clients with the right cruise, consumers would be less satisfied and less likely to book a cruise again through an agent, they said.
“If you book the wrong person on the wrong cruise, they probably won’t come back [to your agency or our cruise line],” said Muskat. “It is critical that we use your expertise to get the right customer on the right cruise.”
The role of the cruise agent
Agents should prioritize their clients’ buying decisions. By doing so, they increase the satisfaction of the cruiser while improving the chance to net repeat bookings.
“The most important part of your job is to help guide the consumer into making the right buying decision with the right brand,” said Joni Rein, president of worldwide sales for Carnival Cruise Line.
“That’s why our industry depends so much on the travel professional: you do such a great job of articulating what the brand’s personality is and the value proposition.”
In fact, agents are an antidote to the deluge of information available on the internet.
“[All our brands are different] and a consumer who goes on the internet is going to get so much information that they're landed in a place of confusion,” said Rein.
“You are the value interpreter who can match the right product for that vacation. You’re the experts and that’s why the customers come to you.”
What clients need
The proliferation of specialty cruises, along with group and affinity cruises, means that cruise lines now offering a variety of experiences without deviating from their core brand values.
“Remember that the same customer that might be a perfect fit for Royal Caribbean may also be a great fit for celebrity for a different reason,” said Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales and trade support services at Celebrity Cruises.
“You may be celebrating something special and go online for a different reason than you usually cruise,” she said. “Understanding and knowing those customers is just as important as understanding the importance between the different cruise brands.”
Similarly, special occasions may offer the opportunity for those who have never cruised to take the plunge. Agents should determine what’s best for clients who aren’t sure themselves.
“A very important part of getting the new-to-cruise is groups and theme cruises.” said Muskat.
“Any kind of commonality… allows us to bring people onboard and let them learn about the [cruising] experience.”