Want to Sell River Cruises? Try Your Existing Clientele
by Andrew Sheivachman /For cruise-selling travel agents who are trying to break into the more lucrative world of river cruising, it can be a challenge to find clients willing to spend more on a trip with a longer itinerary.
But river cruise executives say agents need only look as far as their more experienced, ocean cruise clients for river cruising prospects.
The executives addressed agents’ concerns at the recent New York Times Travel Show in New York City. Here are their top takeaways for breaking into the booming river cruise market.
What kinds of clients should river cruise?
“Do you have clients who ocean cruise? Then you have river cruise clients right there. Past ocean cruisers are the perfect client for you, and cross-selling them saves you a lot of money.-- Cindy Sullivan, regional sales manager for Eastern U.S., Globus/Avalon Waterways
“A lot of our clients are well traveled, so they have done cruising in general. But the key to our client is that curiosity and level of engagement because we are a completely experiential product. It’s about the client who wants to reach out, experience and understand a destination.-- Kristin Day, director of travel agent sales, International Expeditions
Educate clients
“If you have done ocean cruises for a client, reach out and educate them about what a river cruise is about because regardless of whether you buy shore excursions, you can explore at your own pace in the heart of everything.”-- Nicola Iannone, director of sales for the U.S., CroisiEurope
Remember: some clients want more than a week
“We’re finding that we as travel agents forget that for many of our clients, a week is not long enough for them. They want two weeks or even 21 days. People are really looking for that authentic experience and unique destination.”-- Susan Shultz, director of sales, American Cruise Lines
Brand your agency
“Make sure your Facebook and website emphasize the fact you sell river cruises. It blows my mind that I have to fight to find that an agent sells river cruise. A river cruiser is usually a seasoned traveler, but [less experienced travelers] are starting to figure out that river cruising is a hassle free way to see the world. So when you get into shorter cruises, you're getting all the age groups.”-- Cindy Sullivan, Globus/Avalon Waterways
Get creative
“We have a ship that only holds 49 people, and we had one family who took over the whole ship. There are those clients out there; you just have to find out who they are. Who’s in your local community? That’s who you need to reach out to.”-- Susan Shultz, American Cruise Lines
Know your client
“What is the client looking for? A cruise experience, or is it all about the destination? River cruising is all about the destination and the intimate, personal experience onboard. Ask them what hotels they’re used to staying at. That can help you determine style and amenities when deciding what river cruise company they should be working with.”-- Cindy Sullivan, Globus/Avalon Waterways
What river cruise destinations are growing?
“For 2015, focus on Asia. The Mekong River is very popular right now. It’s a great opportunity for your clients to experience it. River cruising really gives your clients an opportunity to experience these destinations in a very unique way.”-- Cindy Sullivan, Globus/Avalon Waterways
“We’ve seen the most growth in the Galapagos. The true difference [between ocean and river cruising] is that most of the newcomers to the Amazon are on bigger ships, so they get to do a lot of looking from the deck but you don’t get to experience the land like on a river cruise.”-- Kristin Day, International Expeditions