TTAND Advisor Says Air Canada’s Above & Beyond Efforts Saved Her 90-Person Group Cruise

It’s not often you see stories featuring travel advisors singing the praises of an airline. And if you’ve ever met The Travel Agent Next Door advisor Bonnie Fowler, you might not expect it would be her doing the singing.

But here we are.

In early February, Fowler was in a flurry of preparations to host a third-annual group cruise under her ‘You Do You Travel’ brand. About 90 of Fowler’s clients from across Canada had to get to New Orleans to board Norwegian Escape for a two-week journey through the Caribbean.

Mother Nature decided not to make it easy. On the day most people were flying – the majority on Air Canada — one of the biggest winter storms on record, accompanied by sub-zero temperatures as far south as Florida – impacted much of Norther America.

“There were problems at airports across the U.S. and Canada,” Fowler told Travel Market Report Canada. “Flights were cancelled, redirected – people were travelling here, there and everywhere trying to get to New Orleans. I thought my cruise was sunk.”

Despite her group following Fowler’s advice to leave a day or two early to ensure they made it to the ship on time, the situation looked bleak.

“I will never forget how we all got here. With the issues at so many airports, 90% of my guest’s flights were redirected, and some were redirected from their redirection. Air Canada has zero control over the weather. But their team found solutions, sourced new options put guests in hotel rooms overnight and managed to finally get everyone on their way.”

Some arrived without luggage, just happy to have made it. But when Norwegian Escape sailed away from New Orleans, every single member of Fowler’s group was onboard – and even the last bags arrived in time to be loaded on to the ship.

“You don’t see many feel-good stories about airlines. And I’m the first person to stand up when something goes wrong to defend my clients. My group cruise was a success only because of Air Canada and the Norwegian Cruise Line Air department. Much love to the Air Canada Team and Gigi from Norwegian Air,” Fowler said. 

As a TTAND member, Fowler had access to a direct line to AC, because the host agency is a member of the airline’s top-selling Circle of Excellence.

“Our entire group raised a glass to Air Canada on the first night of the cruise. And the two weeks were spent together were phenomenal. Norwegian Escape is a great ship and the crew was fantastic,” Fowler said.

In business as a travel advisor for just three years, Fowler has found significant success selling what she loves – cruising and the island of Jamaica, which she views as her second home.

She was recently honoured as one of the five top-selling advisors from North America by the Jamaica Cruising Regal Rewards program, an incentive initiative designed for travel advisors to boost cruise bookings to Jamaica.

Participants earn points for booking, which can lead to prizes, surprises, and free stays at top Jamaican resorts. Fowler will be travelling to the island for the umpteenth time later this year, in recognition of her achievement.