Four Tips For Selling Small-Ship Cruises

This is the second of two stories on small-ship cruising

Small-ship cruising can be a tough area for travel agents to break into, according to small-ship cruise line executives.

Unlike their experience with more traditional cruises, it can be difficult for agents to get onboard and gain firsthand knowledge of a particular line or vessel.

“When it comes to small-ship ocean cruising, fams are more difficult because the inventory is very limited; we sell out our inventory every year,” said Katherine Bonner, Tauck’s vice president of river and small-ship cruising.

Here are four tips from sales executives for breaking into the niche and getting the right cruiser on the right vessel.
 
Focus on the solid value of small-ship cruises
While cruise fares may be higher than what some clients are used to, small-ship cruising tends to provide a strong all-inclusive value to cruisers.

“Clients really are so well aware of an all-inclusive product and the tremendous value it gives,” said  Kristin Day, director of travel agent sales at International Expeditions.

“I don’t know if the idea of a floating hotel is so attractive to them; they’re looking for a small intimate group experience because they want the interaction.”

Hurtigruten, which sells 70% of its cruises through agents, is interested in working with high-end travel agencies, especially those with experience in escorted tours.

Agents who already have luxury clients, or those willing to spend on a more tailored experience, should try pitching them on an intimate small-ship itinerary instead of an escorted tour.

“If you look at the agencies that have a lot of escorted customers, they sell a lot of Norway for us,” said Gordon Dirker, managing director of the line. “We tend to work with higher-end agencies.”

Pre- and post-tours are smart pitches
There’s also a great opportunity for agents to tack on pre- and post-trip tours to small-ship cruises. These help clients capitalize on their time spent abroad.

“We have seen a growth in customized trips and sometimes it’s a return trip to somewhere they’ve been, but it’s a completely different itinerary this time,” said Day. “The more trendy thing, though, is a custom pre- or post-trip extension.”

By offering an extension, agents can ensure that less experienced clients still have the ability to enjoy a more traditional tour in their destination of choice.

Understand who goes on small-ship cruises
Hurtigruten’s Dirker shared the company’s 2014-2016 customer segmentation, which details the main four subsets of Hurtigruten cruisers:

? Nature observers are motivated by their interest in nature and wildlife. They enjoy experiencing nature, however, in a more relaxed environment.

? Culture seekers are motivated by learning about the history, society and culture of an exotic destination. They want to experience the heritage of a location and return home feeling enriched by their knowledge.

? Activity engagers are looking to embark on exciting activities that range from easy to medium in activity level.

? Expedition heroes are interested in more extreme and physically challenging activities. This is why they choose exotic small-ship cruises but they’re not interested in high-risk activities.

Qualify the right clients
Executives said agents should consider starting less experienced clients off with a more traditional small-ship cruise then pitching something more expeditionary.

“Look at what travel your client has done and if you want to introduce them [to small-ship cruising], start with the softer expeditions to places like Cambodia, Vietnam and Scotland,” said Jacinta McEvoy, vice president of travel agent sales at Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic.

“Europe will be a really great introduction for clients into the world of small-ship expedition cruising, because it’s not your hardcore expedition-style travel.”

Also play up the personal service guests receive onboard the vessel. They may be unfamiliar with the amenities available onboard, including dining and educational offerings.

Many lines will even personalize excursions or port calls depending on guests’ interests.

“Cruisers want a lot of personalized attention; we hear this from our guides,” said Day. “If the group has a specific interest the guide can actually service what the guests want because a small group makes you really flexible and agile.”

Related story:
Small-Ship Cruising: Different and In Demand