Cruise Sales: How to Thrive When Consumers Are Wary

Editor’s note: When a new Harris poll showed consumer confidence in cruise lines going downhill, Travel Market Report asked a PR pro how cruise-selling agents can counter the decline. Here’s her advice.

Let’s face it, this hasn’t been the best year for the cruise industry. A few well-publicized incidents and an overzealous media have taken their toll. This has the potential to impact the profits of cruise-selling travel agent through the end of the year.

Allison Schroeder

To avoid feeling the pinch, travel agents need to boost the image of cruising in the minds of customers while reinforcing their own expertise.

Here are a few strategies that will help.

1) Accentuate value.
There’s no time like the present to plan a cruise. We’re just coming out of a recession, and with the threat of low occupancy rates due to wavering consumer confidence, there’s some aggressive pricing out there. Now is a great time to pick up a deal on a cruise.

2) Trust your testimonials.
Prospective customers can be skeptical – and rightfully so. So let your past clients do the talking by sharing their testimonials on cruises you’ve sold them. Even better – match the testimonial to the prospective customer in terms of age, lifestyle and reason for traveling. A third party endorsement of your services and the cruise experience will boost confidence in you.

Note: If you’re not currently conducting post-vacation surveys with your clients, start doing so. Not only can you use any rave reviews you receive as testimonials, the responses will help you tailor your future trip recommendations for clients.

3)    Make realistic recommendations.
Be sympathetic to the client’s concerns. If your client is new to cruising, or intimidated by the idea of multiple days at sea or exotic ports of call, suggest a shorter itinerary. Selling a larger-ticket vacation might mean more money in your pocket, but your newbie client will thank you for a great time on a vacation that suited their needs.

4)  Emphasize the added benefits.
Everyone loves feeling they’re getting the most for their money. So help your clients to feel they’re taking advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that’s loaded with extras they wouldn’t normally receive.

Highlight the value of extras such as on-board credits and air specials offered by many cruise lines today. Do the same for any special add-ons, such as restaurant upgrades or spa visits, available through your consortium’s preferred supplier programs. And consider purchasing a commemorative gift and arranging to have it waiting for your clients in their stateroom.

5) Get personal.
Talk about your own experiences – how many cruises you’ve been on, what you liked best and whether you’ve ever experienced a safety problem on any of your cruises. Uneasy travelers will be reassured to know that you entrust your own family’s vacation to X, Y or Z cruise line.

6) Talk about safety.
Reassure customers that, if anything, cruise lines are likely to be safer than ever. With recent mishaps and a boatload of bad publicity, they’re doing everything to clean up their image. This includes checking their equipment and reviewing safety procedures.

It’s important to convey that the benefits of a cruise outweigh any possible risk. Let the numbers speak for themselves. The number of major cruise incidents in comparison to the number of people who cruise every year is extremely low. Your confidence will be contagious.

I expect the multibillion-dollar cruise industry will bounce back fairly quickly, provided there are no more reminders of recent well-publicized incidents. Thanks to a fast news cycle, people are quick to forget.

So stay focused on the positive and the sales will follow.

Allison Schroeder is word-of-mouth marketing manager at Sunrise Advertising in Cincinnati.