Stop Selling the Ship: How to Sell Europe Through the Destination, Not the Cruise
Some of the best prospects for a European river cruise may be clients who have never expressed any interest in cruising.
They may be passionate about French food and wine, return to Europe year after year, seek out luxury hotels, love history and culture, or dream about wandering through Christmas markets and charming villages.
For travel advisors, the opportunity is to start with those interests—rather than the ship itself—and position river cruising as an easy, immersive way to experience more of what clients already love about Europe.
How can advisors recognize these overlooked prospects and start a conversation that resonates? We asked experienced travel advisors for their best strategies.
Clients You May Be Overlooking
Jenipher Smith, owner & luxury travel advisor, Fulfilling Dreams Travel, says she looks for clients who consistently gravitate toward European destinations, particularly those who want to see multiple cities or countries in one trip. Someone who has booked several European vacations with multiple hotels, trains, private transfers, and tours is an indication. They may not think of themselves as a “cruise client,” but they are already paying for the exact components that river cruising can bring together in a much more seamless way.
“I also pay close attention to clients who spend on experiences rather than simply accommodations,” she continues. “Clients who seek out great restaurants, wine experiences, cultural attractions, museums, historical sites, private guides, and smaller towns are often excellent river cruise candidates.
“Another overlooked group is the luxury land traveler. There is sometimes a perception that river cruising is a compromise compared with a luxury European land vacation. In reality, the right river cruise can eliminate many of the less glamorous parts of European travel: packing and unpacking, navigating train stations, arranging transfers between cities, checking in and out of hotels, and figuring out how to get from the larger cities to the smaller destinations clients actually want to experience.”
Smith also looks at travel fatigue. If she has a client who loves Europe but is beginning to say things like, “We don’t want to move hotels every two nights anymore,” or “We want to see more, but we don’t want to do all the logistics ourselves,” she immediately starts thinking about river cruising.
And lastly, don’t overlook repeat European travelers. Someone who has already done Paris, London, Rome, or Barcelona may be ready for a completely different European experience. “River cruising gives us the opportunity to introduce them to destinations they might never build an itinerary around independently,” notes Smith.
Sell to the Next Generation
Another travel segment that is often passed over as candidates for river cruising are Millennials.
“I really feel that travelers younger than their 50s and 60s are often overlooked as potential river cruisers. I have clients in their 30s and 40s who have shown a lot of interest in river cruising and are willing to pay for a high-quality European river cruise or even a river cruise in the United States,” says Carla Brecke, luxury travel advisor, Cheers & Sunshine Travel Company, Travel Planners International.
“Some of these clients have never been to Europe and feel that a river cruise would be a great way to experience it for the first time. They like the idea of visiting several destinations while only having to unpack once and not worrying about transportation between cities. Others have traveled to Europe before but are looking for a different, more relaxed way to experience it.
“I think some of the biggest clues are clients who value convenience and quality, enjoy good food and wine, are interested in history and culture, and are willing to spend more for a better overall travel experience.”
If They Aren’t ‘Cruise People’
Many travel advisors have clients who adamantly say they aren’t “cruise people.” But when further explored, that statement can pave the way to a whole new category of travel experiences for them.
Brecke explains her approach: “I find that most people who say they are not ‘cruise people’ are really talking about ocean cruises and don’t fully understand how different river cruising can be. That opens the door to a great conversation.
“Instead of trying to sell them on a cruise, I start with what I already know they enjoy. If they love France, European history, food and wine, Christmas markets, or exploring smaller towns, I can explain how a river cruise allows them to experience those things in a very convenient and immersive way. You can visit smaller towns and cities that you might otherwise never see, enjoy excursions centered around history, food, wine, and local culture.
“I also explain some of the major differences between river and ocean cruising, such as the much smaller number of passengers, smaller ships, more personalized service and attention to detail, included excursions, and the ability to dock right in or near the towns you are visiting.
“Once people understand those differences, the conversation becomes less about convincing them to take a ‘cruise’ and more about showing them that river cruising may actually fit the way they already like to travel.”
Converting Independent Land & Luxury Travelers
Clients who enjoy independent land travel and luxury hotels, particularly in Europe, are often excellent prospects for river cruising.
Smith talks about what she looks for in clients in order to make a good fit: “What tipped me off was that they were already traveling (or expressed the desire to) in a very ‘river cruise-like’ way on land. They wanted beautiful accommodations, excellent food and wine, history, culture, smaller European towns and a high level of service. But they were also looking at spending an enormous amount of time and money moving themselves from place to place.
“Rather than saying, ‘You should try a river cruise,’ I walked them through what their ideal European trip would actually look like. We talked about the cities they wanted to see, the experiences they wanted to have, the food and wine they wanted to enjoy, and how much time they wanted to spend packing, unpacking and transferring between hotels. Then I showed them the difference between doing that independently and having the hotel essentially travel with them. That was the lightbulb moment.”
Sell the Destination First
Let’s dig deeper into the winning strategy of selling the destination first and letting river cruising become the solution, rather than leading with the river cruise brand or ship itself.
For example, Smith describes: “I want to know where the client wants to go and, more importantly, why they want to go there. If a client says, ‘I want to see France,’ I don’t immediately respond with a particular cruise itinerary. I ask what France means to them. Is it Paris? Normandy? Impressionist history? Wine? Food? Castles? Provence? The French countryside? History?
“If they say, ‘We want to see the Rhine,’ I want to know whether they’re interested in castles, Christmas markets, wine, history, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, or some combination of those things. Once I understand the emotional reason behind the destination, I can introduce the best way to experience it.
“I also think it is important to remember that the river itself is not always the destination. The river is the connective tissue. The Rhine, Danube, Rhône, or Seine allows you to move through a region while experiencing the destinations, culture, food, history, and people along the way. That is a very different sales conversation than, ‘Let me tell you about this beautiful ship.’
Actions to Take Within Your Existing Client Base
Our river cruise experts suggested several tips for other travel advisors to find new river cruise prospects within their existing client base.
First, go back through your database and stop looking for the word “cruise.” Mine your existing relationships before you go looking for entirely new clients. Your database already contains the hints.
Second, look at the destinations. Look at the hotel bookings. Look at the European vacations you’ve planned. Look at the clients who have taken multiple trips to Europe. Look at the people who have booked wine-focused vacations, Christmas market trips, culinary experiences, escorted tours, multi-city European itineraries, and luxury hotel stays or even small-ship ocean voyages. Then look at the clients who have started asking for easier travel.
Next, do not be afraid to introduce a client to a travel style they have not specifically requested. “That’s part of our value as travel professionals,” says Smith. “Clients don’t always know what they don’t know. Some of my best sales have come from listening carefully enough to realize that what a client asked for wasn’t necessarily what they actually needed. Sometimes they ask for a European land itinerary because they don’t know there is another way to experience Europe that may suit them even better. That’s where being an advisor, not simply a booking agent, really matters.”
Finally, experience river cruising for yourself. That hands-on experience is key. Then reach out and share your experiences with clients. Tell them about the destinations, the ship, the food and service, the excursions, and the overall experience. Share your pictures and videos.
“I have found that a personal conversation and genuine enthusiasm about something you have actually experienced can be much more effective than sending them a brochure or marketing material,” suggests Brecke.
Hiding in Plain Sight
The opportunities for travel advisors may already be hiding in plain sight. By looking beyond which clients have cruised before—and focusing instead on how they like to experience Europe—travel advisors can uncover an entirely new pool of river cruise prospects. Start with the destination, listen for the interests and experiences that matter most, and let river cruising become the answer.
FROM THE SPONSOR:
Riverside Luxury Cruises offers a new standard of luxury river cruising in Europe, combining spacious suites, personalized service, exceptional cuisine, and immersive destination experiences aboard an intimate fleet of all-suite ships. Sailing the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Rhône, and Saône rivers, Riverside delivers a highly personalized experience with butler service in every suite, premium wines and spirits, 24-hour room service, included excursions, gratuities, transfers, Wi-Fi and more.
Travel advisors are at the heart of Riverside’s business, and we offer a growing collection of resources designed to make learning about and selling the brand easier. Advisors can become certified Riverside Luxury Cruises Specialists through our complimentary online education program, which covers our ships, suites, culinary program, destinations, and selling strategies. We also provide customizable marketing tools and destination content through Approach Guides, social media resources through Rallio, advisor toolkits, FAM and travel advisor rates, and dedicated sales support.
Advisors can learn more at our Travel Advisor Portal and explore our complimentary Riverside Specialist training program.
