Become a Home Based Travel Agent

CRUISEWHIZ CRAIG OR THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH ASSUMPTION
BY CRAIG SATTERFIELD, ECC

In reading the many discussions on Travel Professional Community’s website and other travel agent sharing sites, I have discovered something very interesting … and very dangerous.  The idea of stereotyping and making generalizations regarding the reputation of cruise lines and individual ships can be very dangerous to your business health.

Craig, what are you talking about?  We all know that Carnival Cruise Lines is the party ship and underage drinkers take over the vessel for drunken all-nighters and that Holland America is only for old people that sit in their deck chairs with a cup of tea.

These are the types of assumptions that you want to avoid.  I don’t know how many times I have heard that Carnival description from potential first time cruisers. Where do they get this stuff? 

As a travel professional, it is your duty to nip this in the bud and at the same time, keep from falling into this trap yourself.  How can you educate yourself to stand out from the pack and have accurate, current information on what is going on aboard the World’s cruise ships?  It can be a big job but extremely enjoyable too.

Divide your research into two main areas, hardware and software. The hardware is the easiest. This is the area in which the cruise lines excel. They love to show off the hardware -- the biggest, the best, the most, the newest! Watch our video or visit our new 17,000-passenger ship with the 16 alternative dining options, the downhill skiing slope and the bungee cord ride from the top of the funnel.  Take a look at our 12 swimming pools and our new plastic surgery suite for the first facelifts at sea!  Some cruise lines will make you think that these amenities are the only things that are important when selling a cruise, far from it.  These benefits can be important to your guests initially and may get their attention, but this is not all they need…cue the software.

This is where you can shine as a cruise professional.   Carnival did not become the largest cruise line after 35 years by catering to college kids on a bender. They did it by offering an exceptional travel value and created interest in cruising when cruising was considered a stereotype of an old folk’s home.  That means offering service, food, entertainment and activities for seniors, families, singles and honeymoon couples alike.  When I am asked which is better, Carnival or Royal Caribbean I have to admit to my guests that they are more the same than they are different…but the differences are in the software.  These can be blatant or subtle, but they are different.

When Holland America realized that their reputation equaled cruising for seniors, they re-invented themselves offering beautiful, modern ships, teen clubs and activities for all ages while promoting 7 to 10 night itineraries at affordable fares.  Holland continued to provide the excellent traditional service that sets them apart from other lines. I love the fact that uniformed waiters greet you at the dining room, escort guests to their tables and offer after dinner mints or candied ginger as you exit the dining room.  

When I get a chance to do ship inspections, I don’t run around measuring the dimensions of the Grand Suite. I like to sit in the atrium area and watch as the paying guests board the ship.  You can learn a lot from this simple observation. 

Watch how staff members greet their new arrivals and how many of them actually remember returning cruisers.  It is fun to see how they help guests get comfortable with the hardware as they board.  On the Crystal Symphony, I was extremely impressed that the crew actually greeted many returning guests by name, offering to store carry-ons until the cabins were ready. Bags were later delivered to the staterooms while newly boarded cruisers were personally escorted to the dining room for their first meal on board… lunch.

This knowledge of the software makes you the true professional.

You can’t expect to know every software detail on every ship sailing these days, after all just the Carnival Corporation’s lines now have 100 ships in their fleet. What you can do is start with the ships and the cruise lines that are your preferred suppliers and your favorites.  This way you can sell with the passion you feel when you board a ship as a guest on your own personal cruise.  This enthusiasm works its way into your selling and cannot be faked. Your clients know the difference! 

You can then move on to other lines that have your interest.  Your selling skills should be based first on the hardware then quickly on to the software.  Keep out of the danger zone of selling only the hardware or making an assumption or generality of what you think (or what somebody told you) could be the reputation of a ship or a cruise line. Paint a true picture of what you are promoting in the most positive way. 

When interviewing your returning guests from a cruise you will most likely find that they rave about the service, a great waiter here or a friendly bartender there. The software is the important thing.  I have yet to hear a guest come back raving that the ship had more swimming pools then he could swim in. Hardware tries to be important but the personal interaction is what you remember the most about cruising.

Sell the sizzle, not the steak! Place your emphasis on the sizzle, the way you will feel while cruising, then the steak or the hardware. This combined with your listening and qualification skills should make the sale an enjoyable experience for both you and your client.