Carnival Corporation’s six UK brands awarded their Shining Star Award to Bolsover Cruise Club’s Helen Moore at this year’s UK Cruise Awards. She shares the secrets of her success with Charlotte Cullinan

It’s not even 11am on a Thursday morning, and already three bouquets of flowers have been delivered from grateful customers to thank Bolsover Cruise Club’s sales team. Sales manager Helen Moore explains: “That’s not unusual here! We treat every enquiry, however big or small, with the same standard of six-star service, and clients really value that.”

While Moore now oversees a team of 72, she joined Bolsover as a sales consultant in 1996 and still has a drawer of thank you cards and postcards from customers. “It’s full to the brim, and I’ll never get rid of them. I absolutely love the thrill of getting a sale.”

Her dedication to selling cruises was highlighted in January when she won the Shining Star Award at the UK Cruise Awards. The accolade was voted for by Carnival Corporation’s six UK operators, and Moore works closely with all their account managers.  “I’m so grateful they recognise the hard work I put in, I feel very proud.”

On the same evening Bolsover also picked up the Outstanding Contribution Award from P&O Cruises, making it the 30th year the business has won the line’s top agent award. ”It’s such an honour to be recognised again. Our business is significantly ex-UK and a large percentage of bookings continue to be with P&O Cruises. We were one of the first to sell them, and they remain one of our great success stories.”

The business’ double win was promoted on social media with a video charting the history of Bolsover’s relationship with P&O Cruises, which resulted in several new bookings.

All enquiries are handled by Moore’s team, with the majority based in the head office in Barlborough, which has the call centre and the customer-facing Cruise Bureau. A team of 12 work from the Cruise Holiday Shop in Sheffield’s Meadowhall Shopping Centre.
Ensuring she is approachable and available for staff is a key tenet of Moore’s managerial style, and her desk is positioned in the middle of the call centre. “I have a fantastic team, and I know each person, their needs and requirements well. They know I am always here to talk to.”

The team book around 70,000 passengers a year, and Moore is proud of the “enormous” volume of repeat customers, citing one couple who have spent £1.5m booking annual Cunard world cruises for the past 15 years.  All clients receive the agency’s One2One service, speaking to the same consultant from their initial enquiry through to their welcome home call. “We can build a rapport, and customers don’t have to go round the houses to find answers to their questions. It’s valued by customers and is great for staff.”

Prior to becoming sales manager five years ago Moore was in charge of the agency’s training, and she still runs training and coaching for her team. She regularly sends consultants on ship visits and educationals. Between them the Bolsover team have spent 10,000 nights at sea. “It’s incredibly important as it’s the best way to get a feel for the ship and see what sets it apart. No amount of training has the ability to get a sales consultant as passionate about a product as seeing it for themselves.”

Moore struggles to pick just one favourite ship, explaining: “I love [P&O Cruises’] Azura. It’s very British, and the children’s facilities are fantastic. [Royal Caribbean’s] Anthem has the wow factor, and it’s great for older children.”

Moore regularly cruises for her own holidays, spending a week on Britannia with P&O Cruises last year, and her 15-year-old daughter Georgia is a fellow cruise addict. “From a young age I couldn’t get her out of the kids’ clubs. She’s grown up with cruising, and really loves it.”