How can agents maximise their time on ship visits?
In this new recurring feature, Cruise Trade News invites readers to pose a question to our expert panel, who share some valuable career advice in return. First up, Kirsty Van Wyk, KVW Luxury Travel, wants to know how agents can best prepare for a ship visit and what questions will glean the most valuable insights for her clients
As the green shoots of summer start to appear, for travel agents the clement weather signals the start of ship visit season. Indeed, with most cruise lines positioning their ships in ports across the UK for the peak sailing period, it’s an opportunity for the trade to experience a brand‑new product or reacquaint themselves with an old favourite.
Being able to step onboard a ship to kick the tyres and slam the doors provides vital insight into what life is like onboard, whether it’s understanding the differences between an ocean view or balcony stateroom or discovering which bar serves the best sundowners.
However, the opportunity to experience ships first‑hand only come around every so often, which leads Kirsty Van Wyk of KVW Luxury Travel (part of The Holiday Village Group) to ask: “How can agents make the most of their time onboard?”.
For Van Wyk, ship visits are a great way to showcase your training and credentials to potential clients, saying it gives confidence to customers that you’re not just talking the talk.
“You’ve actually walked on that ship and know how it operates and how it feels,” she says. Van Wyk says is selective about which ship visits she chooses to attend to ensure she doesn’t waste her’s or the line’s time, revealing that she’ll only accept an invitation if it’s a brand she’s previously placed a client with or if the line represents a part of her business she’s looking to grow.
She also supports the move from certain cruise lines to ask agents to take part in their online training before accepting them onto a ship visit programme. “There’s no point in visiting a ship for the sake of it,” Van Wyk adds.
“The whole point is so you have the knowledge when an enquiry comes in so you can talk about the cruise line with confidence. You can tell a client that the restaurant is lovely because it’s split level or it’s got floor-to-ceiling windows, and in this particular part of the ship you can get amazing sushi.”
Another way cruise lines are ensuring they get the best return on investment from their ship visit programmes is by inviting agents to bring prospective clients onboard with them, something Van Wyk has profited from in the past.
“I got invited onto Oceania Marina in Tilbury last June and I was able to bring some of my clients with me. I got a £35k booking off the back of it. For the cost of having a few extra people onboard, it was a no‑brainer.”
The importance of gaining first-hand experience of a ship is clear to see. So, what can agents do to ensure they step ashore with as much helpful information as possible?
Trade partners who come prepared with detailed questions about the ship, our wider product and our itineraries often get the most out of a visit
Sabrina Piscioneri, sales, training & event executive at Viking UK, recommends paying attention to the little details that separate one line from another, which can help agents showcase their expertise to potential clients.
“I think it is important while touring a group to be regularly pointing to areas of the ship which set us apart within the market,” Piscioneri explains. “Trade partners really value these small soundbite details they can take away and use with their clients, which will display an in-depth knowledge of the product within the wider market.”
Piscioneri also advises agents, where possible, to make the most of any free time onboard to return to areas that piqued their interest and take photos so they can refresh their memories once they’re back at their desk.
Perhaps even more crucial than that, however, is doing research beforehand and coming armed with questions for the line’s trade-facing team.
“I find that trade partners who come prepared with detailed questions about the ship, our wider product and our itineraries often get the most out of a visit,” Piscioneri explains.
“I’m able to answer a whole range of questions in person that they may have stored up and these questions often inform or spark ideas with other trade partners too.”
Independent travel agent Rachel Coquard recently attended InteleTravel’s inaugural River Cruise Conference, onboard Riviera Travel’s Emily Brontë, a three-day event that included a ship tour, several hosted dinners and a morning excursion in Cologne.
Whether the cruise line caters for allergies and dietary requirements is a really hot topic right now, and I always make sure to ask about accessibility
Coquard says attending the conference represented a clear return on investment. “I have lots of experience selling ocean cruises and having recently made my first river cruise booking, there’s only one way to learn more about it and that’s by experiencing it myself,” she says.
“That way I can sell future river cruises with more conviction.” Coquard agrees with Piscioneri, advising agents to come to a ship visit with questions tailored to their clients’ concerns and interests.
“Ask about the different types of cabins, where they’re located and what side of the ship has the best views on a particular sailing,” she says.
“Whether the cruise line caters for allergies and dietary requirements is a really hot topic right now, and I always make sure to ask about accessibility. Lastly, get a ship map so you can refer to it once you’re home.”
Lisa Williams, an independent agent who was also in attendance at InteleTravel’s River Cruise Conference, says ship visits are especially important when it comes to discerning which river cruise lines are best for particular clients.
Williams says: “AmaWaterways offers wonderful fine dining so that suits the older generation, while TUI is all-inclusive and adults-only, so there’s a fun vibe onboard. A-Rosa River Cruises is pitching itself toward families at the moment so that’s where I’d place clients with children. Then you have Scenic and Emerald which have a great spa offering.”
Her advice for agents is to experience as much of the ship as you can, from the variety of restaurants to the spa. “I took a massage and asked someone to video it so my clients can see what it’s like,” Williams explains.
