Teri West
I had a busy week in Fort Lauderdale this month, as did the 1,200-plus travel advisors, executives and supplier reps who attended Northstar Travel Group's annual CruiseWorld.
It was a packed three days, where cruise executives took the stage to talk about their companies' plans, advisor best-practices and the future of the travel business.
Now that we've had a week to re-acclimate to life outside of the Broward County Convention Center, I've been reflecting on the recurring themes I heard about the relationship between cruise lines and advisors.
One common message from top executives: There's no us without you.
It was a note of appreciation for advisors, but it was also a request for continued partnership.
The industry continues to grow with new ships every year, and with the majority of cruise bookings coming in through trade partners, cruise lines rely on advisors just as much as advisors rely on cruise lines. Sometimes, the leaders paired the message with a reminder of the commissions they offer.
A second refrain: cruise lines want to be a resource and partner for sellers. I heard representatives constantly remind the audience that they are there to offer support, whether it be brand education, sales needs, group contracts or anything in between.
They urged the advisors in the room to get directly connected with them -- particularly through a business development manager.
Carnival Cruise Line revealed a deal for advisors to experience its product and equip themselves to sell it: a $599 fam trip to its newest and largest private destination, Celebration Key.
The final recurring theme I'll leave you with is that cruise executives want advisors to become experts on their products.
Don't spread yourself too thin, they said. Instead, choose specific brands and go deep: Build knowledge and strong relationships.
Focus on just a couple cruise lines to start, said Liz Fettes, Cunard's vice president of commercial for North America, and consider choosing lines that offer guests different experiences.
The way Azamara Cruises CEO Dondra Ritzenthaler phrased the strategy is to "get focused."
"Become an expert in those brands that you work with," she said. "Know what their competitive advantage is, and know what your competitive advantage is."