A business consultant once told me, “Forget about client satisfaction. You need to aim for client ecstasy and if you get that right, you have a client for life.” Apply that to finding the right cruise for your sea-going clients, and it becomes obvious that the matchmaking process is vital to a perfect cruise partnering.
I have taken many cruises in my time, and enjoyed them all, but it wasn’t until I sailed on a small expedition ship in the Mediterranean that I found the perfect fit. Our tour leader was an Oxford professor who was the foremost expert on clay pots in the world. His commentary as we clambered through Greek ruins and obscure museums was always clever and often amusing. It was the ideal cruise for a nerdy art lover. Clearly it would not be a cruise for everyone, but this was tailor made for me. I think about that cruise often.
So, how do you make that happen for your cruise clients? According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), there are upwards of 320 cruise ships sailing today. Those numbers suggest that there is a cruise for everyone, from the lounge chair lover to the adventure junkie. However, when the choices are so numerous, it can be difficult to isolate the perfect cruise experience for a client. Here’s insight from cruise savvy travel advisors on how to best determine what your client wants and how to find the cruise ship that would be the best match.
Asking The Right Questions
First and foremost, according to ASTA travel advisors and experienced cruise specialists, is the client interview. The most frequent advice each advisor gave? “Ask questions, get to intimately know the client and then use your cruise experience to make the best match.”
Christina Schlegel at Bluetail Travel has fine-tuned her cruise booking interviews. “Matching clients to the right cruise line and sailing are the prime determining factors of whether they will love their cruise and come back for more, or the opposite” she has found. “I match my clients by talking to them about what they like to do outside of work, how they prefer to relax, what inspires them, and finding out which details and amenities are important to them. It's all about getting to know your clients. Other factors come into play, too: age, working or retired, traveling with kids or not, budget, previous travel experiences, and so on.”
Often nailing the cruise personality of your client comes down to asking leading questions. Schlegel uses these questions of her clients: “In our consultation, I'll ask them questions like, "what would a perfect day at sea look like for you?" This gives so much insight! Do they want to have breakfast in a beautiful suite stateroom to start the day, or hit the gym, go to an onboard lecture, enjoy unstructured quiet time, for example? It's also key to find out what they are expecting from days in port: are they "always on the go" types, are they looking for unique experiences like a food tour or a helicopter tour, or do they just want to do some independent exploring before heading back to enjoy time by the ship's pool? A client will be wowed by a cruise line that feels like it was tailor made for their particular travel style and interests.”
Lorrie Ortega, Cruise Planners, follows a similar process. “Matching my clients to the perfect cruise involves a careful assessment of their preferences, interests, and budget. I begin by conducting a detailed consultation to understand their desired destinations, travel dates, preferred onboard amenities, activity level, and any specific accommodations or dietary requirements.”
Carmen Palogruto, Cruise Planners, agrees. Her first move is a deep dive into the experiences and preferences of her clients. “I talk to them. I ask about what they like to do when not on a vacation to see how those interests may cross over to what they expect to do while cruising (are they foodies, enjoy drinks by the pool, like history, just want to relax, want to make memories with family etc). Then I ask more questions. I always emphasize value vs price so they understand the product they will be sailing on, the benefits they expect to experience as well as the type of other travels they can expect to be around.”
Sonia Bhagwan, Dreaming of Sun, Dream Vacations, follows the same path. “During our initial new client consultation, we discuss all things relevant to their trip, including realistic and stretch budgets. We also discuss prior travel experience and what they liked/disliked about past vacations. We discuss pros and cons of cabin types, port destinations and available excursions at the ports. This gives me a good idea of what they are looking for in their ideal cruise experience.”
Best Cruise Matches by Category:
The following are the most recommended ASTA partner cruise lines by category from travel advisors who regularly book clients on cruises. While there are crossovers, exceptions, and particular situations that a generalized categorization won’t always address, it can narrow down selection and help increase the certainty of making the best choice for the client.
The Ultra Luxury Traveler
-Scenic Eclipse
-Silversea's Silver Nova
-Regent Seven Seas' Grandeur
The Luxury Traveler
-The "ship within a ship" Yacht Club on MSC
-Seabourn Odyssey for European Cruises, or Seaborn Pursuit for expedition type cruises,
-Viking Star for European Ocean Adventures,
-Seabourn Encore, Venture
-Silversea's Silver Dawn
-Regent Seven Seas Splendour
The Active Adventure Seeker
-Royal Caribbean has a wide array of onboard activities as well as opportunities for physical adventure on their private island, CocoCay.
-AmaWaterways, especially the AmaMagna ship which now features a pickleball court
-Silversea
-Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas
-Viking
-Celebrity Cruises’ Flora
The Gourmet traveler
-Windstar’s Star Breeze is a good bet for gourmet cruisers. Sarah Scotlock, Director of Public Relations for Windstar Cruises, explains, “ As the official cruise line of the James Beard Foundation, guests know they dine well on the ship.”
-Amawaterways
-Cunard
-Seabourn
-Viking, Ocean or River
-Regent Seven Seas "Grandeur"
-Silversea's Silver Cloud or Silver Wind
-Scenic Eclipse, currently with Michelin Star recognized and Top Chef Mexico finalist Chef Gabriel “Gabi” Rodriquez on board
The Academic
-Cunard cruise line - Queen Mary 2, Queen Anne
-Seabourn -” impeccable itineraries for those who want to learn at sea - from wine classes, history classes, dance classes and even archery on board!”
-Ama Waterways for themed river cruises for Wine or Jewish Heritage
-Viking cruises,
-Silverseas, "Silver Muse"
Eco friendly:
-Celebrity Flora - “Celebrity does an excellent job in the Galapagos balancing experience and ecological responsible cruising.”
-Seabourn's smaller vessels
-Scenic Eclipse
The Sedate cruiser
-Silversea
-Tauck
-Amawaterways
-If it’s an older cruiser, Cunard or Seabourn
-Celebrity Cruises or Silversea in the Galapagos
-Viking Saturn, Venus
The Party Loving Cruiser
-Royal Caribbean
-Carnival’s Miracle and Jubilee
-Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas
The Budget Cruiser
-Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, Independence of the Seas
-Carnival Cruises - Sunshine, Liberty, Celebration, Paradise
-MSC's World Europa
-Carnival or Royal Caribbean for a younger family
-Celebrity for cruisers who are retired and have never cruised
For a client new to cruising, Marie Russell, Confetti Travel Service, offers these tips: “I usually recommend a shorter 3-5 day cruise to see if it’s the kind of travel that they would like. I make sure that they have a balcony room, restaurant reservations that fit their needs, and recommend excursions off the ship that they would enjoy.”
Christina Schlegel, Bluetail Travel adds, “I would say in general, though, that an expeditionary cruise is not the ideal first-timers cruise, nor a transatlantic cruise, or any cruise that has greater potential for rocky waters or blustery weather conditions due to the season or body of water. For U.S. residents, a Caribbean cruise would be a great first cruise, as you'll have a balance of port and sea days, and it's easy to get to your embarkation port.”
Kristin Karst, Co-founder and Executive VP, Ama Waterways, adds this information about the inclusiveness of their river cruise ships: “A skilled and successful travel advisor knows the importance of listening and asking the right questions to identify their clients’ interests and dreams before proposing the best suited vacation options. Are they foodies? Wine connoisseurs? History buffs? Musical enthusiasts? Are they looking to relax or stay active? With a choice of up to seven excursions included each day, hiking and biking tours, wine tastings, an onboard Wellness Program and award-winning cuisine, an AmaWaterways river cruise offers guests, whether traveling as a couple, a solo or as part of a group, the freedom to personalize their vacation experience.”
Laurel Brunvoll, Laurel Trips, cautions against being too narrow in considering these categorizations while underlining the need to know your client’s cruise personality. “For example, there might be a luxury traveler who normally sails on Silversea, but then wants to do a cruise with their grandchildren. They might opt for a Royal Suite on Royal Caribbean.”
The bottom line? Cruise specialists advise an in-depth and personal interview with potential cruise clients to pinpoint their cruise personality, and a broad up-to-date knowledge of the available options.
Know your client and know your ships! Client ecstasy will follow.
(Recommendations and advice contributed by ASTA Travel Advisors Lorrie Ortega, Marie Russell, Christopher Caulfield, Carmen Palogruto, Tracy Whipple, Christina Schlegel, Sue Ellen Knebel, Laurel Brunvoll and Sonia Bhagwan)
