Ming with Cindy Chau & Justin French.
Cindy addressing the group as agents enjoyed drinks & appies.
Flight Centre agents Saneeta Boparan, April Caldwell & Tiffany Turchak had a nice chat with Cindy.
Caterina Armeni & Tracy Collinge of Travel Best Bets enjoying the event.
Carnival Cruise Lines hosted about 30 agents at an intimate lounge in Burnaby last week. Part of a 4 city whirlwind tour in 48 hr., the main purpose of the gathering was for Vancouver-based Business Development Manager Cindy Chau and Managing Director Justin French from Toronto to show appreciation to their travel partners.
The small lounge was the perfect venue for casual conversations and allowed Cindy and Justin to pay individual attention to everyone. As attendees munched on appies and sipped on cocktails, a short video was shown featuring the upcoming Carnival Vista, followed by a product update slide show, highlighting Carnival's key onboard product features.
Carnival was the 1st cruise line to offer affordable cruising to the vacationing public, attracting young 1st time cruisers - including yours truly. However, the image of party ships and entry-level quality became a stigma which lasted through the decades.
Carnival has worked hard to revamp its image and has emerged with toned-down decor, serenity retreats, upscale suites and longer itineraries. If you have not been on a Carnival cruise for a while, now is the time to return and see the difference.
In learning about the 110% vacation guarantee and family-friendly accommodations, Caterina Armeni of Travel Best Bets tells me she would absolutely offer Carnival to new cruisers and anyone looking for a great family vacation. Donella Chong of Uniglobe One, who has multi-generational clients, welcomes the added berths of Carnival's staterooms and suites, making them affordable for families with children.
The 3 young agents I met from Flight Centre all exuded positivity about selling Carnival and felt like VIPs to be included in such a small gathering. They also appreciated the ability to speak to Cindy and Justin personally. One of them will be going on a Carnival cruise shortly and she is looking forward to introducing her boyfriend to cruising. That took me back to my 1st Carnival cruise as a young impressionable traveller, I remember being wowed by it all.
Carnival's mission has always been to convert landlubbers to cruisers. With their new hardware, comprehensive onboard product and focused partnerships with travel agents, I have no doubt more will come their way.
Ming Tappin is a cruise veteran with over 20 years’ experience in the industry and has sailed on 37 cruises and counting. Based in Vancouver, Ming is Owner of www.yourcruisecoach.com.
