Our wonderful host Samantha Jervis conducting our ship
tour.
Understated elegance of the
Seven Seas Navigator decor.
A delicious dessert to end
a delightful lunch - with agents from Uniglobe Travel and Flight Centre.
With Samantha in the
Compass Rose dining room.
A small
group of travel agents recently had the privilege of touring the Seven Seas
Navigator in Vancouver with Samantha Jervis, Regent's Vancouver-based Director
of Sales, Western Canada, our consummate host.
Our tour
included the ship's suites and public areas, all tastefully decorated with
understated elegance. Luxury ships are generally more soft-spoken than their
mass market siblings. Agents often express surprise at the lack of fanciful
details - but at this level, the focus is not on the wow of the hardware, but
the entire experience itself.
A short
brand presentation followed, the highlight being Regent's new addition in
Summer 2016 - the 750 guest Seven Seas Explorer, touted as the world's most
luxurious ship ever built.
True to
the fact that luxury knows no limit, the top suite on the Explorer - at 3,875
sq. ft. at an average per diem of USD 4,500 - is already waitlisted for the
entire European and Caribbean season save for the transatlantic sailing.
When I
asked a few agents about suggesting a luxury cruise to a client, some said they
feel intimated by the higher price, and others are only willing to go as far as
recommending premium deluxe brands. But when I talked to agents who regularly
sell luxury cruises, they did not have any issues - all it took was the 1st
couple of bookings to overcome the fear.
Donella
Chong of Uniglobe One Travel has a terrific success story that I hope will be
an inspiration to all. A few years ago as she was preparing a quote for one of
her repeat clients, she noticed Regent had a similar itinerary and decided to
offer it. Donella did not expect the client to be interested in Regent as there
was a large difference in price compared to the premium lines, but to her
surprise, the client went for it. Onboard, Regent won the client's heart and
today Donella reaps the reward of her Regent "annuity", who spends
$50-$80K per cruise.
Lesson
learned: make the suggestion! As emphasized by Samantha in her presentation and
in my
previous
column
about selling luxury cruises - do no sell out of your own pocket.
Clients will spend money if there is perceived value, but you must tell them
about it 1st. You might not get a booking every time, but it is worth a try
every time. As you progress, you will become more confident.
And one
day shoot for the 3,875 sq. ft. Regent Suite!
Ming Tappin is a cruise veteran with over 20 years’ experience in the
industry and has sailed on 36 cruises and counting. Based in Vancouver, Ming is
owner of
Your Cruise Coach Consulting.
