There have been some interesting offers coming out of a few cruise lines lately, many of which are designed to better compensate the travel agent. Always a good thing in my book – and no doubt in your books too.
I have been a staunch supporter of the retail travel professional going back to my Paramount Holidays tenure in the 80’s and it was then that I started banging the drum about cruising and its benefits, and accordingly, in those days at least, the potential to earn rather high commissions.
MSC Divina Super Family Cabin
So I am still singing that “same old song”, it is a classic, but with up-dated lyrics and a new beat; hopefully we can figure out how to make the tune still resonate.
Many cruise lines are doing their bit that’s for sure. The announcement from MSC Cruises, which I wrote about recently, with the addition of 5% commission on a variety of pre-booked options like dining, spa and so forth, is one example. [They have always paid commission on shorex]. As well as the 25% commission just offered on balconies and higher for the Divina’s sailings from early August to year end.
The fact that a number of the smaller, expedition or destination type cruise brands are including air in their packages and paying a decent commission on the overall price point - including air - is also a positive. And again pre-booked drinks packages and such can be commission earners too.
that is a nice commission kick.
Celebrity just came out with a wonderful promotion for the month of June saying they would pay commission on NCF’s on ALL sailings on Verandahs and above for 2015 sailings. I like to see this – and I believe they are the 1st major cruise company to do this.
What they are doing is quite patently rewarding the agent who will book 2015 clients now. And for Celebrity, if you are booking high end staterooms and suites, that is a nice commission kick.
I have also been hearing that some brands are stepping up to offer like-minded promos to their top producers.
But there are other ways and means of making more money by selling cruises and that is to broaden the spectrum of the brands offered and to “sell down, not up” - a long-standing favourite saying of mine.
That may sound contrary, but I always state that if you offer a low price and the client accepts it you have nowhere to go. If you offer a higher category, a suite or a verandah stateroom, or similar, then you will intrigue your client with the thought of such accommodation and the inherent inclusions. They may not buy at this level but at the very least they now have more knowledge and awareness that those accommodations exist.
If they say no – then you move down to a regular stateroom with a balcony. The commission will be commensurate and will likely be decent. A recent U.S. survey indicated that the affluent in that country are ripe targets for cruising and I agree – and Canada is the same (if not more so). Those 1st timers do not have to book a 7 day Caribbean cruise in the winter – they could easily book a 10 day Med voyage on an all-inclusive brand or in a suite on a premium brand.
The most important thing is to support brands that support you, recognize when and where they need help and for us all to find new cruisers – of all shapes and sizes, demographics and income. I will write more about this in future columns.
