Complexity is often cited as a reason why agents give cruise a wide berth, but in an increasingly commoditised and online travel industry it is actually an agent’s best friend.
All cruise operators offer help for agents to get their heads around what can be a bewildering choice of cabin grades and cruise types.
These just take time and effort to get used to, as does the knack of matching customers to the most appropriate cruise operator. Once the fundamentals are mastered, a good agent faced with an unsure client has plenty of opportunity to showcase their knowledge of a holiday that offers myriad possibilities.
Holiday starts at home
Take the cruise I went on with my family – my partner and three young children. We sailed with P&O Cruises on Ventura on a 17-night round trip cruise from Southampton to the Mediterranean. There were 11 ports of call from Cadiz in the west to Corfu in the east.
The great thing about cruising from Southampton was that the minute the bags were packed in the car outside our house, we were on holiday.
With meet and greet parking organised in Southampton, the next time we saw our bags was as they were whisked off to be loaded onto the ship and delivered to our room.
Although weather conditions meant a late change of cruise terminal, this only caused as short delay due to queues to get into the port. But once the car was dropped off, that was it, our holiday had started in earnest and there were no airport queues, delays or security to worry about.
No-fly holidays have never been more popular, although cruising from Southampton does mean an extra couple of days sailing before you arrive in Mediterranean waters. This may not be for everyone but for us as inexperienced cruise customers, starting the holiday with sea days allowed us to get used to the pace of life onboard.
Life on the ocean waves
Being a large modern resort ship, Ventura caters for a wide variety of requirements from all different types of holidaymakers and offer them the chance to set their own schedule. And with three young children aged four and under, a lot of our time on board revolved around the excellent kids’ club.
The ship produces an itinerary of events specifically for the kids’ clubs – very important to ensure you catch those all-important encounters with Noddy.
Although our youngest was too young for the kids’ club we were allowed to take him in there with the other two and stay with him, which we did most mornings we were on board.
The kids’ club was also very much appreciated in the evening when, at no cost, we could drop the children off and they would be looked after until 10pm, 2am if they are asleep in the night nursery. Parents are given a pager so they are contactable should there be a problem.
We were also lucky enough to be suite guests, so had access to the Marco Pierre White restaurant for breakfast, which our eldest loved because they did boiled eggs.
Life on land
The great thing about our itinerary was that in every port the ship was able to dock ‘alongside’, meaning no tenders, which are a little more challenging with children.
With 11 ports of call the potential for a good travel agent to impart that little nugget of knowledge that might sway a customer is almost infinite. Taking an organised excursion was not an option for us – the kids just wanted to get to the nearest beach, not sit on a bus or join a walking tour.
The ultimate test
Holidays with young children must pass one crucial test to be a success: did the kids enjoy it? After all, if they did, it’s very likely the parents did too.
Our children keep asking when we were next going on a ship, and they still talk about the kids’ club, Noddy, the shows, visiting Italy “where pasta comes from” and the “black [Marco Pierre White] restaurant”.
They loved the many different aspects of our holiday – and they had better sea legs than us!
Lee’s port trips
Here are a few tips that would make any agent sound very knowledgeable and help clinch a sale:
Corfu: You can hire a car in the cruise terminal for €50 for the day. It’s a great way to discover the island and some great family beaches within half an hour of the port.
Kephalonia: The best beach close to the cruise port is Lassi, a short taxi ride away. Finding taxis in the town can be tricky, so grab the first one you see.
Civitavecchia (for Rome): Options at this port are limited, so visiting Rome is your best bet, but don’t get on a tour bus, take the train. Check train times carefully and be aware that some trains are express, and therefore more expensive. Leave enough time for the return journey because the ship won’t wait.
Dubrovnik: The walled city is the main attraction and is just a short free shuttle bus ride away. This was the only port we were required to show our passports as we left the port. Quite a few fellow guests forgot and had to return to the ship to get them.
Naples: The threat of crime puts many people off venturing into the centre of Naples, but if you don’t want to do an official excursion to Pompei, other options are available. Right next to the dock a local ferry service operates between Naples and Sorrento (or Capri, if you prefer). We went to Sorrento.
Advise customers to make sure they buy a return ticket as – and I know this from experience – the nearest cash machine to the ferry terminal in Sorrento is a hair-raising ride on the back of a bike belonging to a bloke who works in the ticket office.
