Destination Unknown: a mystery incentive trip for agents

Katie Longstaff from Cruise118 reading Travel Weekly. Image credit: Rhodri Andrews

 

This was no ordinary fam trip, though. The agents had no idea where they were going – and even when they did arrive in Florida, they were faced with a series of fun challenges to score points and win a host of prizes.

 

They might not have known Celebration before the trip, but after a few hours’ racing around, they’d seen plenty of its red-brick roads, palm-lined streets and crayon-coloured storefronts.

 

“Do you know where the Christmas shop is?” asked Charlie Blaydon from Iglu Cruise.

 

I didn’t – but that eagerness to uncover the quirky spots around town was a sign of things to come.

 

Points mean prizes

 

Rewind 24 hours and the agents had arrived early at Manchester airport, the air heavy with anticipation. They were greeted in style at private terminal Aether, more often frequented by celebrities and luxury travellers.

 

As details filtered through, the excitement began to build – and by the time we’d reached Kissimmee, everyone was firmly in game mode.

 

The first scavenger hunt began in the entertainment district of Sunset Walk in Margaritaville, as a series of photo challenges came thick and fast via cryptic messages from a certain ‘Agent Unknown’.

 

One minute I found Tim Harden from Harden Holidays snapping a photo of himself in a classic British phone box; the next, I spotted Vidya Kesavan from InteleTravel trying to discover how far Cancún was from Sunset Walk.

Tim Harden from Harden Holidays poses for a photo. Image credit: Rhodri Andrews

 

The pace picked up as we explored Kissimmee – first in Disney-built Celebration, then among the shops and restaurants of Disney Springs and finally by answering trivia about the 2,000-plus cars on display at entertainment hub Dezerland Park. 

 

As agents racked up points, it became tight at the top of the leaderboard. The only thing hotter than the competition was the weather itself, as temperatures soared above 30C.

 

What to see in Kissimmee

The agents enjoy a thrilling airboat ride. Image credit: Rhodri Andrews

 

That’s not to say the competition was always full throttle. Strategic pauses allowed the agents to catch their breath and to explore sun-drenched corners of Kissimmee, with a leisurely bike ride through sleepy Celebration and its leafy surroundings, as well as an airboat ride in the Everglades in search of alligators and great blue herons.

 

It was a welcome reminder that Kissimmee is not only suitable for theme park fans and families but also for couples and friends looking for outdoor activities.

 

After a busy day cracking clues, the agents retreated to their luxury villa in Encore Resort at Reunion – somewhere that would also work well as a base for clients.

 

“The size of these villas, with a large kitchen and a bathroom for every bedroom, mean they are ideal for multigenerational families,” said Leanne Rudd from Travel Counsellors. “And they are close to the theme parks.”

 

Encore Resort at Reunion, Kissimmee. Image credit: Greg Wilson

 

With the Kissimmee challenges completed, it was time for Destination Unknown to move to a new location.

 

The anticipation quickly built as the agents recharged on the three-and-a-half hour Brightline train journey from Orlando to the next destination: Miami.

 

On board Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas

 

With many of the finalists being cruise specialists, the next chapter of Destination Unknown brought them to more-familiar surroundings.

 

First up was Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which launched in 2022 and is the world’s biggest cruise ship. Many of the participants knew of Icon already, but Agent Unknown’s tasks were designed to ensure they not only visited key places on the ship, but also used some creative thinking to showcase it at its best.

 

Lavinia Chew from Hays Travel poses with bar staff in the Duelling Pianos bar, Icon of the Seas. Image credit: Rhodri Andrews

 

That’s what prompted Lavinia Chew from Hays Travel to get the staff from the Duelling Pianos bar involved in her photo challenge, while Sam Griffiths from Cruise1st snacked on Japanese food at the ship’s Izumi restaurant for his.

 

Once the tasks were ticked off, there was downtime at Thrill Island, with some of the agents choosing to sip Miami Vice cocktails in the pool while others took on the slides of its water park, Category 6.

 

Celebrity Beyond

The cantilevered ’float pool’ on Celebrity Beyond. Image credit: Celebrity Beyond

 

As the Destination Unknown trip drew to a close, the agents had one final heat to play – on Celebrity Beyond. Compared with the family fun on board Icon, Beyond offered a more laid-back vibe – something welcomed by the energy-sapped agents in their final push for points.

 

Agent Unknown had one last trick up its sleeve, however, with a series of anagrams and photo challenges to keep the agents’ creative juices flowing. As ever, they were up to the task, with Gemma Larder from Cruise.co.uk capturing pictures in a hammock chair at the oasis-like Eden bar and a trio of agents photographing themselves in one of the ship’s champagne coupe-shaped hot tubs.

 

Cruise1st’s Sam Griffiths in Icon of the Seas’ Izumi Restaurant. Image credit: Rhodri Andrews

 

The agents spent their last night enjoying the delicious Asian food of KYU Miami. And as everyone realised this was their last chance to climb the leaderboard, the excitement was higher than ever.

 

Yet as keen as the competition had been, everyone was cheering for each other as well as themselves – a sign that no matter the outcome of this epic Destination Unknown adventure, they all considered themselves winners.

 

The Destination Unknown group with Virgin Atlantic staff. Image credit: Blue Juice

 

Click here to see more pictures from the Destination Unknown adventure in the trip’s image gallery.

 

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Agents’ views

 

 

Sarah Hart, Hays Travel

 

“I knew Kissimmee was on the doorstep of the major theme parks but I didn’t realise how much else there was to do, from bike rides and quirky museums to airboat excursions and pretty towns. It’s a fantastic place for families.”

 

 

Sam Griffiths, Cruise1st

 

“Clients might worry about feeling crammed in on a ship the size of Icon of the Seas but I can now see they don’t need to. The designers have done a superb job of maximising passenger flow and ensuring guests can navigate it easily.”

 

 

Katie Longstaff, Cruise118

 

“I’ve been on a couple of Celebrity cruises, but with Beyond’s larger size, I really noticed how much more space you get, as well as the luxury and attention to detail you’d expect. It’s an ideal ship for couples who want to do as much or as little as they like.”

 

 

Lavinia Chew, Hays Travel

 

“Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy cabin is a step up, with priority boarding, extra legroom, upgraded meals and that added layer of luxury. I felt far more relaxed after boarding – the extra space and quieter ambience makes it a little more special.”

 

 

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How to build a cruise-and-stay package

 

 

Sarah Graham, senior account manager, Virgin Atlantic

 

“Cruise-and-stay holidays give customers the best of both worlds: excellent experiences on land and luxury at sea – with us in the sky delivering the magic every step of the way. It’s the kind of holiday that ticks every box. With the tools, training and the Sky High Club rewards programme, agents have everything they need to seal the deal.”

 

Image credit: Steve Dunlop 

 

Matt Stuart, strategic account manager, Celebrity Cruises

 

“It’s a fantastic way to add value to a trip. We know there are customers who don’t want to choose one or the other, so combining land and sea into a longer itinerary really makes sense. They get local cultural immersion, then you get all the curated packages, shore excursions and onboard entertainment with us on one of our award-winning cruises.”

 

Image credit: KT Watson

 

Aaron Langford, senior sales director, UK and Ireland, Royal Caribbean International

 

“Cruise-and-stay holidays are an excellent way to attract new-to-cruise holidaymakers. For example, we know millions of UK families want to travel to Orlando for the theme parks, so a cruise is the perfect way to build on this, whether it’s aboard our Utopia of the Seas ship or upcoming Icon Class vessel Star of the Seas.”

 

Lead image credit: Blue Juice