Cruise Planners – American Express Travel’s annual convention started off with a bang as nearly 500 travel advisors, many dressed in their green and bling gear, gave CEO Michelle Fee and the Home Office team a round of applause as they entered the main ballroom of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
The action packed opening session began with Fee explaining just how important it is for travel advisors to leverage the power of the Cruise Planners brand. “It’s all about trust in the brand,” Fee said, explaining that part of joining the CP family is taking advantage of the established name and pointing out that the average consumer is more likely to trust a brand they recognize. Fee continued, “ Right now, trust is what differentiates a brand. The more we consistently market the brand, the more customers will trust the brand.”
Keynote speaker, Vicki Freed, senior vice president, sales, trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International, had Cruise Planners laughing as she explained the evolution of cruising. As Freed put it, “Cruising used to be thought of as only for those who were newlywed, overfed, or nearly dead.” Freed went on to explain how cruising has evolved with the aesthetics and onboard cuisine taking center stage, as well as the importance of onboard activities and land excursions. According to Freed, “Nowadays, there is so much more to do on a cruise than eat and play shuffleboard, cruising has become sexy.”
Freed continued with advice for travel advisors saying, “Don’t be shy. Ask for referrals. Follow up with clients to see when they will cruise. Email is not enough. Remember to reach out and call clients on a regular basis. That is what will keep your customers loyal to you.”
Cruise Planners – American Express Travel’s Tom Kruszewski started off asking the travel advisors if they think their franchises will see growth in 2013. With more than half the agents expecting growth in the coming year, Kruszewski encouraged agents to ride the wave season, when bookings are highest each year, from January to March. Sales are already up 27 percent for 2013, compared to the previous year, in early bookings alone. Kruszewski explained to agents that they should encourage customers to book early adding, “Early booking increases the likelihood that prices fluctuate and whether they go up or down, you can save money for your clients. That makes you the hero.”
Interesting to note, Kruszewski mentioned that while general bookings are highest January – March, each year, more expensive excursions sell best in November and December. Kruszewski stressed that it is important to take note of sales trends and personal sales mixes; selling cruising, excursions, pre and post travel and, importantly, insurance.
Kruszewski received a round of applause when announcing a new, exclusive deal between Cruise Planners and Passport Now that gives travel agents 20 percent commission on all passport services, including expedited processing. Michelle announced that Home Office will continue to improve current tools, such as CPVacations so that travel advisors “not only compete, but beat the competition.”
Home Office was busy last year launching more new tools than they could count. Some of the day’s biggest takeaways came from Cruise Planners – American Express Travel’s Vice President of Technology Brian Shultz, who announced a consumer smartphone app that will be available for iOS and Android in January. With the unveiling of the app, the company has launched an online naming contest for it. Shultz also announced new features to their websites, including MyTrips, a client portal where anyone authorized can login to view upcoming trips and share them with friends and family via social media. Users can also directly purchase shore excursions that are fully commissionable to the agent. Shultz continued by introducing Client Snapshots, which allows agents to see an intelligent view of their clients’ buying and travel patterns as well as the highly-anticipated Cruise Fare Reduction tool that allows agents to easily see if a cruise fare has dropped since booking, making the advisor a money-saving hero to their customers.
In her typical style, Vicky Garcia, executive vice president, sales and marketing, got on stage to tell jokes and get the crowd’s attention before getting down to business. Stressing the importance of social media, Garcia told the travel advisors, “No matter how much marketing is done, agents still need to reach out via social media to stay top-of-mind and be connected with customers.”
She also announced the company’s new social media platform, CPSocial. As an addition to the Facebook Business Fan Page launched last year, CPSocial will now allow Home Office to not only post on content on Facebook pages on behalf of travel advisors but now also on Twitter, LinkedIn and Flickr using a dashboard system as of the first quarter of 2013, a benchmark that sets Cruise Planners – American Express Travel apart in the industry.
Leaving not one dry eye in the room, Garcia introduced C.J. George, cancer survivor and LLS Boy of the Year, who told his moving story to a silent room that rose to a standing ovation as Garcia presented George with a plaque and named him as the official Cruisitude Ambassador. Cruise Planners’ partners Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises each presented their latest news for 2013 and reinforced the importance and need for cruise lines to work with agents.
One of the highlights of the day, Michelle Fee hosted a lighthearted panel with executives from Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Lines as well as Princess Cruises and Cunard Line bringing down the house and causing roars of laughter as they each presented themed sketches that included "Call A Cruise Planners Agent" rendition of "Call Me, Maybe", dancing and a jailhouse skit.
retrieving destinations 