FORT LAUDERDALE -- Reach out to your local sales representative. Be politely persistent. Let the sales team know where you are.
Among the pro tips that cruise line sales executives offered to the more than 1,400 attendees at Travel Weekly's CruiseWorld conference earlier this month, a recurring theme was executives urging advisors to reach out to their business development managers (BDMs) to help them grow their businesses.
"If you do well, they do well," Eric Schmit, director of business development and national accounts for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said of BDMs during a session here. BDMs want to help advisors drive group business, close on deals and overcome impediments like a difficult customer, he added.
The importance of BDMs is not lost on most travel advisors. Travel Weekly's 2024 Travel Industry Survey found that access to BDMs was considered to be the most valuable service offered by preferred suppliers among agency owners and managers.
BDMs ranked more important to respondents than higher commissions, fam trips, educational programs and agent-dedicated portions of suppliers' websites.
Still, the biggest trade challenge at Royal Caribbean International is figuring out where advisors are, said Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service.
"Many of you have gone home to work, which is fine, but we don't know where you are," she said, urging advisors to contact their strategic account manager or update their contact information through their home office or host.
Having information on advisor location or how to contact them helps strategic account managers meet in person to support agents and encourage their bookings growth.
Carmen Roig, vice president of sales at Princess Cruises, also urged advisors at CruiseWorld to reach out to their BDMs.
"Anybody that raises their hand and wants to do business with us, the team is there to help you," she said. "We want to make sure: who are you, where are you and how can we serve you."
The cruise executives acknowledged that navigating relationships with thousands of travel advisors wanting support can be difficult.
To stand out, John Chernesky, Norwegian Cruise Line's senior vice president of North America sales, told advisors to be "politely persistent" when connecting with a local BDM. This can be helpful when trying to make a connection or when not getting the answer one would like the first time, he said. "And don't be shy, because the shy people are not going to get the attention, unfortunately."
NCL's vice president of field sales, Derek Lloyd, said the brand is there to help advisors, noting it has 1,000 people in Miami to help with booking issues and BDMs to work with advisors on marketing plans, group plans and how to grow their business.
How to work with the cruise lines
Maximizing BDM relationships was part of a range of advice offered by executives on how best to work with cruise lines.
Senior vice president of Holland America Line Rob Coleman, who also oversees sales for Seabourn Cruises, said advisors should resist the urge to drink from the proverbial "fire hose." He suggested they instead prioritize what brands they are going to work with and reach out to BDMs for those lines.
"Start with things that resonate with you, destinations that resonate with you, echelons of the cruise industry that resonate with you, and start slowly," he said. "Tell us exactly what it is your goals are, and that way we can work with you on it."
Some executives suggested travel advisors lean on their brand's online training and support programs to connect with the line.
For instance, MSC Cruises is a relative newcomer in the U.S. cruise market that many advisors have never sold before, said Wendy Whitener, vice president of field sales for MSC USA.
While working with a local BDM is a helpful way to work with a particular line, she also suggested advisors attend monthly webinars to familiarize themselves with the product.
Carnival Cruise Line has an online strategy to connect with advisors called the Carnival Independent Agent Team (CIAT). With pages on Facebook and YouTube, Carnival calls CIAT a "training and engagement community" that helps advisors with their business and connects them with Carnival team members, said Kirk Neal, regional vice president of trade sales. By using the tool, "you'll quickly see that you'll build a relationship with us," he said.
Jennifer Suarez, vice president of sales in the Americas for Celebrity Cruises, stressed that her team also wants to support the trade and has launched an online survey at TheCelebrityCommitment.com where advisors can let the brand know how they want to work together.
"We want to work with anyone who wants to work with us," Suarez said.