Agents are not doing enough to help expand new to cruise sales by concentrating on price alone.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines marketing director Nigel Lingard told UK Cruise Convention delegates that a pure price message was “useless” and he urged agents to be more creative in selling cruises.
Otherwise the internet, while still accounting for a small minority of cruise sales, will become an increasing threat, he warned.
Agents need to get into a dialogue with potential customers and convert them into buying cruises, Lingard said.
Without a more inventive approach cruise agents will face more of a shift of sales online.
He highlighted price and product complexity as the two main strands agents need to consider when seeking to attract newcomers to cruising.
“Price is less of a barrier than you may think,” Lingard said.
He suggested that selling cruises was like selling cars – customers are looking for trustworthy advice to overcome perceived objections to taking a cruise.
Agents should also encourage existing cruise customers to become “ambassadors” for the sector to help bring new passengers to the market.
Royal Caribbean international UK & Ireland managing director Jo Rzymowska pointed out that only one in 16 overseas holidays taken from the UK was a cruise – demonstrating the vast potential to convert those who have never been on a cruise holiday before.
She echoed Lingard and encouraged agents to be creative by, for example, packaging up cruises.
“The key is to sell the right cruise to the right person – if you get that wrong you will lose them forever,” said Rzymowska.
However, she said that “once they’re booked they really are hooked”.
by Phil Davies
