Kerry Cansdale, a Travel Counsellor, has sailed on over 90 cruises. In our Agent Insight column, she shares how she has managed to maximise her sales and make waves to create clients for life
"Personally, I adore a cruise having experienced over 90 different cruises. I love that you get to see snapshots of different countries, wake up to a different view every morning, and the fact that you only have to unpack once makes it all the better.
"For me, when booking clients on a cruise, it’s imperative you match them to the right cruise line."
Keeping up with cruise
"I’ve learnt a lot by cruising myself but also by taking part in ship visits, watching YouTube videos, and following a few cruise influencers on Instagram. I also follow each of the cruise lines on their socials and you will find that the cruise line training you can complete is some of the best in the industry.
"...the cruise line training you can complete is some of the best in the industry..."
"I truly believe there is a cruise for everyone, and cruising has massively changed since the old days where it was thought to be for older people and stuffy onboard.
"I think of the ships now as 'Floating Resorts' where everything is in one place and easy to get to and no worries about getting a taxi home, the entertainment is world class, the food is top notch, and activities on board are sometimes unbelievable – who thought you could have a go kart track or sky diving on a cruise ship?"
Cost-effective cruising: "It's a no brainer"
"Pricing can sometimes be an issue, but when you see everything that is included, it makes the price more reasonable. I always explain this to my clients and sometimes break it down to a day-by-day amount and when you compare what is included in a cruise to all the extras you would be paying on a land-based holiday, it’s a no brainer.
"Don’t be afraid to sell cruise - after your first one it gets easier, I promise. Essentially, most cruise lines operate in the same way; it’s just knowing the right ship to sell to your client, and you can learn that through training.
"My cruise clients are very loyal and are my highest repeat bookers. A happy cruise client is a client for life!"
"A happy cruise client is a client for life!"
Kerry Cansdale is a Travel Counsellor based in Stock.
