NEW YORK --
Cruise lines and agents who cater to affinity groups say the niche
continues to expand as more cruise lines focus their energies on
targeting these groups and agents tap into the market in different
ways.
Sylvia Berman,
owner of Post Haste Travel in Hollywood, Fla., said the best thing
about affinity groups is their die-hard travel ethic.
Affinity groups
dont cancel, and neither do reunions, she said. The group may not
be as large as they planned. But when the leader says theyre going,
they go.
Having a clear,
consistent group program is more important than ever, said Jan
Swartz, senior vice president of sales and customer service for
Princess.
The
entrepreneurial pursuit of new ideas is driving this sector of the
business, Swartz said. Agents are expanding their business based on
the people they deal with every day: friends, dentists, auto
insurance agents, garden clubs. Theyre in touch with their local
communities and tapping into that in a more vigorous way
now.
Home-based travel
agents, she said, are increasingly driving the group business
trend.
And, she added,
the business is increasingly driven by true affinity groups, as
opposed to the group practice where agencies would block cabins on
a few voyages on and promote them to their clients.
They would use
that promotion to attract people who may or may not know each other
onto the same voyage with a particularly attractive cruise and
generate enough business to constitute a group, she
said.
Swartz termed
speculative groups the old model.
High-touch service
Steve Tucker,
Silversea Cruises director of sales and national accounts, eastern
region, said the line receives a tremendous amount of repeat
business from affinity groups.
But a few years
ago, Tucker said, Silversea wasnt really going after group
business.
We didnt used to
think the luxury market did a lot for group business, and I dont
think we asked for it, he said. But the events of 9/11, he said,
showed people youre not immortal, so enjoy life more and go with
your friends.
And when the line
restored the Silver Wind to service in 2003, Tucker said, we knew
wed have to increase sales. And groups are a great way --
especially affinity groups, which book further in advance and give
us control of our rates.
At Ambassador
Tours in San Francisco, affinity groups are responsible for some
20% to 25% of the business, said agency owner Gary Pollard.
Cruise line group
services have evolved dramatically since 2001, Pollard said, and
consequently, selling affinity groups is becoming progressively
easier as time goes by.
People are
traveling more, and having the commonality of a hobby or interest
makes people more comfortable, he said. If they havent gone on a
cruise before, theyre more willing to try something new.
Affinity groups
arent always typical cruisers, but with transportation, meeting
facilities, destinations, educational opportunities, dining and
entertainment wrapped into one package, he said, group leaders see
cruises as a godsend.
And, Berman said,
group cruisers are unbelievably loyal. Although these groups
account for only 5% to 7% of Post Hastes business, she said, the
business keeps coming back, year after year, and word of mouth
drives additional business.
Her agency has
been able to target groups from a wide range of local clubs and
businesses.
One great repeat
group is a local Century Club, whose members have all traveled to
at least 100 destinations.
One of our agents
works with a country club-based group and identifies a new island
[or a destination] for the group ... and everybody goes, she
said.
Really, the best
way to go is to have an agent whos part of a club, such as bridge,
knitting, crocheting.
Pet
peeves
One challenge
thats particularly vexing to agents with affinity group bookings is
a strict adherence to policy. The worst problem Pollard said hes
encountered in booking affinity groups is not having the cruise
line protect the program if the [group] numbers fall
short.
Offers of special
pricing, value points and other group benefits appear to be on the
decline with some cruise lines, Pollard said, and incentives
definitely help agents drive sales.
Some cruise lines
reservations systems also make it harder to manage and adjust
groups travel arrangements once a booking is made, Pollard
said.
But overall,
Pollard said, cruise lines group services have become increasingly
refined for the special needs of this market, which enables his
agency to keep boosting affinity group sales.
They really do
accommodate, to the best of their ability, all their different
needs.
To contact
reporter Kristin OMeara Hillmann, send e-mail to [email protected].