CruiseWorld panel probes the brains of the Masterminds

FORT LAUDERDALE — “It’s fun, it’s informative, it’s even a little irreverent at times,” warned moderator and industry consultant Mary Pat Sullivan just before the start of CruiseWorld’s Masterminds Sales and Marketing panel.

The general session panel featured executives from Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line and Seabourn, MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Although each of the lines is considered an industry leader in its own right, Sullivan and co-moderator Joanie Ogg made it clear that the point of the discussion was to give attendees a chance to get to know those who serve as the “face of the brand” on a more personal level.

There was a discussion about emerging industry trends, with panelists noting a sizeable increase in multigenerational cruising — an “easy market for travel professionals to get behind,” according to Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales at Royal Caribbean — and unprecedented growth in the luxury sector.

The importance of catering to and incorporating millennials into the industry was another hot topic.

“It’s important to bring those young people in the business,” said Adolfo Perez, vice president for trade and sales marketing at Carnival Cruise Line. “Don’t lose sight of what you can teach them. They’re sponges. Ten years ago we were afraid that we were bringing in people who would take our jobs. Now we’re bringing them in to grow the business.”

Dondra Ritzenthaler, senior vice president of sales and trade support and services for Celebrity Cruises, agreed, referencing her biggest business-revelation moment in the past 12 months.

“My ‘aha!’ moment was this whole millennial thing,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if that’s your target audience or not. We’re bringing the travel agent back into the forefront of consumers’ minds.”

True to form, Ogg and Sullivan kept it fun, and often joked and teased the panelists (the men's colorful socks, as per Mastermind panel tradition, were a topic of conversation), who in turn quipped with each other and the audience. There were a few light-hearted questions, such as “What was the last good book you read?” or, in a nod to Discover Card, the event’s sponsor, “What would the audience be surprised to discover about you?”

The literary pursuits varied, with answers ranging from fantasy  — “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” from Eva Jenner, vice president of North America sales for Holland America Line and Seabourn — to serious fiction and books on leadership, history or business development.

Attendees also learned that Ken Muskat, MSC Cruises USA’s executive vice president for sales, public relations and guest services, enjoys McDonald’s Egg McMuffins. Randall Soy, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, has danced on stage with Swedish pop group Abba. Freed considers her toughest sale the campaign to persuade her husband to marry her.

As the session wrapped up, Sullivan made sure to note the importance getting to know the people behind the product.

“These folks run the sales and marketing messaging for the biggest brands in business,” she said. “But they’re also your day-to-day folks. They appreciate what you do and really understand it.”

Jenner said she believed that “there is room for all" cruise product in the industry.

"We are friendly competitors and we always look after each other,” she said. “We all offer very different, unique experiences. You need to see who your clients are, find out what they are like, what they would enjoy doing and then put them on the right cruise line.”
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