Brinley Hineman
Does your client love a ship-within-a-ship product on an ocean cruise? They'd be a great candidate for a river cruise.
Last month, my fiance and I cruised to Alaska on the MSC Poesia in the line's MSC Yacht Club, which is a section of the ship reserved just for Yacht Club members; it offers those denizens access to a dedicated lounge, pool deck and restaurant, plus concierge and butler services.
On several occasions, my fiance remarked that he loved the exclusive access, benefits and upscale service offered to us.
And several times I responded, "If you like this, wait until you try a river cruise."
It was our first time on an ocean cruise and our first time visiting Alaska (spoiler alert: we loved both experiences), but what made the cruise even more special was the Yacht Club. We stayed in a suite, enjoyed access to the members-only restaurant and lounge and were able to skip the line when embarking and disembarking. It was a fantastic trip, but in the amenities area it was very similar to what I have grown to expect on the river.
It's no surprise: many people swear they're not cruise people, only to be converted by a river cruise. And for travel advisors who have ocean-cruise loving clients who value a more intimate experience afforded by a ship-within-a-ship, there's a strong chance they'd fall in love with river cruising. Advisors might eye clients who enjoy the MSC Yacht Club, Celebrity's Retreat or Norwegian Cruise Line's Haven.
The size of the Yacht Club was like that of a river ship, accommodating roughly 120 people. On an ocean ship the size of a small town (the Poesia has a lower-berth capacity of 2,550, which puts it on the smaller side of cruise ships, but still), the Yacht Club enclave proved to be a godsend when I wanted some peace and quiet, which I found while enjoying hot chocolate in the lounge or the members-only hot tub on the top deck.
But on a river cruise, I rarely, if ever, feel the desire to be alone due to the size. And if I do want to read my book or get some work done, it's not difficult to find a quiet spot to tuck myself into.
The Yacht Club experience included a butler, which is included on some river lines like Riverside Luxury Cruises and Scenic Cruises & Tours. That's always a welcome perk, especially for clients who would prefer in-room dining or a happy hour drink in their cabin before dinner. The staff-to-guest ratio found in these cruise enclaves is similar to that on a river cruise, meaning your clients are likely to be pleased with the level of service and attention.
And if your client wants to upgrade their experience beyond the standard, river cruises certainly allow for that, with elevated drink packages or wine pairings available, enhanced cabin categories and special excursions.