Jamie Biesiada
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Next time you've got a fairly large group that wants to cruise together or a great idea for an affinity group, why not consider chartering an entire ship? That group probably won't be big enough to charter an oceangoing vessel, but a river ship might just fit the bill perfectly.
That was the message river cruise line executives had for travel advisors at the recent CruiseWorld here. They took to the stage at the conference joined by two travel advisors, who asked them to pitch client opportunities on their cruise lines.
A number of topics were discussed. Mary Pat Sullivan, president of Sullivan Marketing Advisors and the session moderator, asked the executives if they offer the ability to charter a full ship. They answered affirmatively.
Alex Pinelo, vice president of sales for AmaWaterways, said chartering a river ship is a lot easier than chartering a larger ocean ship. AmaWaterways' ships hold anywhere from 28 to 296 guests, meaning it's easier to fill than an ocean ship with the capacity for thousands.
He encouraged advisors to think about chartering a river ship for incentive groups or corporations.
Chartering gives the travel advisor full access to the ship, Pinelo said, meaning itineraries can be altered and modified. Within guidelines, a travel agent could essentially do whatever they wanted on the ship to cater to their group.
Custom-designed activities are a big selling point for whole-ship charters, added Kristian Anderson, executive vice president of global sales for Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection.
Ana Parodi, director of national accounts for Viking River Cruises, said the company's cycle usually runs 12 to 18 months out, meaning travel advisors would have two-plus years to plan and sell the trip.
For AmaWaterways, charters are usually booked 18 to 24 months before sailing, Pinelo said. The company has a dedicated charters department to work with advisors, and it will enable them to reserve a charter without commitment for three to four months before making it official. That, Pinelo said, helps advisors get a good feel as to whether or not they'll be able to fill the ship.
Paula Hayes, vice president of sales for the Globus family of brands (which includes river cruise operator Avalon Waterways), encouraged agents to think outside the box.
Once books are opened for sales, it becomes harder to get charter space, but all hope isn't lost, she said. A cruise line might consider keeping a ship in the water a week longer than the usual end of the season or putting it in a week earlier to accommodate a full-ship charter.
The executives were joined on stage by two travel advisors: Christen Perry, owner of Classic Travel Connection in Birmingham, Ala.; and Suzy Schreiner, owner of Azure Blue Vacations in Seattle.
After hearing from the executives, both said they had never chartered an entire ship before but were seriously considering it now.
Perry said she sees great opportunity, especially with wine cruising. She's been building her business through connections with wine clubs and wineries, which would be a good fit.