I’ve been a travel agent/blogger for many years and I wanted to share the 3 fun things I deal with everyday.
1. Clients who book at the last minute.
Back in the day, you could actually walk up to a cruise ship on embarkation day, luggage in hand, hoping to get a great deal!
In the event someone missed a flight, you could jump on the ship at a deeply discounted price.
My friends, those days are long gone!
Clients who book at the last minute think that rates will be super low, but the fact of the matter is that you may get an ok price, but you may be stuck under the main show lounge, near a bow thruster or close to the anchor. You won’t get that one and only midship cabin that’s not too far away from the Lido deck, but not too close to the elevator!!!
You might not get what you pay for (great service, clean cabin, or amazing shows), but don’t expect something that you didn’t pay for!
2. Fake clients who call and ask 1000 questions just to hang up and book online or directly with the cruise line.
Many travel agents like myself have sailed on many different cruise lines and ships to learn about these products first hand. Seeing the entertainment venues, walking through different cabins and tasting the food gives us a unique hands on perspective of the ship. We are then able to share our experiences with our clients and ensure we match their preferences with the right ship.
People who call with the deception of giving us business only to glean our years of knowledge, just to call the cruise line directly or click the mouse a few times on an online cruise site is always frustrating.
3. Special Requests.
I’m always thrilled to let the cruise line know of anniversaries, birthdays, or other special requests to make a cruise memorable.
The special requests that are interesting usually happens during a large group booking.
“Put Uncle Joe on deck 3 at the back of the ship because he was married to Aunt Edna and now they are divorced so put her on Deck 7 at the front of the ship!”
“My 9 year old daughter Brittany is a great singer, so get her on the main show lounge stage and let her sing the Star Spangled Banner!”
“We are Platinum so we want a free upgrade to the Captain’s Suite on the Carnival Magic!
In conclusion, I love being a travel travel agent/blogger, and I always have to laugh when I work with a wide range of clients.
Sharing is Caring! Please share this post with your travel agent or (PVP).
Scott Lara @scottlara1961 on Twitter
