Cruise Trend: Bet On Europe For 2017

by Ming Tappin

As we’re nearing the end of National Plan a Cruise Month, I
hope your clients were able to take advantage of the many enticing offers out
there.

Even before October, I had noticed a big change in cruise
promotions. Not long ago, only one cruise line was advertising free perks such
as beverages, shipboard credit, internet and gratuities. Now, virtually every
brand is doing so, and although it starts off as "limited time only",
the offer is invariable extended month after month. BOGO deals, best available
cabin, kids cruise free, Canadian residents discount or even Canadian dollars
at par are now available on a continuous basis. This is great news to
travellers, and great for the travel agent as these incentives are helpful in
closing more cruise sales.

While the Caribbean is still the #1 cruise destination,
Europe is slowly climbing up the ladder. And by the looks of it, 2017 will be a
great year to visit Europe. Capacity is still relatively high - only 2 ships
were pulled from Europe and redeployed elsewhere, which means pricing is
expected to stay affordable, and it is made even better with all the offers and
free perks. 

Out of curiosity, I checked a 10 night ROM-BCN Med cruise in
May and it came in at CAD 1799 per person for a balcony, plus $180 taxes. Based
on double occupancy, that's less than $400 per couple per day, including
accommodations, meals, entertainment and activities, plus the benefit of port
hopping without getting on trains, planes and automobiles. This is impossible
to replicate on a land-based tour, in fact $400 a night might not even net a
decent hotel room in Rome, let alone meals or anything else. When the cruise
fare is presented as a per diem and you explain the inclusions, it is easy for
a client to grasp the undeniable value.

River cruise lines are getting aggressive with their
promotions too. There is free or reduced air, dollars off, shipboard credit and
even complimentary beverage packages. This kind of offer had been virtually
unheard of. Just a few years ago, you couldn't book a river cruise for less
than $5,000 per person, and it didn't come with any extras. Now you can do it
for nearly 1/2 the price, plus the additional perks. And since river cruises
are more inclusive than ocean cruises, these freebies and lower per diems are the
perfect reasons to introduce river cruising to your clients, or entice past
guests to rebook. 

No doubt, the soft pricing in Europe next year is the
residual effect of the tragic incidents in PAR, BRU & IST, and the plethora
of offers is the cruise industry's way of encouraging bookings. But since
consumer confidence takes time to recover, it may be a challenge to sell Europe
despite the great deals available. This is where we have to call up the advisor
in us. 

We need to have candid conversations with our clients.
Global volatility is a reality we have to live with. There will
always
be something happening in the world or at home, be it economic bumps, political
uprising or virus outbreak. Of course clients should exercise caution while
travelling, but they should not shun travel altogether because something has
happened. Life must go on.

In addition, people naturally look to others for
encouragement at times of uncertainty. While your clients are saying they are
worried about travelling, they are really looking for validation of why they
should
travel. If you can help alleviate their fears and demonstrate that vacations
can still be possible in seemingly undesirable times, you can still bring their
wish list to life. And if that wish list includes Europe in 2017, they can
definitely bet that cruising is a winning combination of great pricing and
added value. 

Ming Tappin is a cruise veteran with over 20 years’ experience in
the industry and has sailed on 38 cruises and counting. Based in Vancouver, Ming
is Owner of 
www.yourcruisecoach.com.