Travel Agent Professional December 2011 Issue 14
JamaicaForADay.com By Sherry Laskin
Clients For Life By Mitchell J. Schlesinger
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December 2011
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ecember
64 68 10 14 18 22 26
http://issuu.com/action/page?page=6
By Sherry Laskin Travel Writer, Blogger & Social Media Advisor http://issuu.com/action/page?page=10
How Much Are You Worth? By Rusty Pickett, ECC, Shellback Cruises
http://issuu.com/action/page?page=12
Clients For Life
By Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity
http://issuu.com/action/page?page=16
Working Smarter with Special Groups By Mary Brutscher
http://issuu.com/action/page?page=20
Travel Less & Enjoy More
By Paull Tickner Creator of Special Interest Britain
http://issuu.com/action/page?page=24
I Count My Blessings Instead of Sheep By Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express
http://issuu.com/action/page?page=28
The Road “Rarely” Traveled
By Sue Shapiro, President, Shapiro Travel Resources
Showcase Avoya Travel/American Express .........................13
eGlobalfares................................................25 Travel Quest ................................................27
Ad Index
Travelsavers .......................................................11 Auto Europe................................IFC http://www.AutoEurope.com
Sabre ...........................................19 www.sabretravelinetwork.com/tmu
Avoya Travel/AVC.........................23 http://www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=115
Travel Planners Int’l......................17 http://www.myhosttravelagency.com
Leisure Pops ...................................7 http://www.leisurepops.com/
Voyages to Antiquity ......................3 http://us.voyagestoantiquity.com/
Royal Caribbean Line ...................BC http://www.royalcaribbean.com/
Travel Agent Professional
2011
JamaicaForADay.com —
Travel Agent Professional December 2011 Issue 14
Travel Agent Professional P.O. Box 120202 Staten Island, NY 10312 E-mail: info@travelagentprofessional.com Phone: 718.227.7541
Joel M. Abels
Legend In the Travel Industry April 1927 to January 2007
Ann M. Hoek Publisher/Creative Design Bonnie Walling Editor
Meet Our Editorial Board Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity www.voyagestoantiquity.com Mary Brutscher Former Host Agency Owner & Travel Educational Instructor cruisefacecruises@yahoo.com Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/ America’s Vacation Center www.joinavoya.com/default.cfm?ref=11583 Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com Sue Shapiro, President Shapiro Travel Resources sue.shapiro@gmail.com www.shapirotravelresources.com Paull Tickner, Creator of Special Interest Britain pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk www.greatdays.co.uk
Contributions Lee Rosen, CEO Leisure Pops www.leisurepops.com
Travel Agent Professional has its roots in Home Based Trade, the first magazine of its kind, started by Joel Abels in 2004. Joel and Lenore Abels ran Travel Trade for nearly half a century – it was started by her grandfather, John S. Lewis, and her father, Sidney Lewis, in 1929, and they took the publication over after her grandfather’s passing. Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agent industry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agents throughout North America. It spawned a famous series of trade shows and three monthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and Home Based Trade. The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the Neal Award, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hitting editorials. On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and staying with him until the end, I grew to truly care for and respect the man. He was like a second father to me. Joel was old school, he stood by his word and believed in his work. There will never be another. While nobody can replace this industry legend, we’re hoping that this new publication, which reunites the original Home Based Trade editorial board, will be able to carry on his passion for travel and those who sell it.
Ann M. Hoek This online magazine is dedicated to the memory of Joel Abels, Travel Trade's editor and publisher. Joel and his life's work may be gone, but with your help it can live on.
September 2011
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Call 1-877-398-1460 Visit www.voyagestoantiquity.com Prices are per person, double occupancy, cat N. FREE round-trip air (and transfers) applicable with cruise-tour purchase only and does not include government taxes, fees and airline fuel surcharges ($500-$700) which may change at any time. Special single pricing applicable to select categories and not available on all sailings. Stateroom savings based on double occupancy, vary by category and sailing and not available on all sailings. All offers are subject to availability, capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time. Ship’s Registry: Malta.
4
JamaicaForADay.com — A Change From the Usual Cruise Line Excursions B y
simply for the ship experience and a week of relaxation, not for the ports. times than they can count. Other cruise guests just want a break from the 5,000
Enter Stuart Cohen’s latest venture: JamaicaForADay.com
A C C
other passengers.
L a s k i n ,
They’ve been to the Caribbean more
S h e r r y
Many of us have clients who cruise
Sherry Laskin Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com
Stuart Cohen, a long-time travel industry leader and innovator, has a company which offers an alternative to the traditional cruise line shore excursions: JamaicaForADay.com. You can spend a very relaxing day at a premium all-inclusive resort for the cost of, or less than, most ship’s shore excursions. I was very curious to see how this all fell into place. Whether the cruise ships docks at Montego Bay, Ocho Rios or Falmouth, Jamaica, there’s a resort option for everyone.
cruise line’s tours and head over to one of the JamaicaForADay.com hotels.
While in Falmouth as a port stop for the Celebrity Millennium, I decided to opt out of the
Once cleared to leave the ship and with my hotel pass and transfers to/from the ship in hand, I fol-
For a bit of background info, Falmouth is the “new” historically-themed port of Jamaica. A recent collaboration between the government of Jamaica and Royal Caribbean began a revitalization construction project to the tune of $250 million. So what to do when you get there? Here’s how I spent my day in Falmouth.
December 2011
5 lowed the flow of cruise guests through the Disney-esque themed Falmouth port area. After a 10 minute walk, I found the collection of tour buses waiting for their passengers. I approached one of the uniformed Falmouth tour/information directors and informed her that I was to board a bus to go to the Hilton Rose Hall Resort with JamaicaForADay. ”Oh,” she said with a grin, “You are part of Stuart Cohen’s group.” Everyone knows Stuart. A few minutes later, I boarded the clean and airconditioned mini-bus and we were on our way. Mr. Earl — the driver, and I chatted for the entire twenty minute ride. The newly built roads made for a very pleasant and sometimes scenic drive along the north coast. Once at gate to the Hilton Rose Hall, a guard checked my pass and within a couple of seconds we were at the covered front entrance. I’m a cruise person…I don’t stay at hotels very often so I have very high expectations when I spend even so much as one day on their turf. The warm personal welcome that I received when I met with the hotel guest services manager immediately put me at ease. She was expecting me. Wow. That doesn’t usually happen on a ship! Wearing my colorful wristband, I was on my own to enjoy the resort. I could stay until 6PM…but I’d miss my ship so I requested that the mini-van return at 3:00. That would give me about five hours to take my tour, enjoy the beautiful beach, have lunch and still have time to relax. Maybe try the lazy river. There were plenty of activities to choose if I wanted to be busy. Maybe I’ll borrow one of the nonmotorized water craft and paddle in the ocean for
For more information visit JamaicaForADay.com a while. Or maybe grab a tube at the Sugar Mill Water Park and try the lazy river. I wasn’t sure what to try so I just kept wandering around, snapping photos and enjoying the scenery. It was still about one hour until the restaurants opened for lunch, so I decided to try the Monday Special drink, “Tropical Dreams.” And since drinks and food are included with the excursion and I wasn’t driving anywhere, I thought it a great idea to enjoy a pre-lunch foo-foo drink. (continued on page 6)
Travel Agent Professional
6 Your wrist band entitles you to two towels that are loaned from the Activities Building right at the entrance to this huge water park. Everything you could need for a memorable and easy-to-do beach day is part of your JamaicaForADay.com package. According to their website here’s a list of what’s included: Full access to resort amenities including Private Beach and Pools. BIG NEWS: enjoy Sugar Mill Falls Water Park with tube slide and lazy river. Unlimited lunch & snacks. Unlimited beverages like sodas and juices. Unlimited house brand drinks to quench your thirst like beer, wine, tropical and frosty drinks. All beach lounge chairs and beach towels. Non-motorized water sports including Snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, sailing, volleyball, aerobics, and tennis. Participation in daily activity program. Live daily entertainment. Bathrooms available for changing.
• • • • • • • • • •
If your ship departs late (like Oasis of the Seas), you can stay through 6:00PM if your cruise ship departure time permits a later stay!!! You might recommend to your clients to sit outdoors for lunch and overlook the crystal clear sea at the Seaside Grill. Service was very “Jamaicafriendly” and I struck up a nice conversation with my waiter. I asked him to surprise me with something wonderful and he returned with a plate of jerk chicken (can’t miss that in Jamaica) rice and peas (though actually beans, in Jamaica they’re called “peas”) and a side of icy cold cole slaw. By the time I finished lunch, walked up and down the beach, stretched out for an hour’s siesta and
returned my towels, it was time to head back to the lobby and wait for my ride back to the port. As soon as I reached the reception area (and there’s free wifi in the business center adjacent to the lobby) the driver was already there. The cost for this JamaicaForADay.com shore excursion, is $90 per adult and $75 per child. This also includes the $15 round-trip transfers. It’s a seamless way to enjoy a wonderfully relaxing day in Jamaica without all the hustle and bustle of the ship’s tours. I highly recommend it. If you’re cruising to other Caribbean ports, Stuart has six more…ForADay resorts in Nassau, Barbados, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Freeport and St. Maarten.
December 2011
Leisure Pops: Your Ultimate Assistant Leisure Pops sits quietly on your desktop and waits for an opportunity to help you. It can save you time and keystrokes, or remind you of preferred-supplier offers, or notify you when there is an opportunity to sell add on products like show tickets or travel insurance, or automatically log your qualified bookings into contest sites like Win With Amex, or Las Vegas Agent Rewards.
With Leisure Pops you "Pick your Pops": meaning tyou turn on the Pop Campaigns they choose and get only those Pops when pertinent. With Leisure Pops you will never get a Pop that you have not asked for!
Leisure Pops "electronically taps you on the shoulder" at just the right time for your product offerings. Sell more add on products and have access to your specials at just the right time when they can help you.
Leisure Pops saves you time and makes bookings extremely efficient by moving data for you. One click takes you to the chosen site, automatically logs you in, shops the site, and even moves data (client data into and reservation details back) making the reservation process fast and easy.
Leisure Pops helps you make more money as you will sell more preferred suppliers, more add on products and can easily and automatically participate in reward programs.
Everyone wins with Leisure Pops: Agents better service clients and make more money; Agencies and consortia get more preferred bookings, Suppliers get more sales from preferred agents, and perhaps best of the all the consumer's interests are best served developing long term consumer - agent relationships..
To learn more visit leisurepops.com
8 By Rusty
How
Pickett,
Much Are You
ECC
Worth? Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com
Have
you ever thought about how much your services and expertise are worth? It’s an important question that we sometimes ignore when we are trying to make a sale in competition with the online direct marketers. I am pretty sure that our tendency is to undersell our value. Recently, I had a repeat client inquire about their annual family cruise during summer vacation. They have been good clients and have brought friends along. The last time they booked, I offered them a cruise with Royal Caribbean – which, as we know, actively requires level playing field pricing. Like most of our clients, they had done some research online and had found the same price on one of those travel sites — only with a big batch of onboard credit as a booking incentive. They asked me if I would match the value. Since 100% of zero is zero, I said that I would, decreasing my net commission accordingly. This year they again approached me for the family cruise, favoring Royal Caribbean again. Because the kids had grown older, they were booking two cabins, and asked if there was any discount or deal I could get them. I said that I would provide them with $50 onboard credit per cabin, which is in line with my standard “bon voyage” gift guidelines for the commission on these bookings.
December 2011
9 They hemmed and hawed for a while, then sent me an E-mail stating that a certain travel site was providing pre-paid gratuities. I reiterated my $50 per cabin offer. They hemmed and hawed some more. They came back stating that they really wanted to go on the cruise, but the husband wanted $200 per cabin on board credit. I finally had had enough haggling and decided to put out my real feeling, replying, “As one of the top agents in the country, I do not discount excessively, which $200 onboard credit would be in this case. I provide you with a service that is the best that you would get by any means based on what my national client base tells me by feedback. Do you ask other professionals — your doctor, accountant, etc. — to discount service to you?” After a few more days, they booked their cruise. Discounting is dangerous, and I was glad that I finally stated to a client what I have felt for some time. As we have read in the trades, cruise lines are reducing the commission rate to 5% in Europe because of excessive discounting. It would be disastrous for our agent community in North America if that were to happen here. Unfortunately, the cruise lines are probably closely watching the dot-coms’ value-adding practices in this part of the world to see if the 5% is appropriate for North America. Although they profess loyalty to the travel agent portal, business is business. The bottom line is that we must not undersell ourselves. There is enough business around that we don’t have to compete with the on line direct marketers. We clearly provide better service and personalization. We, and the cruise lines, need to continue to make that known.
Travel Agent Professional
10
Clients For Life
By
The
Mitchell
Dollars and Sence of
J.
Client Loyalty
Schlesinger
The concept of
“Clients for Life” is simple and
starts with understanding just how essential your clients are to your business success. The key word is essential. With the absence of a loyal client base, it is very difficult to build a thriving, long term business. This series of articles will focus on the importance of client loyalty and the myriad of steps required to insure that you are achieving this and benefiting from it financially. Mitchell J. Schlesinger Vice President, Sales & Marketing Voyages to Antiquity m.schlesinger@voyagestoantiquity.com
Lets start with the basics. If you don’t do this now, but have actually have the data somewhere, make sure you have an organized file for each and every one of your clients reflecting:
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
All of the trips they have booked with you The number of days of each trip The ticket cost per person for each trip The destinations to which they have traveled The categories of travel (cruises, tours, FIT) booked Types of accommodations purchased The time intervals between trips purchased Special requests they have made when booking trips Personal information you know about them All social and civic organizations to which they belong Hobbies, passions etc in which they are involved Birthdays and anniversaries of all family members Contact information for siblings and relatives (irrespective of where they live) The names of everyone they have ever referred to you (continued on page 12)
December 2011
Showcase TRAVELSAVERS TWIN Global Travel
Management Company Plants Flags on Five of Sever Continents Travel Firm Helps Multi-National Businesses Control Travel Spending, Provides Personalized Service Around the World The TWIN (TRAVELSAVERS
TWIN provides corporations with
also own and operate a travel
Worldwide Independent Network,
a global preferred rate hotel program
agency in Malaysia, one in Macau,
www.twintravelmanagement.com)
featuring over 96,000 negotiated hotel
another in Hong Kong and 30 more
global travel management company
rates in 124 countries; a policy-compli-
in China. The agencies handle all
today announced a major expansion
ant corporate self-booking tool; a trav-
facets of travel including: corporate
into Russia, Asia, Italy, Germany, and
el data consolidation tool; the indus-
travel, leisure travel, MICE, inbound
the U.S. With these strategic moves,
try’s leading 24-hour global emergency
logistics, luxury cruise holidays, pre-
the company is now helping multi-
travel service; and in-country repre-
mium tour packages, car rental,
national corporations control their
sentatives in 23 countries.
worldwide ticketing, and hotel book-
travel spending by providing on-the-
TWIN has now expanded its global
ing and travel insurance.
ground representation on five of seven
service by establishing locations in:
Italy – A leader in its region,
Russia – The newest TWIN
Frigerio Viaggi was established in 1974
member, ctms Travel, has been ser-
and today operates in various sectors
“Travel is the second largest
vicing the corporate travel industry
of travel including: retail services with
expenditure for most corporations
for over 20 years. Within that time
nine offices; franchise networking
today,” said Rick Mazza, President &
they have grown at a rapid rate cov-
(Frigerio Viaggi Network was estab-
CEO of TWIN. “Travel managers
ering travel services around the
lished in1999 and currently has 63
have the tough job of controlling
world, including Canada, the U.S., the
franchises throughout Italy); and busi-
expenses while keeping employees
U.K. and Russia, with expansions to
ness travel, MICE, leisure and holidays,
safe as they traverse the globe. We’re
continue in 2012. The agency offers
supported by over 200 employees.
helping companies cost-effectively
an extensive and diverse suite of ser-
Germany – Established in 1996
meet these objectives through our
vices; an impressive list of proprietary
and based in Hamburg, Germany,
organization of top travel agencies
travel technology; and employs inim-
Image Tours is a full-service travel
and suppliers worldwide. We pool
itable service and cost saving pro-
management company that offers
our resources to provide the most
grams. ctms Sports was also estab-
travel services and technology solu-
integrated multi-national business
lished in 2011 to provide custom
tions for corporations worldwide.
travel solutions available today. We
travel services to large NHL and
The agency’s core services are: busi-
understand the importance of having
NBA sport franchises as well as uni-
ness travel; MICE; special hotel pro-
a travel management partner that
versity and college sports teams.
grams for China, Russia, Baltic states
continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
maximizes the financial advantages of
Asia – New member SingExpress
and former Soviet states; 24/7 call
a global program and delivers it with a
Travel is a large agency group in Asia
center service; online bookings; and
local, personalized touch.”
with headquarters in Singapore. They
visa services.
To find out more about how to become part of the TWIN global network, independent travel agencies can visit www.twintravelmanagement.com, email twinsales@travelsavers.com, or call 516-624-0500 x5080.
Travel Agent Professional
12 One of the great clichés in the business world is; “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. And while it is a cliché, it is one businesses great truisms. Regardless of which software system you use, or just create files in your computer, if you are not accumulating the information above, you are planning to fail. This information is the lifeblood of your business because of what flows from it. For those with very up-to-date records, you have the ability to calculate the value of every one of your clients in terms of their impact on your annual revenue. And the impact they provide not only comes in the form of their own travel, but much more importantly, the business they refer to you. Think of client loyalty like a legal pyramid scheme. Every time they refer someone to you who books a trip, it creates another branch system on a tree with the next generation of referrals from the original ones. And this is crucial as it costs significantly less to generate business via repeat and referral clients compared to the cost of generating brand new customers. A theme of this series that will be repeated over and over and over is the concept of managing your clients travel over time. This is all about your focus on their demographics and psychographics which are inextricably linked to what they buy and when they buy it, and how that changes as they age and go through the various stages of life. The travel they purchase when they are in their 30s with 2 young children at home will be very different than what they will want 25 years later as empty nesters. It is up to you to effectively manage the travel purchase pattern year after year and decade after decade. Of course, this presumes that you performed the necessary steps to insure that they will still be your clients as time passes. This attempt to inject concern comes from three specific standpoints. The first is simple. If you don’t dote on your clientele, they have no real reason to be loyal to you, or consider you “brand centric” as a
service provider and therefore purchase trips from other agencies. The second, are all the outside sources playing siren songs to your clients attempting to lure them into purchasing their travel through alternative resources. This includes not only other agencies, but more obtrusively, product suppliers attempting to enhance their direct sales. The third is financial. For the better part of the past 20 years, through a litany of educational venues, there has been a consistent effort to convey the concept that your clients are like an annuity. Just as investments grow and generate incremental interest income, the same can be said of longtime clients as they age. As they reach empty nester status and get into their 50s, 60s & 70s, these clients begin to travel to farther flung destinations, spend more time traveling, purchase more expensive travel alternatives, travel more frequently and book their trips well in advance of the actual travel. All of which results in commissions which continually grow over time like interest on investments. I wrote this first article presuming that those of you who are reading it and have gotten to this point, are divided into two main groups. The first group has the information above and either realizes now or is calculating immediately and will quickly recognize the actual value of existing clients. The second group I hope are in some form of panic because they do not have the above information in an organized fashion and are not taking full advantage of what value their clients provide. The goal is that anyone in group 2 is making a promise to move into group 1. The notion of “clients for life” is simply that your clients are worth more to you as they age both in terms of repeat travel and referrals. It is your challenge to retain these “client annuities” as they continue to book travel through their lifetime or lose this lucrative business. It is just common “sense” to protect these dollars.
December 2011
Showcase We are committed to helping independent travel agencies live a lifestyle of success and are looking for p
Avoya Travel/American Express Announces Never Before Seen Instant Commission Program O Independent Agencies No Longer Wait for Vendor Payments Avoya Travel™/American Express®, one of the leading travel companies in North America and beyond, today announced the launch of its Avoya Travel Instant Commission™ program. Up until now, travel agencies have had to wait on vendors for weeks or months after making a booking before collecting any commission. But now, Avoya Travel’s network of Independent Agencies can receive commission immediately after the booking is made. “Avoya Travel is a family-oriented company, and with the holiday season upon us, we recognize that generosity is a trait cherished by everyone and more sooner is better,” said Brad Anderson, CoPresident of Avoya Travel. “With the Instant Commission program, our network of Independent Agencies is able to accelerate their cash flow to further grow their businesses and be more generous to others this holiday season.” Avoya Travel (www.JoinAvoya.com) has always understood the importance of timely commission payments and was the first host agency to pay commissions to its Independent Agencies weekly via direct deposit, versus other hosts who typically pay bi-weekly or monthly. The Instant Commission
program is another innovative step in Avoya Travel’s continued commitment to its unique Shared Success model and its elite network of Independent Agencies. “Avoya Travel continues to lead the way in creating more opportunities for my business to thrive,” said Pepe Delgado, owner of DELRU, LLC, an Independent Affiliate of Avoya Travel. “Avoya Travel is constantly asking its Independent Agencies for feedback and looking for ways to help agency owners like me be even more successful, and they have hit a home run with the Instant Commission program.” Avoya Travel has received many notable accolades, including being named ‘Travel Agency of the Year’, by American Express, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Brendan Vacations. Avoya Travel has also been featured for its groundbreaking technology, innovative Live Leads™ program, and leadership in travel by top industry publications, including Agent @ Home, Travel Agent, Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, Vacation Agent, and more.
About Avoya Travel/ American Express: Avoya Travel™/American Express® (www.JoinAvoya.com) is one of the largest and most awarded travel companies in North America and beyond. As an American Express Travel Representative for more than 20 years, Avoya Travel is deeply committed to Integrity and Professionalism™, quality service, and success in every aspect of planning vacations and cruises. With hundreds of Independent Agencies in its network, Avoya Travel provides exclusive discounts, amenities, and first-class customer service to travelers worldwide.
Travel agency owners and professionals interested in growing their business should contact Avoya Travel / American Express at 800-521-2597 or visit www.JoinAvoya.com. Travelers interested in booking their next vacation should call 800-753-1463 or visit www.AvoyaTravel.com.
Travel Agent Professional
14 Working Smarter with By Mary
Special Groups
Brutscher
When I used to own a travel agency, I always looked for ways to compete with the larger agencies, both locally and online. I quit wanting and looking for every bit of business I could find and got rid of time-wasting customers who took me away from potentially “good” clients. It was also at this time that I decided to go after incentive and meeting business, as well as carve out some other Contact information for Mary is mailto:cruisefacecruises@yahoo.com
I
niches for myself.
knew a minister who conducted marriage seminars and he and I discussed putting some of them aboard a cruise ship. I knew for an event such as this, we would need to keep the cruise at around four days in order for it to work with their specific needs.
Getting the interest of a popular writer wasn’t the hard part of working with this type of group. It wasn’t even working out the financial aspect. It was the promotion! You don’t have a group if you don’t have the fans!
The minister and his wife had a particular cruise line that they preferred, so that was the line I used. Getting the meeting space they needed on some of the older ships was a challenge at times, but when things did get a little confused onboard the ship, it ended up working out for the group’s benefit. This niche was perhaps the easiest and most simple group sailing that I worked with and often the most fun as well!
Once you have a writer who is interested in sailing with fans, you need to discuss what their fees (if any) will be. I negotiated with two popular writers who were very demanding. One wanted free cruise, free air and a fee. Another wanted no fee, but wanted a free cruise for the whole family (and it was not a small family!).
The next niche I began to carve for myself was “fan cruises” for fiction writers. This niche is a little harder to work and if you are not experienced working with groups, I suggest you not try a group such as this.
The first author I successfully worked on a cruise with wanted only their stateroom to be paid, which was a benefit to both of us. I benefited by not having to pay a fee and the author benefited by the publicity and the fan interaction.
December 2011
You will also want to sail (preferably) out of a port as close to where the author lives as possible to save on travel expenses.
15
When it is time to promote the cruise, you want to send announcements out to all of your clients. Put information about the cruise on your Web site. Ask the author to include cruise information on his or her site as well, and also in any printed material or E-mail blasts. You may also want to get information about the writer’s publishing house, as they can also be a tool for promoting the cruise. Professional incentive cruises and meetings at sea was by far my most lucrative niche. It was also the most work! However, if you find a specific company that is well organized and you offer excellent service so you get repeat incentive and meeting business from them, it is well worth it! You will need to be highly organized to work meetings at sea. Have a plan that covers everything from pre-cruise marketing to post-cruise followup — you want to find out from the group leaders how things went onboard the ship and what their future needs may be. Selling the idea of a meeting at sea will not be as easy today as it was in the past. The economy is sluggish and many companies are barely hanging on. However, that does not mean the business is not out there; it just means that you have to work a little bit harder in selling the idea and its benefits. Some of the cruise lines will already have a comparison in their incentive and meeting materials that show the comparison of a land meeting compared with a meeting at sea, but that is not enough. You need to show how having a meeting at sea can benefit the employee and business.
Travel Agent Professional
(continued on page 16)
16 For example, some employees can’t afford to take a nice, relaxing vacation, but if the company is paying for the employee and the employee just has to pay for their companion(s), this may be an affordable vacation. Additionally, happy employees tend to take less days off from the job and are more productive. These studies have been in the news for years and should be easy enough to find online — one example is at http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/workinglife/article990727.ece. Also, instead of staggering vacation times out through the whole year, most, if not all employees can take a vacation at the same time(s) even if it means two separate meetings at sea. When you have a business interested, get with the cruise lines and start getting quotes. You’ll want to review the line’s contracts and see what is included with the meeting group. For example, you may need microphones or smart boards. You may want to request a hostess table just to make things a bit easier for the attendees in communicating with others. After you have the quotes, go back to the business and explain the contract, the payment options, cancellation policies and all other important information. You will also need to present them with a contract for your services. Depending on the size of the group, I do not always charge a service fee because of the commission on the products. If you do, that fee will need to be included in the contract as will cancellation fees and change fees for your business. You will also need to draw up a credit card per-
mission form showing you are authorized to make charges for the cruise, airfare, hotel stays, etc. Depending on the size of the group, you may need to dedicate a complete file drawer for them. You will want a folder that has the cruise line contract and information as well as your contract. You will also need a file for dining room setup, meeting space requests and special group requests, payments made, etc. Each room will need a file that contains the employee and guest’s personal information as well as special requests. When you are speaking with a representative for the company, take notes and keep the notes. File them either in the company file folder or the folder for the employee being discussed. Never throw notes away for a group like this. I can’t begin to emphasize how important it is that, when necessary, you be able to put your finger quickly on booking information for specific attendees or information on what was previously discussed. Meetings can also take place on land at a resort. Did you know that it is possible to rent out a full resort, such as some of the Club Med facilities? Activities, food and privacy are all benefits of this type of group and will actually hold a little more interest for some companies than a cruise would. Make sure to offer this type of venue to potential clients as well. Each one of these types of groups can work even in today’s economy and each of these groups should bring you individual business from the attendees as well. It may take a little more work to get the business, but it will be worth it.
December 2011
Travel Agent Professional
18 B y P a u l l
Travel Less & Enjoy More
T i c k n e r
With Britain’s Heritage Cities While cities like Oxford, Bath, Stratford upon Avon, Chester, Carlisle and York make excellent 1- or 2-night stopovers for the major tour operators, to resourceful travel agents, they also offer the chance for you to be far more creative with your U.K. travel plans. Because I’ve spent over 30 years designing and operating imaginatively themed, customized tours, it comes naturally to me to look at destinations like these and ask: How do they stack up for a garden tour for a rose or herb society, a group of Master Gardeners, the Friends of a Botanic Garden?; What are their literary connections for a Jane Austen, Alice in Wonderland or Harry Potter tour?; What could they offer a Minister who’s looking for a special cathedrals-based tour?; Do they deliver for an art gallery or a theatre group looking for a value-added fund raiser? Not surprisingly, when you take a closer look at Britain’s Heritage Cities (www.heritagecities.com) the answer’s a very big YES, especially when you cast the net a little wider and start looking at what lies on the doorstep of these historic places. The 3 Heritage Cities form a (funny look(continued on page 20)
Paull Tickner, creator of Special Interest Britain, is affiliated with the Greatdays Travel Group. For over 30 years, he has been developing and operating customized niche travel programs for the United Kingdom and Ireland. For more information, visit his Web site at www.greatdays.co.uk and E-mail him at pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk
December 2011
20
ing) triangle. If you locate Oxford, Stratford upon Avon and Bath on a map, you’ll find another huge iconic destination for you to use in itinerary planning — namely the Cotswolds, which by the way is where I live! If you do the research (or ask me nicely to do it for you!), it will produce a selection of really eyecatching itineraries. Take, for example, a garden tour, perhaps timed to coincide with the annual Chelsea Flower Show (May) or the Hampton Court Flower Show (early July). When it comes to your Theatre contacts, I find it hard to believe that you couldn’t impress them with the stuff that can be arranged at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and the Shakespeare Houses in Stratford upon Avon. Add to this an actor-led tour of the Theatre
Royal Drury Lane in London, plus a backstage tour, dinner and a performance of Shakespeare under the stars at the Globe Theatre and you’ve begun to create a winning formula. Don’t worry about packing your itinerary with too much theater (or of any given theme for that matter) – that will only appeal to your travel group’s Pied Piper. The trick is to add other, sometimes seemingly irrelevant visits that, in their own way, enrich the mix. Thus, you could add the city of Bath (with some non-theatre flourishes in the Cotswolds) and visits to their two Theatre Royals. The original Royal Theatre dates from the mid-18th century and is now a fascinating Masonic Museum, while the other one has been beautifully and lavishly restored. Throw them in your itinerary “blender,” along with a castle here, a garden or two there, a Jane Austen walking tour, a lesson in Dowsing within the ancient stone circle at Avebury, a pub lunch and an English Afternoon Tea. You then have an itinerary that will start a really interesting conversation with your theatre friends. The northern trio of Chester, Carlisle and York needs to be studied equally closely, especially if you have access to the growing number of non-stop flights into the north of England gateway of Manchester.
December 2011
21
This means YOU if you are in or close to Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, Newark and New York. If you live on the West Coast, to avoid the fun and games at Heathrow, fly to Las Vegas and take Virgin’s non-stop to Manchester instead. On the other side of Immigration and Customs, you’re just 30 minutes from Chester, where visitors can take a fascinating look back to the time when the Romans inhabited the area. Clients can also have a unique, sophisticated shopping experience in The Rows, a series of medieval galleried walkways that run the along the four main streets that then meet at the High Cross. Chester also provides a very good base for trips into North Wales and the Beatles’ hometown of Liverpool. Other nearby attractions include Wedgwood, Spode, Royal Doulton and Portmeirion in Britain’s China Capital, Stoke on Trent. Heading further north look out for Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter Rabbit as you head through the Lake District to Carlisle. Guests who stay here can discover some of the historic castles and outstanding gardens that are just across the border in Scotland. The city also makes a very good base for a visit to Hadrian’s Wall where guests can step back in time and see what life was like at the most northerly region of the
Travel Agent Professional
Holy Roman Empire. Finally, there’s the city of York, which should be rebranded as Britain’s Capital of Festivals. Among the themes are Vikings, Romans, Early Music, New Music, Food and Drink and Ghosts. There are two new additions to the 2012 calendar — the chocolate festival in April and Railfest in June, which is a must for all steam preservation society fans. You and your clients may have formed their love of Britain by seeing it through the eyes of a tour operator’s set departure tour. If you take a few minutes to see what you missed, I think you’ll find that Britain’s Heritage Cities offer massive potential for some really saleable, travel less see more value added tours, especially for your anglophile clients.
22
I Count My Blessings
By
Instead of Sheep
Scott Koepf
As Scott Koepf Vice President of Sales Avoya Travel/American Express www.JoinAvoya.com
we come into the holiday season I will continue with musical theatre references. Although most of you will know the show from its movie predecessors “Holiday Inn” or “White Christmas”, this one just recently made it to the stage. While I love the most famous song from “White Christmas”, it is the lesser-known song crooned by Bing Crosby that I think we can really learn from. In these difficult times there are a few specific suggestions that can help you, but no skills or advice will help you if you are focused on the bad news all around us. This is not to ignore the realities of our world, but those who will be the most successful over the next year will focus on the positive, or in the words of the great Irving Berlin:
When I’m worried and I can’t sleep I count my blessings instead of sheep And I fall asleep counting my blessings When my bankroll is getting small I think of when I had none at all And I fall asleep counting my blessings (continued on page 24)
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24
Now is the time to not only count your blessings but to focus all your energies on them! The bankroll line is so true for most of us who have been through a few rough years financially! But just immerse yourself in the soothing velvet vocals of Bing Crosby and know that things could be worse. Your attitude is a choice and it is also contagious. Enthusiasm and optimism cannot be taught — only caught. Counting your blessings is not just to help you with your attitude, but it has a business rationale also. Your clients are also worried and have seen their bankrolls shrink, so they need to be encouraged to travel and spend their money. If you don’t feel positive, you are going to have a hard time convincing anyone else to feel good enough to spend money. This is fundamental to anything else you do to increase sales in these tough times. So assuming you are counting your blessings every night here are two specific suggestions to focus on. First, determine who your top clients are and write down a specific communication program with them for the next year. You may hear this advice often and most everyone shakes his/her head in agreement. However the agents who will really excel will have written down every touch
point and will hold themselves accountable to the planned schedule. To make sure you not only implement your plan but also track its results, now is the time to fully utilize a CRM system. The best systems will set up reminders and automate many aspects of a good plan. If you have ever thought about getting and using a CRM system, then do it now. I truly believe all serious travel agents need a system to track, maintain data, and record details about the only asset they have — their clients. The other thing I suggest for all agents is to set up at least two groups in the next 12 months. I don’t mean promotional space, but a unique group package. Plan on hosting the groups yourself and make that a real selling point. Your ‘exclusive’ hosted trips may make all the difference in these difficult times. Travel fills an emotional need and given the increased fear to spend money, your clients need reassurance. You being the host is immediate validation that you believe in the product and also makes clients feel comfortable that someone they know will be going with them. Also, groups tend to grow based on word of mouth — so set up these unique vacations to take advantage of peer pressure! I do hope you will be counting your blessings and watch your bankroll grow in the future!
December 2011
Showcase
New “eGlobal24” Gives Agencies Around the Globe 24Hour Service on Consolidator-Booked Trips eGlobalfares Partners with TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent 24 to Deliver Unprecedented Emergency Assistance Worldwide A new service called “eGlobal24” has been launched by eGlobalfares in conjunction with TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24 for eGlobalfares subscribers around the world. eGlobal24 has taken standard afterhours service to higher levels by providing agents with 24-hour assistance on trips booked through consolidators worldwide. Traditionally, once a consolidator has closed its doors for the day, the travelers’ records are not accessible and cannot be changed in an emergency, which makes the use of consolidator fares risky for business travelers. The eGlobalfares software gives agents 24/7 access to PNRs and the capability to make changes. In addition, the eGlobal24 service, provided through the long-established TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24 worldwide travel assistance services, gives agents the ability to have essential tickets issued or reissued or exchanged. Now travel agencies of all sizes can cost-effectively deliver the same level of service on consolidator-booked trips that they do on the rest of their business 24 hours a day. “It became obvious to us as our network of subscribers has continued
to grow that we needed to find a way to smooth out the differences presented by business practices and cultures around the globe,” said Dave Rifkin, President & CEO of eGlobalfares. “Although some larger agencies have 24-hour service, many do not. So we turned to our longtime colleagues at TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24, who responded favorably to the idea of eGlobal24 and agreed to invest the time to develop the program. We tested the concept with several suppliers and subscribers and it was very well received.” Jim Mazza, COO of TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24, commented: “Travel agents who subscribe to eGlobalfares can now confidently sell to their corporate and leisure clientele tickets purchased through consolidators and trading partners globally who participate in eGlobal24. Agents won’t hesitate to now use these suppliers for their clients because they’ll be able to elevate their service levels by making changes to clients’ itineraries even when the consolidators’ offices are closed.”
About eGlobalfares, LLC eGlobalfares (www.eglobalfares.com) offers the only internet-based global
solution providing easy, fast, integrated and efficient access to, and comparison of, global fare content and availability. eGlobalfares subscribers are able to share the management of global accounts among a closed, secure group of selected agencies and can take advantage of opportunities that were previously very cumbersome, time-consuming or simply unavailable.
About Travel Helpline and agent24 TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24 (www.travelhelpline.com, www.agent24.com) are leading afterhours services owned by American Marketing Group, Inc., the parent company of 18 travel brands around the globe, including: TRAVELSAVERS, NEST (The Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel), The Affluent Traveler Collection, Well-Being Travel , Acclaim Meetings, TWIN (TRAVELSAVERS Worldwide Independent Network), Forte Business Travel Solutions, travel tix, Travstar Technologies, cruiseexpress, TRAVEL HELPLINE, agent24, and Travel Market Report. Independent travel agencies in 23 countries are part of the organization and generate more than $20 billion in annual travel industry sales.New “eGlobal24” Gives Agencies
eGlobalfares, LLC has signed a multi-year agreement with TRAVEL HELPLINE and agent24 to provide eGlobal24 to eGlobalfares subscribers. For more information, contact Andrea Melendez at 516-624-5040 or amelendez@travelhelpline.com.
Travel Agent Professional
26 The Road “Rarely” Traveled By Sue Shapiro
As
travel counselors, we’re always looking out for a new destination to recommend to clients before it becomes “hot.” I found the next “hot spot”. It’s Malaysian Borneo. If you’re like me, you thought that Borneo was part of Indonesia. It is. But the “top half” of the island of Borneo is a fascinating part of the Malaysian federation. A short flight from Kuala Lumpur takes visitors to Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak in Borneo. Get rid of your perception of a primitive village of headhunters. Kuching is a modern city with excellent hotels (even a Hilton), wonderful restaurants, beautiful architecture, quaint shops and very friendly people. Like the rest of Malaysia, the population is a mixture of Malay, Chinese, and Indian and, on Borneo, the indigenous peoples representing many tribes. The “thing” to do in Sarawak is to get out of the city and visit the Orangutan Sanctuary and the native “Long Houses.” Kudos to the government for protecting the orangutans but still providing facilities for visitors to watch them eat, climb,
groom and play amid their jungle home. Unique to Borneo are “Long Houses”, a kind of apartment building for extended families. To get you into the experience, the government built and Hilton manages the Batang Ai Hilton Long House Resort. It’s not 5* but it’s clean, comfortable, air conditioned with private bath, a good restaurant and bar plus spa facilities all located on a beautiful man made lake within a tropical nature park. But it’s the native long houses that are the main attraction. They’re only reachable by boat since there are no roads. Half an hour in a motorboat from the hotel we came to the village of Mengkak where 200 extended family members of the Iban tribe live communally. Try to imagine a typical Long House. It’s about 300’ long, built on stilts with two communal walkways (one outdoor and the other covered by a thatched roof) running the entire length of the long house. The third section is individual apartments for families. The villagers were so gracious as to invite us into their apartments and in one they cooked us a delicious lunch. Each “apartment” consists of two large rooms, one for cooking and eating and the other for living and sleeping. To thank the people we brought bags of cookies, chips, candy and crackers in Costco sized packages. The tribal chief has ritual whereby he distributes the goodies to each family who come away with 50 or 60 small bags of snacks. They’re so appreciative that they gave us a demonstration of native dances, how they make their beautiful beadwork and how to use a blow gun (no poison darts used). So the next time someone asks you what’s going to be the next “hot” spot, tell them about Malaysian Borneo. Besides it’s just next door to Brunei and it would be nice to meet the richest man in the world.
December 2011
Showcase
Travel Quest Announces 90% Commission Plan for Agents Host agency launches 90% commission plan and lowers cost of 100% commission plan.
(Albertville, MN., December 12,
include Stream— a pre-paid hotel
2011) On Monday, Travel Quest
program that pays 12% commis-
announced the unveiling of their
sion, top tier commissions, and
new 90% commission plan and
access to Travel Leaders’ direct
some other major enhancements
mail marketing program.
About Travel Quest
to their program. “We realized there was a significant number of
The host agency also launched a
Formed in 1994, Travel
agents that our program didn’t
lower rate for the TQ100 plan.
Quest is a host agency
cater to – experienced agents that
This enhancement allows travel
dedicated to building a
weren’t ready to commit to the
agents to receive 100% of their
thriving community of
100% commission plan,” acknowl-
commissions for $19999/month,
independent travel agents.
edges Stephanie Lee, Director of
saving agents $50/month, said
Through their hosting
Operations & Marketing. “For
Lee. Travel Quest agents previ-
program, agents have
the past 4 years, we’ve built a
ously on the 100% plan without
access to the education,
strong, lasting foundation for our
GDS access will be automatically
support and technology
host agency program and now
dropped to the lower price of
needed to build a success-
we’re excited to start expanding.”
$19999.
ful independen travel agency.
Aligned with the
Dubbed the TQ90, agents joining
Why
fees?
Travel Leaders Franchise
the new plan will have access
“Previously we included GDS
Group, Travel Quest cur-
into the same programs and ser-
access into our 100% plan. Our
rently hosts over 400 trav-
vice offered to all Travel Quest
new program allows agents to
el professionals in their
agents
and will receive 90%
customize their plan to suit the
network and the company
commission on all bookings,
needs of the agency, and for
is member of ASTA,
including service fees. Highlights
most agents, that means cost sav-
PATH,
of Travel Quest’s agent plans
ings,” explained Lee.
CLIA, and ARC. Travel
the
drop
in
OSSN,
IATA,
agents can find more information by visiting Travel agents interested in learning more about Travel Quest enhanced hosting program can visit http://www.TQagents.com or call 800.357.HOST (4678).
Travel Agent Professional
http://www.tqagents.com
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