In September I sat down with Lori Ervin for an episode of her podcast, Modern Marketing Made Simple. The episode is called "Build Better Systems, Deliver Better Service," and while most of our hour went to how I run the business, the part I kept coming back to after we stopped recording was how small ship cruising works, and why so many people misread it at the start.
What people tend to assume
Most people come to small ships expecting a quieter, more expensive version of the big ship holiday, where the main decision is which cabin to book. I understand where that comes from, because it is how most cruising is sold. I have been sailing on these same small ships since 2012 (many of those sailings with Regent Seven Seas), and the longer I do this work, the more often I see that assumption lead people to choose a line on its reputation alone.
Where the details live
A small ship can reach ports a large one cannot, which is the reason most people choose one, and it also means the smaller decisions carry more weight. Two lines that look almost identical in a brochure can include very different things in the fare, and you only see it once the two are laid side by side. Expedition itineraries move with the weather and the ice, which is part of their appeal and worth understanding before you book. The flight you choose to meet the ship will also shape your first few days on board more than most people expect.
My clients know how to travel, and plenty of them enjoy the research. What small ship cruising rewards is someone keeping an eye on those details for the months between booking and boarding.
It starts with the first conversation
Lori and I talked about why I have never tried to compete on price. Almost anyone can sell the same cruise, so what I offer is attention, and it begins in the first conversation, well before anything is booked. That is where I learn what matters to someone, and once in a while it is where we both realize the voyage they came in with will not suit them as well as another might (a conversation I would much rather have in March than on day four of the sailing).
Why systems matter when you work alone
I came into the travel industry after a 25-year corporate career, almost on impulse. And I have built this business on my own over the last 4 years. For the first year, I managed the due dates and the complexity on paper in file folders, which, as I grew and added more trips, became the thing that kept me up at night.
Systems are how I carry the trip for my clients now. The reminders every booking needs run quietly in the background, which leaves my attention for the work no automation should touch, like client conversations, personalized recommendations based upon that conversation and managing all of the complexity in the background of the booking to ensure that it is as seamless as travel can be these days.
I also use AI for the slower background work, and Lori and I talked about where I draw the line with it. AI takes the lead on industry research, suggesting ideas for my newsletter and social media, as well as tracking my lead and quote pipeline, while all client-facing work and client-facing decisions stay with me.
Working with travellers who book small ship sailings is a true passion of mine, and it comes with a responsibility I take seriously. Most of my clients are over 50, and they have invested a great deal in these trips and in what they hope to bring home from them. The systems I have built in the background mean they never have to worry about missing a payment deadline or arriving without the right entry documents, even when that document is a digital QR code they can only apply for three days before arrival, while they are already at sea. This kind of travel is full of small details that change as the trip gets closer, and my systems are what let me give each of them the attention it needs.
Listen to the episode
The full conversation runs about 53 minutes, and you can find it on Apple Podcasts or on Lori's episode page. My thanks to Lori Ervin for a thoughtful hour and for questions that had me looking at my own business a little differently.
If you are thinking about a small ship voyage, with Regent Seven Seas or another line, I would be glad to start where I always do, with a conversation. Click the Book a Discovery Call button at the top of this page, or message me for the link to get started.
Helen King, Founder and Lead Travel Designer, The Small Ship Collective