The Small Ship CollectiveMost people think working with a travel advisor means one conversation and a booking confirmation. The reality looks a lot more like this (and I'm going to say it...SHOULD look at a lot more like this): a running string of questions, concerns, and small moments of reassurance that show up all week long, long before and long after a cruise is booked.
Below is a quick snapshot of the kind of questions, concerns and fears that I managed with my clients last week.
When a strike hits an airport, before anyone panics
Baggage handlers began strike action at Barcelona airport in early August, and within hours flights were delayed, some cancelled, and bags were taking longer to reach the carousel. Here's the detail that actually matters: the cancellations represented roughly 12 out of 800 to 1,200 flights a day at that airport, a very small percentage of total traffic. Every client flying through Barcelona was already being monitored before most travellers even saw the headline. What does that mean in practice? I'm watching specific flight numbers two weeks before my clients step on the plane to gage the actual impact because it varies from route to route. I'm also sharing that with them to help manage any pre-flight stress. Does that mean that I can guarantee their flight won't be impacted? Of course not. But if that flight number has been operating as normal in advance of a client's flight, there is a good chance that on their travel day, we can expect the same. That's the difference between reacting to a disruption and watching for one.
Waitlisted for an excursion doesn't mean you lost it
Several clients sailing with Regent Seven Seas found themselves waitlisted for included shore excursions on recently booked sailings and understandably wanted to know if that was a bad sign. It isn't. Regent opens initial excursion capacity, then uses the waitlist to gauge real demand before going back to the local supplier to release more spots. In practice, the majority of clients who waitlist for an excursion get it confirmed before their sailing date. Knowing that pattern, and knowing when it's worth a phone call versus a wait, comes from having managed this exact scenario many times over. This is where the true value of having a specialist manage your cruise vacation, comes into play.
The real cost of a "cheap" cruise
A mass market cruise fare can look like the better deal until the extras get added in: tips, wifi, drinks, shore excursions, specialty dining. None of that is typically included. Once it's totalled against a small ship line where most of it is already built into the fare, the price gap narrows fast, and sometimes disappears. The conversation around your cruise vacation should start with the experience you are looking for because in practice, the pricing isn't as different as clients first believe. Having visibility into these costs, sailing by sailing, is what makes it possible to show a client the actual math instead of the advertised number and to move the conversation to what actually matters - the experience.
Why the pre-cruise hotel through the cruise line sometimes wins
It's common to see a higher price when booking a pre-cruise hotel night through the cruise line versus finding something on your own, and to assume that means it's a worse deal. Usually it isn't. That rate is typically fully refundable up to 90 days before sailing (this varies by cruise line), includes breakfast, and includes your transfer to the ship. When a suite category already comes with an included pre-cruise night, paying for one additional night in that same hotel also means skipping a check-out and check-in somewhere new, and getting a full extra day to explore the city instead of moving hotels. When we talk about the pre-cruise hotel experience, what often matters more than the price is how client's intend to spend those days in the embarkation city and often times, booking the additional hotel nights with the cruise line buys you more quality time in that city.
What it actually costs to hire a travel advisor
This is the question that surprises people most and what I have seen so much confusion on social media about. Did you know that it's also the top question asked on cruise discussion forums? To hire me for a cruise booking, the answer is nothing. A small commission is paid by the cruise line, and my service is complimentary to the client. That means a professional handling the details, the timing, and the moments when something needs fixing, without adding to the cost of the trip. When many people book direct with a cruise line and then try to manage all of the complexity themselves, they often say that they don't want to pay extra to hire a travel advisor. I'm here to tell you that my clients do not pay for the five star service that they are given, or for the stress that is removed from their travel experiences.
This is a quick glimpse into a week of my work. Yes, I was "booking cruises" but the vast majority of my time is spent on managing the complexities leading up to the cruise. None of this shows up in a brochure but it's the actual, ongoing work behind a small ship cruise: catching a disruption before it becomes a problem, knowing which warning signs matter and which don't, and being straightforward about what things cost and why.
If you've got a question like these sitting in the back of your mind, that's exactly the kind of thing worth asking before you book, not after.