Seventy-two of Crystal Cruises' top producers ventured to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on Thursday for the annual Crystal trade gala program onboard Crystal Serenity. This cream-of-the-crop agency of producers booked more than $500,000 in Crystal revenue in 2005 to qualify for this year's gala program and sailing. The level of 2006 sales required for attending the trade gala in 2007 will be $600,000, and 72 of the agents attending this year's program have already qualified. For 2007 sales, the level was upped to $750,000 in sales and 11 of those same producers have already qualified for the gala to be held in 2008. Bill Smith, Crystal Cruises' senior vice president of marketing and sales, told the group they weren't onboard because they're lucky, but rather they were present because of hard work, creativity, professionalism, knowledge and talent. He said these top producers also know how to take a product and make it alive and how to add luster to the sell. Smith said 36 of the agents attending the trade gala had booked at least one full world cruise in 2005, 53 percent booked at least one full world cruise for 2006, and 62 have already booked a full world cruise for 2007. In addition, the line said that 55 percent of its top producers are booking guests new to Crystal, 16 percent are using the line's CruiseBuilder tool to do so, and only 18 percent booked insurance. The average commission per Crystal sale from the agents at this program was $1,517.
