Cruise Planners Conference: New Tools for Travel Agents in 2017

"I Am CP" is the theme of the 2016 Cruise Planners conference, conducted this weekend in Miami and continuing on Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas this week. // Photo by Susan J. Young

The launch of the highly anticipated new -- totally re-engineered -- eRez 3.0 reservations system plus "reveals" for many other new marketing and trade tools were welcome news to 600 Cruise Planners franchise agency owners and their agents attending the 2016 CP Conference in Miami over the weekend.

The new design will be accessible on desktops, laptops and mobile devices so that agents can do business wherever they are, and in the manner they choose to do business. Brian Shultz, CP's chief information officer, described the new technology system as "contemporary" and "meticulous." It will be faster and also have a one-box global search concept. 

New Trade Tools

The agents were on their feet cheering as the new reservations system -- built from the ground up and expected to launch in 2017 -- was revealed. "I can't imagine our ERez could get any better but I'm so excited," said Michael Consoli, franchise owner, Cruise Planners, Atlanta, GA.  

L to R: Vicky Garcia, Michael Consoli and Michelle Fee.

Consoli's favorite new tool, though, is the launch of the new CP Insights, which will allow his agency and others to mine their databases and "make sure I am spending my marketing dollars on marketing the right product to the right people." 

Vicky Garcia, COO and co-owner, Cruise Planners, told the agents that to have insight, you have to have data. With the new CP Insights, slated for introduction in the second quarter 2017, CP will have more intuitive and precise data to allow it to better target the right clients on the agency's behalf.

"We've hired a third party - experts in 'co-horting' data,'" Garcia said, noting that the data will analyze the specific customer's age, income level, psychographics and then place that customer in one of dozens of different customer categories.

So it might show young, single urban dwellers just starting out and making $50,000 or under, families that make $100,000 or more or a career surburbanite who makes more than $200,000 a year and is a luxury prospect.   

"We're investing a ton of money on your behalf, because we truly believe this will make more sales happen," Garcia said.

For all CP franchise agencies, the CP home office will invest in a specific "allotment" of client names that agencies can submit for the intuitive, targeted data research. Higher revenue producers tapped as CP Rock Stars, CP Mega Stars and the Millionaires Club will receive additional allotments (more names for analysis).  

In addition, agencies can opt to pick more names and secure target marketing data for those names by paying $.10 apiece, or 500 names for $50.

There will also be enrollment periods throughout the year to upload more names to the database for analysis. "This is super powerful guys," stressed Michelle Fee, Cruise Planners' CEO and co-founder.

"By investing in this type of targeted marketing, it will now assure us we are sending the right message to the right person at the right time, and we do think this is going to have major results [in sales for franchise agencies]," Fee said. 

Cruise Planners' executives, (L to R) Tom Kruszewski, Michelle Fee, Vicky Garcia and Brian Shultz tell franchisees about a slew of new features, tools and updates. // Photo by Susan J. Young

Garcia also said that the more specific marketing is really helpful for luxury customers as those are expensive marketing pieces that are mailed out. It's a better use of resources. "We can now decide which client in your data base is a luxury buyer," she said.

On the luxury side, in the first quarter 2017 CP will also introduce more new luxury e-cards. Plus, there will be a new luxury specific e-newsletter. You'll be able to opt your clients "in" or "out" yourelf or clients can do so at the Web site as well.   

Fee, Garcia, Shultz and Tom Kruszewski, CFO and co-owner, also talked to the audience about other new features launching in the near future and throughout 2017: 

• New Tool - CP View -- to be launched in the eRez system: Debuting this year, this new tool will allow agents reviewing a specific sailing to see a greater depth of detail -- such as the average age of passengers on that cruise, the average price paid by the client and other specifics. On the pricing side, CP agents will know whether or not to go to CP's home office group space for better pricing. If it is you will see price advantage, and agents will see exactly how much the client will pay. Agents can also send out a feeler to clients about the specific sailing, based on their needs.
• Viking Cruises will be added to the eRez system: Currently, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and other river lines are in the system for automated river cruise bookings. Coming up, though, agents will also be able to book Viking River Cruises. Plus, Viking Ocean Cruises will join the dozens of major ocean lines already bookable directly within the system.

• ERez Mobile Chat is a new feature for consumers being added by Cruise Planners. // Photo by Susan J. Young

  Chat for CP Mobile: Later this year, CP is introducing a new consumer mobile app that will allow clients to chat with their agents on mobile devices. Some clients can be intimidated by talking on the phone, and prefer to stay within their comfort zone via the chat feature. 
• Special online sales offers by sailing date will be visible to clients: Starting now, clients visiting the CP franchise agency's website won't just see general offers but also more specific offers fielded for specific sailing dates. 
• Two existing tools -- eCards and eMail Builder -- will be merged: A new tool, eCard Builder, will be used to both wish a client a happy birthday and also can be used to tell the client about a hot special offer that fits his or her travel style and desire list. Previously eCards were used almost exclusively as greeting cards. 
• Automatic entering of email confirmation numbers: Agents won't have to hand enter these any more in their computer system. Agents will send their vendor reservation confirmations to an e-mail address, which will automatically enter those confirmation numbers into the client's online record.

Land Upgrades

CP now works with 52 different land travel partners. While the group now has land options in major marketing pieces, "for 2017 we're prepared to step up our land game," said Fee. In 2017 it plans to dedicate three full-scale mailers just to land (no cruise). 

She pointed out the CP is now winning many awards for its land programs, and in 2016, CP was the travel partner of the year for Travel Impressions. She also said Cruise Planners is the number three agency group worldwide (for sales) for Sandals. 

To start off, CP began offering an optional fifth online banner for CP franchise owners. They're also preparing additional land-based banners that, when clicked, will send customers to a land-based landing page that can be customized by the agency owner. 

E-cards, flyers and business cards are being created for agents who wish to focus on the land side. CP will also expand its automated email program to tour bookings.

Right now, that email marketing is being used with cruise clients; seven client touch points are sent out automatically at various stages when of booking, trip preparation, travel and the return from their vacation. Two days before the trip, for example, a "Happy Trails" email is sent out. The same will now be done for clients taking tours. 

"I Am CP"

Themed "I am CP," this year's annual CP conference focused heavily on the topics of "I Am Innovative, I am Connected, I am Inspired, I am a Change Maker and I am Full of Cruisitude." 

From November 4-6, while at the Miami Intercontinental Hotel, the retailers attended general sessions, product training, updates by major cruise suppliers and a preferred travel partner trade show. They also got a strong dose of motivation by Fee. 

CP Savvy Agents, those agents who take advantage of most of the tools and features available from CP home office, are much more productive than other CP agents. // Photo by Susan J. Young

CP executives also talked about how much "CP Savvy Agents" (the 30 percent of CP franchise owners who are high sales performers and have been so for the past three years), typically use techie tools and buy into the targeted marketing lists and other programs.

For example, CP Savvy agents have twice the average number of mobile app visits, and four times the average number of Web site visits.

Cruise Line Panel 

A panel of cruise line sales executives provided the agents with sales and marketing insight, tips and details about upcoming projects and features.  

John Chernesky of Princess Cruises said his line is eager for Caribbean Princess to navigate the larger locks of the Panama Canal in the coming year. "It's amazing to see how they ever built this," he said. He characterized Europe cruise sales this past year as "a weird year" but cited strength elsewhere, including Alaska, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Australia/New Zealand and Japan. 

Jenner spoke about the recent America's Test Kitchen launch, and also stressed that Holland America will be celebrating its 70th year in Alaska in 2017 with activities and marketing. Janet Wygert of Carnival Cruise Lines chatted about the opening of the new Amber Cove destination in the Dominican Republic, noting that sister line Fathom is also using that port for its itineraries.

Hot news? Here are a few tidbits:  

• Alex Pinelo of Norwegian Cruise Line said clients sailing on the short-cruise product, Norwegian Sky (which includes a full open bar in the cruise fare), or who are sailing on another ship and have purchased the Ultimate Beverage Package will soon have free drinks included ashore at Great Stirrup Cay.
• Making an announcement not yet released publicly, Ken Muskat of MSC Cruises said that MSC Yacht Club guests will receive all-inclusive drinks throughout the ship - not just while guests are relaxing or dining within the club's "ship-within-a-ship" enclave.  
• Dondra Ritzenthaler of Celebrity Cruises talked about the two additional new Galapagos small ships the line will operate -- one an eight-stateroom intimate vessel serving a maximum of 16 passengers, the second a 48-passenger vessel. Celebrity Xpedition, its existing expedition vessel, serves 96 guests. "They will all deliver the Modern Luxury experience," Ritzenthaler said, noting the two new ships will have new galleys, new bedding and so on. 

​Pura Fritzius of Royal Caribbean International, talked about the snazzy features (The Ultimate Abyss and others) on the line's newest Oasis-class ship, Harmony of the Seas. Many CP franchise owners and agents will continue the conference activities onboard that ship as it sails from Port Everglades, FL, on November 8 for a short cruise.

Green, Bling and Fun

Participating in a cruising game show quiz were cruise line sales executives: left to right are Dondra Ritzenthaler, Celebrity Cruises; Pura Fritzius, Royal Caribbean International; Janet Wygert, Carnival Cruise Lines; Ken Muskat, MSC Cruises and John Chernesky, Princess Cruises. // Photo by Susan J. Young

Game show participants included John Chernesky, Princess Cruises; Eva Jenner, Holland America Line; and Alex Pinelo, Norwegian Cruise Line.

As usual, CP agency owners and agents attending the annual conference could count on plenty of fun, craziness and "Cruisitude" antics by CP executives as well as by senior cruise lines sales executives.

This was definitely not a stuffy conference. Shown above and at right are photos of the cruise line sales executives decked out in with lightbulb green bling and props during a game show centered around cruise trivia.  

Ultimately, the cruise trivia contest winner was Eva Jenner of Holland America Line.  

Editor's Note: This is Part 2 of a three-part series on the Cruise Planners conference. Agents can read the first part on booking trends and statistics here. A third part in this series will also run this week.