Cruise line sales getting more specialized?
As cruise lines get more demanding, selling is going to get more specialized, believes the new general manager of SeaMaster. Said Mark Schiffner:
“In a typical agency, the rule of thumb is that cruises represent about 5% of the business. That’s not good enough for cruise lines with the kind of passenger increases they need.”
Mr Schiffner’s franchise cruise operation that started last April is part of the Carlson Travel Franchise Group. He said his group will be seeking members who are “proven professionals, people with past business experience, and not hobbyists.”
Any cruise line initiatives to create or expand their own sales staff reflect some dissatisfaction with agent efforts that are not as professional as they should be, Mr Schiffner believes.
SeaMaster will emphasize training and technology for its members.
The ambitious franchise already has 40 members with a goal to have 50 by the end of the year. Mr Schiffner anticipates another 100 new members next year, with the goal of being the largest cruise franchisor in the world in five years.
The current franchise fee is $9,500, though that has been cut in half for the first 50 members, according to Mr Schiffner.
The new franchise operation will be leveraged by the capabilities of Carlson Travel, Mr Schiffner believes.
He is bullish on home-based selling because of its fast growth. “Almost 25% of travel is now delivered outside the traditional bricks and mortar approach,” he said.
He also believes agents will continue to be the dominant source of cruise sales, though agents may find they have to concentrate their efforts more on that specialty. But cruising, he said, will continue to be sold by agents because it is “driven by a personalized approach.”
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt