When you become an agent with Boardwalk Travel, you’ll have the ability to be a Carnival Cruise travel agent as well as book packages with many other popular travel companies and destinations. But when it comes to vacation packages, it’s hard to beat an all-inclusive cruise. Cruise ships are a popular way for people to enjoy the open ocean and explore parts of the world that would otherwise be hard to visit. Whether it’s the Bahamas, Alaska, South America, or Europe, cruises allow people to travel all over without leaving the creature comforts of modern society.
The largest cruise ship provider is Carnival, and it has 26 ships in its fleet. Because cruises are so much fun, many people rely on travel agents to get them the best deals. Thankfully, becoming a Carnival Cruise travel agent has never been easier, thanks to Boardwalk Travel Agency. So, strap on your life vest, grab a cocktail, and let’s see what it takes to start booking these vacations.
A Brief Overview of Carnival Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line began in 1972 and has since grown to be the largest cruise company in the world. The parent enterprise, Carnival Corporation & PLC, operates over 80 ships under various brand names. These brands include Princess Cruises, Seaborn, Costa Cruises, and more. However, the main branch of the company is Carnival Cruises, which is both the most well-known and has the largest fleet.
Speaking of large, the biggest ship in Carnival’s fleet, the newly unveiled Jubilee, can hold up to 5,374 passengers and weighs a whopping 183,521 gross tons. Although this is the largest ship Carnival owns, it’s not the biggest in the world. Royal Caribbean actually owns the top six largest cruise ships.
Nonetheless, Carnival Cruises are highly popular and always in demand. The company operates an average of 1,500 trips per year, serving over 13 million guests. A big part of the appeal is the amount and quality of amenities that guests get on board. In addition to food and beverages included with the ticket, there are always live shows, concerts, and other activities for all ages. The company even offers adult-only cruises for those who want to avoid throngs of children running around.
What Does a Carnival Cruise Travel Agent Do?
Before you sign up as a travel agent, you should know some of the basics of what you’ll do. Also, it’s important to note that you don’t have to be exclusive to Carnival Cruises. Boardwalk Travel allows you to book vacation packages for Disney, Universal, and other hotel chains, giving you the flexibility and freedom to work however you like. If you want to learn more, check out our articles about how to become a Disney travel agent and how to become a Universal Studios travel agent.
That said, when booking cruises for your clients, the main parts of the job include:
Highlighting Amenities and Activities
Most Carnival Cruises have so many things going on that it’s impossible to do them all in a single trip. So, it’s up to you to help your clients know what’s available and plan their excursions accordingly. Whether they’re going to be on the ship for a day or a week, there will be various activities, live shows, and games available for their entertainment.
Ideally, you can get a schedule of activities for their cruise, but that’s not always possible, especially if they’re booking months in advance. However, you can use itineraries from past cruises to give them a good idea of what to expect. You should also have a layout of the ship so you can walk them through how to get from one spot to another.
Helping With Pre- and Post-Cruise Travel
As we’ll discuss, one of the unique challenges of cruise travel is getting to and from the port of call. Most Carnival Cruises take off from Florida, so if your clients are in another state, they’ll have to book a flight or a rental car (or both). However, one of the advantages of this as a travel agent is that you can incorporate that into your services, meaning you can make more money from a larger sale.
In some cases, your clients may have to stay overnight in the port city, so they can reach the ship on time the day they head out. Also, they may want to stay overnight to decompress after the cruise before heading back home.
Offering Recommendations About What to Do at Each Port
Carnival Cruises go all around the world, but they always visit the same ports of call. So, it’s up to you to know what activities and attractions are available in each locale. For example, if they’re traveling around the Caribbean, some activities can include snorkeling, boating, deep-sea fishing, or just sightseeing.
You must also know which hotels they’ll be staying at if their trip involves an overnight stay at one or more destinations. This way, you can tell them about the hotel’s amenities and how close it is to local attractions, shops, and restaurants. The more you can learn about each destination, the easier it will be to make recommendations, some of which may increase your commission.
How Cruise Vacations Differ From Other Vacation Types
Part of the appeal of a cruise vacation is that everything you could want or need is onboard. However, if your clients have never taken a cruise before, they may not know what to expect. So, here are some ways that cruises are unique compared to other types of vacations:
- All-Inclusive Packages – Typically, a cruise will include food and basic beverages (e.g., water, soda, and juice) with the ticket price. However, your clients can always upgrade and include alcohol or fine dining experiences. This setup is much different from other resorts that may charge everything to a room number or charge the client directly.
- Room Layouts – Most people have been in a hotel room before, so they know what to expect. Cruise ship rooms, however, are much smaller and may not have as many basic amenities. Yes, there will be a bathroom, but not all rooms have a bathtub. Also, interior rooms don’t have any windows, making them feel a bit more cramped and isolated. So, it’s imperative to highlight these distinctions for first-time cruise passengers.
- Port and Parking Fees – If your clients are driving to the port, they’ll have to pay to park their vehicle for the duration of the cruise. Similarly, they must also pay port fees for any international travel (including to the Bahamas). These fees are non-negotiable, and they don’t count toward your commission rate. Still, it’s imperative to be upfront about any costs so there are no surprises later.
- Passports – While the cruise may start in the US, the ship will cross international waters and enter the jurisdiction of another country. So, all passengers must have a valid passport to travel to any destination. If your clients don’t have a passport already, let them know it can take a few weeks to process their application, so it’s always best to start it as soon as possible.
- Delays and Route Changes – Unfortunately, natural disasters can ravage many ports of call, particularly in the Caribbean. So, depending on when your clients plan to travel, they may encounter changes to their itinerary. For example, they might have to go to a different island than they were planning on, meaning you have to let them know what to expect and whether they can still do the same activities.
How to Be a Successful Carnival Cruise Travel Agent
The bulk of your job as a travel agent is to book accommodations for your clients. However, there are a few ways you can go above and beyond so that you get more referrals, higher commissions, and better customers.
Know Your Cruise Packages
As a Carnival Cruise travel agent, you can book a few cruises for yourself so that you can experience the entire package from start to finish. If you live near a port city, it’s easy to take advantage of the discounts and perks you offer your clients for yourself.
Beyond traveling on a cruise yourself, you should take as much time to research everything from the ship, the port cities, and the activities available on board. Fortunately, as you book more cruises, you’ll learn a little more each time, so after a while, you’ll become an expert. However, doing your homework before booking your first client can start your career on the right foot.
Provide Insights and Tips
If your clients have taken a cruise before, they should know the basic elements. However, you may work with customers who have never set foot on a cruise ship, so it’s imperative to provide as much insight as possible. For example, if they don’t want to pay for overnight parking, you can recommend a workaround (i.e., taking an Uber to the dock from the airport or hotel).
Some people may get seasick on a cruise, even though the ship is large enough to avoid wobbling too much. So, you can provide tips on how to avoid seasickness, either by staying in the center of the ship or taking medication to calm their stomach.
Again, taking these cruises yourself will allow you to learn these tips and tricks firsthand. You can discover ways to make the trip more enjoyable, meaning your clients will use your services again and recommend you to their friends and family.
Establish Relationships With the Cruise Company
One of the best ways to add value to your client’s experience is to offer perks, add-ons, and discounts. If you contact Carnival Cruises directly and notify them of your agent status, you may be able to build a relationship and get access to exclusive offers that other agents wouldn’t get.
This relationship is mutually beneficial because the cruise line gets more customers and you can improve your client’s booking experience. It’s a win-win-win situation because the customer also gets perks that enhance their vacation.
Why Become a Carnival Cruise Travel Agent With Boardwalk Travel?
Technically, if you want to book Carnival Cruises exclusively, you could work with the company directly. However, there are several reasons why it makes more sense to sign up with Boardwalk Travel instead.
High Commission Rates
The average commission rate for a travel agent is around 10 to 20 percent, although you shouldn’t expect to make that much as a newbie. In some cases, agencies may have you work on probation for a month or two before you can start earning commissions.
With Boardwalk Travel, you receive 70 percent of every cruise package you book. This means more money in your pocket and more incentive to work with high-end clients who want luxurious accommodations.
That said, keep in mind that you earn commissions after your clients have taken their trip, not before. So, you’ll need to plan accordingly if most of your customers are booking months in advance.
Lifetime Support
One of the main drawbacks of working with an agency is that you have to pay a monthly or annual fee to use their software and support system. With Boardwalk Travel, you only pay a one-time membership fee, and you get access to everything for life. This way, there’s less pressure to sell packages immediately, and you can go at your own pace.
Flexible Scheduling
While you may want to be a full-time travel agent, it can take a while to build a roster of high-quality clients. Fortunately, you can set your own schedule as an independent agent with Boardwalk Travel. There are no minimum hours to work per week and no minimum sales numbers you have to hit.
This also means you can book packages exclusively for yourself, your friends, and your family if you like. After you get a few bookings under your belt, you can expand your business and start promoting your services to strangers or referrals.
Start Your Career as a Carnival Cruise Travel Agent Today!
Are you ready to become a Carnival Cruise travel agent, as well as have the opportunity to book travel with other amazing resorts and destinations? Join Boardwalk Travel today and see where the open sea can take you. With our world-class assistance and easy-to-use software, you can get your travel agency up and running in no time. We’ll see you on deck!
