·                         Best Adventure Ship

·                         Best Small Ship

·                         Best Cuisine

In my opinion, the award that showcases how highly our guests regard our onboard product is the Cuisine Award. We are competing with all of the big ships - QM2, Princess, Crystal, Regent Ships etc, and whilst they have 10s of thousands of past guests voting for their favourite ship and specific product areas, clearly our guests feel passionate about their culinary experiences onboard Orion and vote accordingly.

Congratulations to everyone onboard Orion for your continuing commitment to excellence. And congratulations to all those ashore for providing service levels commensurate to that enjoyed onboard our wonderful little ship Orion." said a very proud Managing Director, Sarina Bratton.

Cruise West offers Free Air or Air Credit, Waived or Reduced Single Supplement and 50 Percent Off for Kids - see the world by small-ship

Cruise West (www.cruisewest.com), the world's leading provider of small-ship explorations to the most fascinating destinations on earth,is offering unprecedented savings for all 24 individual voyages (ranging from nine- to 19-nights) that combine to form the epic world adventure, Voyages of the Great Explorers. 

Whether your clients are eyeing a trip to Italy, North America's East Coast, the Mediterranean, Greek isles, India, Egypt or London there is tremendous value offered in this landmark year.  Guests will save up to $1,550 per person ($3,100 per cabin) and receive FREE round trip international airfare from select U.S. Cities: San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD), Washington D.C. (IAD or DCA) and New York (JFK), Houston (IAH) or Seattle (SEA) or an air credit of $750 per person by booking and paying in full by January 15, 2010.  The free air or air credit is valid for Voyages 1 through 18 of the 24-voyage segments of the Voyages of the Great Explorers.

Choose between four 11- though 14-day cruises at special rates only available until April 30, 2010. Ask about the special two-week "Wake of the Vikings" trip, taking travelers from Reykjavik, to Greenland and ending in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the first Europeans actually landed in North America.

Book Now and Save 10%!*

With over 116 years of experience navigating these waters, Hurtigruten is THE first choice for providing an unparalleled vacation experience in some of the world's most untamed lands.

 

For more information, call 866-840-4624 or visit www.hurtigruten.us.

 

*Early booking rates are per person, double occupancy, capacity controlled, cruise only, valid for N. American residents only, subject to change or withdrawal at any time and must be booked by April 30, 2010.

 

Destination specialist Voyages of Discovery announces the launch of their Spring/Summer/Fall 2010 brochure with up to 20% savings and low-cost air add-ons of $199 to $399 from select gateway cities. To support the brochure launch guests receive an additional 10% savings when booked by February 1, 2010.

 

For Fall 2010 mv Discovery returns to Iberia, Italy, the Adriatic and Black Sea. Starting with a 20-night Grand Iberia & Italy cruise departing Harwich (London), guests leave North America on Sept 3 for a two-night pre-cruise London hotel stay before boarding the ship. This itinerary includes port calls in Lisbon; Gibraltar; Almeria, Spain; an overnight in Nice; Santa Margherita, Livorno (Florence & Pisa); Civitavecchia (Rome); Sorrento; Palermo, Catania, Sicily; and ends in Valletta, Malta.

 

Prices start at $4,271 per person. Special rates for single travelers are also available. Discovery Club members enjoy an additional 5% savings.

 

Winter 2009/10 and Summer 2010 cruise itineraries and pricing are available online at www.voyagesofdiscovery.com. Summer 2010 brochures are available and can be ordered from the website. A pdf of these brochures is also available for downloading and customizing through the site.  

 

For reservations contact Voyages of Discovery at 866-623-2689 or visit us at www.voyagesofdiscovery.com. Email: sales@voyagesofdiscovery.com

What Does it Cost ???

So many times I answer the phone, "Hello, Linda, Sunstone Tours". "Hi, I saw your information on the small ship cruises, what does it cost?"

I am sure you have heard this question and hopefully you know NOT to answer. This small ship prospective client has not been to Costco, they are not price shopping, they are not looking for the extra $10 discount. They are honestly asking the question. So, here is where all your knowledge and selling skills come into play. Your job is to show the value of what they are going to experience for the higher than mega ship price. Ask your questions, qualify the client, keep in mind a percentage will flip with the price and let them go, the small ship experience is not for everyone. But to those of interest your main objective is to prove value of the experience.

Discuss destination above all, focus on the different experiences the small ship provides. Mention "up close and personal", glaciers, stepping over sea lions, connecting with the natives. Once they can picture themselves in the middle of the destination then you can move to the ship experience. If you still have their interest mention, what is included, Cruise West provides transfers, gratuities, shore excursions, American Cruise Line provides wine with lunch and dinner. Learn these little extras, they add to the value of their experience. Pre or post hotel nights, air included, lunch in the wine cave, dinner with the minister of tourism, know a few of the unique extras that each destination and each cruise line offers.

You can always get back to them in a few minutes with a price, but you have leave them thinking value, inclusions, destination, education, activities, lectures etc all the reasons they are coming to you and asking about the price of the small ship in the first place.

Linda Androlia

Sunstone Tours & Cruises