Small ships’ big impact

SMALL ship operators and expedition cruise lines have boosted their standing among Australian travel agents, with widespread growth reported by respondents in Cruise Weekly’s 2017 Cruise Industry Survey.

Almost 90% of agents say in the past 12 months expedition cruise sales have equalled or surpassed previous years, while for small ship cruises the figure is 95%.

Compiled by Stollznow Research for Cruise Weekly, the survey has been developed from the responses of 350 travel agents.

It shows the varied perceptions of different lines within the Australian trade and reveals which are considered the best for aspects including training, sales support and commissions.

Among small ship lines, Fred Olsen Cruises was ranked best for overall service, followed by SeaDream Yacht Club, Viking Cruises, Seabourn and Ponant.

The same five lines were also top for training and development, while Viking, Windstar Cruises and Seabourn were considered best for commissions.

Among expedition operators, Crystal Yacht Expeditions, APT, Scenic, Aurora Expeditions and Ponant were considered best for overall rep service.

The same lines were joined by Lindblad Expeditions in the top training category, while the most competitive commissions were attributed to Crystal, Scenic, APT and Ponant.

To enquire about the full report, CLICK HERE.