~~~CRUISES~~~A TUTORIAL DESIGNED TO PROVIDE CONCIERGE

TEAM MEMBERS WITH INFORMATION NEEDED TO FULLY ASSIST CLIENTS WITH CRUISE REQUESTS

TYPES OF CRUISES  OCEAN GOING

  The majority of cruise requests will be for ocean going cruises. These range from 3 day cruises going a short distance such as from Miami to the Bahamas, to long 6 month cruises circumnavigating the entire world

  RIVER

  Cruises that slowly travel along a river are popular, with Europe being a very desirable destination for river cruising. Other sought after destinations; the Nile River in Egypt, Yangtze River in China, and the St. Lawrence Seaway, North America

  EXPEDITION

  A more adventurous, less luxurious cruise that focuses on an exotic destination that is typically quite rugged and not easily reached, such as Antarctica, The Arctic, Galapagos, and remote parts of Alaska

TYPES OF CRUISE LINES  MAINSTREAM  Most requests will be for

mainstream cruises. You can compare this to Holiday Inn’s & Comfort Inn’s and dining at Olive Gardens & Giordano’s

  3 star lodging and dining  $75 - $150 per person

per day, few inclusions

  Carnival, RCCL, NCL, HAL,

PREMIUM  More upscale than the

mainstream cruises. You can compare this to staying at Marriott’s, W, or Hiltons and dining at Shaws Crab & Maggianos

  4 star lodging and dining  $150 - $300 per person

per day, more inclusions

  Princess, Disney, Oceania, Azamara, Celebrity

LUXURY  Very upscale, compare

to staying at Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons hotels and dining at Morton’s, French Laundry or Alinea

  5 star lodging and dining $300 and up per person per day, very inclusive

  Regent, Silversea, Crystal,  Seabourn, Sea Dream

INCLUSIONS DESCRIBED ON FOLLOWING SLIDES

ON-BOARD  LODGING - Suites / Staterooms / Cabins

  DINING -Dining Rooms / Buffets / Poolside Grills / Room Service

  LOUNGES - Bars / Discos / Nightlife / Poolside Service

  PLACES -Pool / Spa & Fitness / Casino / Shops / Internet / Library

  ACTIVITIES - Shows / Games / Contests / Galley Tours / Cooking Demos Zip-lines / Movies / Skeet Shooting / Wave Surfing / Art Auctions Kids - Teen Clubs / Dance Classes / Singles Mixers / Expert LecturesPhotography Lessons / Rock Climbing / Mini Golf / Bowling / Ice Skating / BoxingWind Tunnel Para-Flying / Scuba Lessons / OMG and on & on & on & on & on & on & on ………..

THE ABOVE & SHORE EXCURSIONS ARE COVERED IN THE SECTIONS COMING UP

THINGS TO DO (P-L-E-N-T-Y!!!)

SHIP LAYOUTMultiple Decks; “typical” layouts consistent between ships in general. Embarkation deck fairly low, with front desk - lobby, shops, casino, showroom, restaurant(s). Upper decks open air with pool, spa, al fresco dining, chaise deck chairs, etc. Passenger accommodations on lower decks (ocean view & interior), with middle and upper decks having balcony cabins, suites, and some interior cabins. Staff cabins and ship storage on the lowest decks. Ships range in size from carrying just a couple hundred guests up to 6,300 guests (PLUS staff)!

Typical layout of a deck with all cabins

Typical layout of a lobby deck

PUBLIC AREASA wide variety of ships of different sizes with many different styles…

From grandiose, colorful and overwhelming to subdued, conservative and elegant.

Showrooms Lobbies Dining

PUBLIC AREAS - General

ACCOMMODATIONSSUITES: The largest, most grandiose, most expensive accommodations on board.

99% of the time has a balcony, typically has separate living, sleeping anddining areas. Many extra perks and inclusions such as stocked mini bar, concierge, butler, special dining rooms just for suite guests, etc. In desirableareas of the ship, such as exactly mid-ship, or fore and aft on the corners.A ship can have different types of suites, ranging in size and location, from 300 sq feet up to 2000 square feet, with larger balconies 60 – 300 sq. feet.

BALCONY: Next best thing to a suite, a standard size cabin / stateroom with a balcony that(Veranda) has a sliding glass door. Balcony is typically 40 – 50 sq. feet, with a couple chairs

and a table. The cabin itself is typically 140 – 200 sq. feet, and higher on the ship.

OCEAN Typically about the same as a balcony cabin / stateroom on the same ship, just VIEW: without a balcony. Instead, a window which can range from large ones that take

up half of the exterior wall, to a smaller window to just a very small porthole. Ocean view cabins / staterooms are typically lower on the ship.

INTERIOR: Typically about the same as a balcony and ocean view cabin / stateroom on thesame ship, just NO window as it is on the interior of the ship away from the outerwall. Sometimes, an interior window that overlooks something on board (shops, lobby, etc. OR on new ships, a “virtual” window with a changing digital scene).

ACCOMMODATIONS

Club World Owners Suite

Club Ocean Suite

Club Deluxe Veranda Stateroom

Club Veranda Stateroom

Club Oceanview Stateroom

Club Interior Stateroom

Azamara Quest

Deck 7

SUITES SUITES

INTERIOR

BALCONY OCEANVIEW

STAIRS & ELEVATORS

Within a category (ocean view, balcony, etc.) there are several different sub-categories at different price levels (typically just different areas of the ship)

ACCOMODATIONS - SUITESStateroom: 560 sq. ft. (52 sq m) Veranda: 233 sq. ft. (21.7 sq m)

• Separate living room• Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors• Master bedroom with two lower beds convertible to queen size• Convertible sofa bed in some rooms• Marble master bath with whirlpool tub and shower• Guest bathroom• Veranda• Flat-screen television• DVD/CD player• Refrigerator with mini-bar• Thermostat-controlled air conditioning• Direct-dial telephone and voicemail• Desk• In-room safe• Hand-held hair dryer

Azamara Club World Owners Suite

ACCOMMODATIONS - SUITES

ACCOMMODATIONSBalcony – Ocean View – Interior

Cabins / StateroomsWithin a ship, typically all are similar / same dimensions & furnishings, just different window area configuration (large, small, none or sliding door leading to a private balcony)

Stateroom: 175 sq. ft. Veranda: 40 sq. ft.

Stateroom: 170 sq. ft. Stateroom: 158 sq. ft.

BALCONY OCEAN VIEW INTERIOR

FOOD & BEVERAGE

FOOD & BEVERAGEDINING IS A H-U-G-E PART OF THE CRUISING EXPERIENCE, WITH LEGENDARY BUFFETS

EVEN AT MIDNIGHT, STEAK AND LOBSTER EVEN ON THE LESS EXPENSIVE CRUISES.

Most, but not all food is included on cruises !!(with the exception of top of the line luxury cruises that include everything)

SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS: Many ships have a few restaurants where there is a slight upcharge to dine at, ranging from a few $$ to dine at a brand name restaurant such as Johnny Rockets to $30 to dine in a steakhouse with Prime steaks, or a sushi bar, etc.

BEVERAGE / NIGHTLIFEBeverage service and nightlife are a huge part of a cruise. Most mainstream cruises do NOT include alcoholic beverages, and many do not even include carbonated beverages like coke, 7-Up, Perrier etc. They do include coffee, tea, bulk fruit punch and iced tea typically. The higher caliber the cruise line, the more included beverages (some include house wines with meals, some include all wine any time, etc.) Beverage service is everywhere, poolside while sunbathing, dining rooms, casinos, and even during shows with most cruise lines “pushing” drinks by ubiquitous servers. Of course, bars & lounges serve beverages all day and night along with having entertainment of all kinds, such as….

Live Music and Dancing

~~~BEVERAGES~~~

Piano Bars

Jazz Lounges

Pool Bars

Karaoke

Sports Bars

Swim-up Pool Bars Pool Parties

WHILE ON BOARD IN GENERALTHE PREVIOUS SLIDES OUTLINED THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF A CRUISE SHIP

THIS SLIDE IS ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT WHILE ON BOARD.

A Cruise ship is all about choices; where and when to eat, what activity you want to participate in, if and when you want to leave the ship while in port, etc.

A daily schedule is put into every cabin the night before which provides the full schedule of events for the next day. If you choose to participate you get to that area at the designated time / range of time to do so. There is a public address system that provides reminders on a regular basis about “major” / popular events.

Cruise ships are “cashless”, you charge everything you want to buy to your cabin / suite and pay the bill for those incidental charges (drinks that aren’t included, spa, shopping, excursions, etc.) when you “check out” at the end of the cruise.

Often there are special supervised programs for children & teens, so parents can be assured their kids are supervised and having fun with others within their age group, allowing them to have their own fun. Babysitters are typically available for a fee.

DESTINATIONSCRUISE SHIPS GO ALMOST ANYWHERE WHERE THE WATER IS DEEP ENOUGH, FROM NARROW RIVERS TO WIDE OPEN OCEANS. POPULAR DESTINATIONS:

CARIBBEAN - (Further broken down by Southern, Western & Eastern) MEDITERRANEAN – (Further broken down by Eastern & Western) EUROPE – Many navigable rivers, the Baltic Sea north of mainland Europe,

Scandinavia and the United Kingdom. ALASKA HAWAII WESTERN MEXICO ASIA – (Southeast in particular, especially around the Malay Peninsula – Thailand, Vietnam,

Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia…) SOUTH PACIFIC – (Australia, New Zealand, Bora Bora, Tahiti, Moorea…) SOUTH / CENTRAL AMERICA TRANSATLANTIC / REPOSITIONING CRUISE There are numerous cruises of this nature, which do not spend much time at any destination, but have many days at sea. I.E., when a ship leaves the Mediterranean at the end of summer season and goes to the Caribbean to spend the winter. This trip may leave Spain, spend 6 days at sea, maybe stop at a Caribbean island or two, and end up in Miami. The ship may do the same trip in reverse come spring. These are usually much less expensive per day and are favored by cruisers who like to hang out on the ship. Alaskan Cruise ships leave at the end of summer, and go down to western Mexico / South America. Etc….

SHORE EXCURSIONS

SHORE EXCURSIONSOF COURSE, GOING ON SHORE TO EXPLORE THE PORT AREA OR EVEN FARTHER AWAY

WITHIN THE REGION IS A HUGE DRAW, A BIG PART OF WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE TO CRUISE. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS A CRUISER CAN GO ABOUT THIS:

ON OWN - A cruiser can simply walk off the ship any time they want and explore on their own, walking, taking a cab, or engaging the services of a

local vendor that provides excursions on a walk up basis.

CRUISE LINE - A cruiser can purchase an excursion that is operated by the cruise line, EXCURSIONS doing so well in advance, or (if available) while on board.

INDEPENDENT - A cruiser can purchase an excursion in advance from an operator that

EXCURSIONS sells / operates excursions from those ports (think Viator, etc. )

SHORE EXCURSIONSADDITIONAL POINTS

All passengers must have a passport and at times an entry visa to get into a country. Visa’s are done in advance, either individually or en masse by the cruise line on a “blanket” visa. Immigrations will come aboard to do their final manifest / passport (passports are collected at embarkation and held by the cruise ship for immigration) inspection & approval BEFORE anybody disembarks. This enables passengers to come & go at will just by showing their cruise cabin key. If a person isn’t allowed into a country, they won’t be allowed to board.

Cruise line excursions are typically the most expensive. Their primary advantage; if an excursion encounters difficulty and cannot get back to the ship on time (vehicle accident, roadway washed out, horrible traffic, etc.) the cruise ship will be notified and they will delay departure until that excursion gets back. Also, as the ship controls disembarkation and can authorize transportation to come right up to the ship, they can offer their excursion guests the ability to get off the ship first, and to walk just a very short distance to their ground transportation which can pull right up to the ship. SOME large outside excursions companies also provide a guarantee to customers; if they don’t get you back to the ship on time, they will pay to fly you to the next port of call and a hotel as needed. A nice guarantee, but you still miss the boat for that night (or two) and being unexpected, you won’t have any spare clothes, toiletries and perhaps medications you need.

GENERAL CRUISE FACTOIDS

IN 2013 THERE WERE 475,000 BERTHS / BEDS AVAILABLE ON ALL CRUISE SHIPSIN 2018 IT IS PROJECTED WITH CURRENT SHIPBUILDING, THERE WILL BE 553,000

IN 2012 MORE THAN 20 MILLION PASSENGERS SAILED ON CRUISE SHIPSIN 2012 $42 BILLION WAS INFUSED INTO THE US ECONOMY BY CRUISE LINESIN 2012 THERE WERE 365,000 US WORKERS EMPLOYED EARNING $17.4 BILLION

AS OF OCT 2014 THERE ARE 32 CRUISE SHIPS ON ORDER WITH SHIP BUILDERS, INCLUDING AN EXACT REPLICA OF THE TITANIC SCHEDULED FOR 2016

THE LARGEST CRUISE SHIPS ARE OWNED BY ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINES, 2 ‘”SISTER” SHIPS; THE OASIS OF THE SEAS AND THE ALLURE OF THE SEAS. EACH HAS 16 DECKS, CAN HOLD UP TO 6,360 PASSENGERS, HAS A CREW OF 2,394,AND 4 DINING ROOMS, WITH THE LARGEST HOLDING UP TO 3,056 DINERS. (Compare to the 110 story Willis Tower which holds 12,000 occupants, so imagine the first 80 stories lying on its side floating on an ocean as being an accurate comparison to these largest cruise ships). Ship is 1,186 feet long, Willis is 1,451 feet tall.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…The previous slides provide full information on cruising, enabling you the concierge to fully assist clients who call in for cruise reservations. The remainder of this presentation is about using the knowledge you have learned to take care of the clients needs thoroughly and professionally.

I’m thinking about taking a cruise, can you

help me?

I certainly can Mr. Cardmember, my pleasure! My name is Rosa….

PROMOTIONS, PERKS & SALES

PROMOTIONS, PERKS & SALESThere are a myriad of promos, perks & sales within the cruise industry. Typically cardmembers are well aware of these, however they may not fully understand them.Some are not specific to just the cruise industry (prices from, up to, free upgrades, etc.)

PRICES FROM - Many cruise ships do the exact same sailing for many weeks in a row. The lowest possible price advertised is date specific. It may be for

next week, or during the heart of Hurricane season. Prices may be much higher on the dates the cardmember is asking for.

UP TO - This is used frequently when promoting perks like on board spending credit and discounts. Advertising of course shows the highest amount possible. When you see “up to” $500 on board credit, or discount, that typically means if you book a suite. If you book a balcony cabin, perhaps just $400, oceanview maybe $300, etc.

UPGRADE - You need to be careful and look at the details closely. Many times it is an upgrade within the same category, such as pay for the lowest

oceanview category and get an upgrade to the next level oceanview cabin. Sometimes it can mean upgrade to the next category (oceanview up to balcony, etc.)

FREEBIES - Cruise lines may offer some “freebies” such as free gratuities, free air, free pre / post hotel, free ground transfers.THESE ARE ALL EASILY FOUND AND HEAVILY ADVERTISED!!!!

PROMOTIONS, PERKS & SALESSPECIAL REDUCED RATES INCLUDE: Senior, Resident of a specific state / province, Past Guest of that cruise line, Military, Firefighter, Teacher.

Not all cruise lines offer these, and if they do they are capacity controlled (only so many discounts per sailing are allowed).

Once they hit that allotment they withdraw the discounts for future bookings, even if it is a past guest who is a senior that is a teacher in the military and a part time firefighter living in a state that would have qualified for a discount.

Combinability of promotions and discounts is an important issue! You may not be able to combine some of the various promotions and

discounts, make sure you look over those details carefully!

WHEN THE PHONE RINGSQuite often a cardmember knows exactly what cruise they want.

• They are price shopping and looking for expert advice and service.

If the cardmember does not know exactly what sailing they want, they typically have a specific date range and destination(s) in mind.

As a concierge you are trained to provide exceptional service and give advice!

It is very important to let that “shine through” in your conversation. At this point they are looking for expertise and confidence, assessing who they want to spend thousands of dollars with. They want to work with someone who can help them pick out a good cabin or suite, perhaps help them with air reservations and ground transfers. They are trying to find somebody who they can feel confident working with on this cruise vacation, someone they believe can provide accurate information and get all of the details taken care of properly with them and the cruise line.

WHILE ON THE INITIAL CALL IF A CARDMEMBER KNOWS WHAT SHIP THEY WANT:

• Get full contact information, and if they are military, past guest, etc.• Get the cruise info; Line, Sail Date, Port of Departure• Find out how many people are cruising, and ages of children & seniors traveling• Ask if they know what cabin type(s) (Suite, Balcony, Oceanview, Interior) desired• Find out their nearest / preferred airport they are traveling from• If they are NOT past guests, find out if anyone has cruised before in general

IF A CARDMEMBER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT SAILING THEY WANT:

• Get their full contact information and if they are military, past guest, etc.• Find out the region they want to visit and date range• Find out how many people are cruising, and ages of children & seniors travelling• Find out if anyone has cruised before in general, if so with what Cruise line(s)• Ask if they know what cabin type (s) (Suite, Balcony, Oceanview, Interior) desired• Find out their nearest / preferred airport they are traveling from

AFTER THE INITIAL CALL IF A CARDMEMBER KNOWS WHAT SAILING THEY WANT:

• Check with cruise line (on line, via phone or through whatever approved reservation system is currently being used) to find out price & availability.

• Contact Cardmember and provide that information in the manner they requested. If via e-mail, create a document similar to what you do for hotel requests, include a photo of the ship and cabin type, itinerary and pricing. (please note, occasionally a cardmember will want to book a cruise on the initial call. If so, you do the same thing while client is still on the phone)

IF A CARDMEMBER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT SAILING THEY WANT:

• Check on a general search engine (such as Orbitz, Expedia, or whatever approved reservation system is currently being used) for sailings that meet their parameters (in the region they want during the desired date range)

• Once you narrow down your choices, finding out what cruise lines / ships will work out then go check with the cruise line for price and availability. Contact Cardmember and provide that information in the manner they requested. If via e-mail, create a document similar to what you do for hotel requests, include a photo of the ship and cabin type, itinerary and pricing.

CARDMEMBER FOLLOW-UPThen you go about gathering the information requested and getting it back

to the Cardmember within the specified timeframe given.

*FULFILLMENT TIMES:

• For a cruise departing very soon (within a few weeks): 4 – 8 hours• If the exact sailing is known and it’s a month or more out: 8-24 hours• If the exact sailing is not known and it’s a month or more out: 24 – 48

hours

As is standard you provide the information in the format desired by the cardmember (in writing or via phone). If in writing, you would create a .pdf document in the same fashion that you would do for hotel quotes; information on the sailing dates, cruise ships, itinerary, pricing and cancellation penalties. Include pictures of the ship and the cabin / suite category discussed, along with a brief written description of the ship and cabin / suite category.

THIS IS ALL READILY AVAILABLE ON THE CRUISE LINE WEBSITES!*Fulfillment time may vary depending on contractual obligations

BOOKING THE CRUISECongratulations, you have sold your first cruise!! This is a very exciting moment for a cardmember, much more so than you are used to from booking air or hotel, a very fulfilling request that you can feel proud that you have accomplished.

Booking a cruise is a fairly complex process and not something that we will go over at this time. Once you get to this point, an experienced concierge will do this together with you, slowly and in a method designed to provide you “on the job” training so that you will know how to book subsequent cruises.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!