Group Cruising is a top-selling niche. In fact, many advisors base their entire business model on this specialization. Certainly, there is much potential for groups with cruise vacations, and there is an ease to this focus. That being said, there also are complexities you must understand before signing your first agreement.
The Travel Institute’s NEW Group Travel Specialist Course will arm you with vital information before you handle your first cruise group. In collaboration with many group travel advisors and with Oceania Cruises, we created a lesson exploring the nuts and bolts of cruise groups.
The following is an excerpt of the information you will learn.
What Constitutes a Cruise Group?
A cruise group often refers to a minimum number of passengers sailing together under the same booking.
Here are typical cruise group characteristics:
- Minimum Number of Passengers: Cruise lines often specify a minimum number of passengers—typically from eight to 16—required to qualify as a group. The specific number may depend on factors like the cruise line, ship capacity, and itinerary. For example, many luxury cruise lines have a lower booking requirement based on the capacity of the ship, whereas larger oceangoing vessels may require more passengers to constitute a group. There also are benefits—such as a free berth or additional commission—the cruise lines offer based on the number of cabins booked.
- Shared Booking: Group members usually book their cruise travel as part of a single reservation or booking. This means the entire group’s reservations are linked, allowing them to be managed and coordinated together.
- Common Purpose or Connection: Groups can have a common interest or connection that brings them together for the cruise. This can include family reunions, corporate events, educational programs, wedding parties, social clubs, affinity groups, or special interest groups. There also are speculative groups where agents take out group space and sell it to the general public. Host agencies and consortia regularly take out group space on behalf of the agency that any of their agents can book into.
- Group Amenities and Benefits: Cruise lines offer various incentives that can include discounted rates, onboard credits, exclusive group activities, private events, dedicated meeting spaces, and customized itineraries. The amenities offered will depend on the length of the cruise, its price point, the type of cabins being booked, and other factors defined by the cruise line. Some popular amenities include free beverage packages, prepaid gratuities, paid shore excursions, and free wi-fi.
PRO TIP: Ask probing questions up front with your group leaders/Pied Pipers. What is their goal with this trip? If it is to a winery, they may be looking to provide value-add and exclusive experiences to their wine club members to encourage them to remain loyal. Therefore, exclusive onboard wine-pairing dinners or private tours ashore to local wineries may be important to them. On Oceania Cruises, you have the opportunity to negotiate cash donations to the group for every booking made. Once you have that intelligence, you can formulate the agreement letter between you and the group leader to manage expectations. Only share what you need to. Group leaders do not need to know how much commission you are making!
- Group Policies and Terms: Cruise lines may have specific policies and terms covering areas like payment schedules, cancellation policies, group dining arrangements, and additional services tailored to group travel.
It’s important to consult each cruise line’s specific policies and guidelines to understand the criteria for group bookings. Cruise line BDMs are a great resource when it comes to creating groups and understanding the nuances of group space.
We hope you enjoyed this tip. Enroll today to embark on a journey toward becoming a trusted leader in group travel experiences.
