For many agencies today, efficiency is the name of the game. Anything that can help save some time or effort is a positive.
MAST Travel Network is introducing a cruise booking engine, Agent Connect, to help members book cruises more efficiently. The Traveltek-powered engine was announced during the consortium’s recent conference.
John Werner, MAST’s president, said the consortium’s members have been booking cruises in a variety of ways: cruise lines’ booking platforms are a popular one, but so is the phone.
“Forty to 50% of the bookings are still by phone,” Werner said.
While there’s nothing wrong with making a booking by phone, it can take more time than booking online. And, he said, MAST can decrease the percentage of phone bookings with Agent Connect.
“It’s obviously more efficient if you can do it yourself online,” he said.
Also, with a single cruise-booking platform, advisors won’t have to learn multiple cruise lines’ platforms, he said.
Agent Connect also addresses another area.
“The new agencies that are joining us as new members, and the kind of younger travel advisors coming into the industry, they want to have those tools,” Werner said. “They want to have access to those kinds of tools. They’re very comfortable with that.”
Cruise sales — both for ocean and river cruises — were strong for MAST last year and have continued to be so this year. Indeed, cruise is leading the way in terms of percentage of growth compared with other segments.
Werner believes that new ships, like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, are definitely driving hype among consumers. But at the end of the day, the onboard experience is likely what’s driving such strong results for the segment, he said.
Cruises attract all kinds of demographics, and while there are some upcharge experiences, a lot is included in a cruise fare. The entertainment onboard is also varied and of high caliber. And cruise lines’ private beach destinations in the Caribbean are a draw, as well, Werner said.
“Those three elements are really attracting a lot of cruisers,” he said.