How to work in the Cruise Industry

Transcription

1 How to work in the Cruise Industry A guide for tourism operators It should be noted that to successfully market your product to the cruise market takes time and effort, and your success will, in part, be dependent on your undertaking appropriate research to ensure you understand the structure of the sector and the stakeholders you will need to liaise with. ach cruise ship caters for a different market segment or target market, thus you need to understand these potential customers (be they the cruise passengers specifically or each of the cruise companies visiting Australia generally) and their respective needs and expectations. If your goal is to have your product offered as a hore xcursion (hore-x) it is important to be aware of the rules of engagement between your business and the cruise ship companies. For example: disembarkation and embarkation procedures; delivering your clients back to the ship at the appointed time; ensuring you hold the appropriate licences and insurance; providing appropriate nett rates and offering appropriate terms and conditions; tailoring/adapting your product as required; and, wherever possible, overdelivering on your service. ord of mouth is gold for this sector. Cruise ship passengers are avid talkers and social media users and given the extremely high rates of repeat cruising, the cruise ship companies are by necessity very responsive to their clients feedback. 1

2 CUI IIBUI F A UPP C Cruise pecialist or ravel Agent Cruise ine Inbound our perator (also known as hore-x) PUC (P/UPPI) and Port facility CUI I PI (he tructure) CUI I() e.g. Carnival, P&, oyal Caribbean IBU P (I)/ H-X P e.g. Abercrombie and ent, Australian utback ravel (A), Bob ood Cruise roup A & AIA I AIAI/I P (UPPI) + H e.g. Australian Cruise Association (A) Cruise Passengers oday s raveller he following information on oday s raveller was provided by oby Biddick, anager and Programs and hore xcursions, Abercrombie & ent. ravellers needs have changed significantly over the past decade and cruise passengers requirements have changed in line with these, in general terms they: U I Bigger cars/bigger roads High life, parties Full agenda, hyper-activity Jet set Fast forward Artificial islands Advantages, raking it in Jimmy Choos I o traffic Cooking and reading Plenty of time et to low down Unspoilt nature Fairness Barefoot ravellers today are looking to experience something that I will always want to tell hey want the experience to be personal and individualised. hey want more than a pre-packaged offering. hey are confident in independence. For them comfort is paramount. hey work hard thus want a hassle-free holiday. ime, attentiveness, peace & space are the new luxury goods. 60 is the new 40. hey seek choices in and around: nature retail opportunities soft adventure exclusive access. he International Cruise Passenger will be a mix of nationalities (decreasing orth American domination, increasing number of uropeans, outh Americans and Asians) are generally well-travelled are generally affluent, sophisticated travellers are increasingly more active they are keen to get out and explore are often repeat passengers (with significant brand loyalty to their chosen cruise company). he Australian (omestic) Cruise Passenger is relatively new to cruising tends to constantly compare hore-x (tour) prices with similar online product and prices is very happy to go off on their own as they feel they already know Australian destinations will purchase if the offer is compelling that is, not something they would ordinarily be able to experience has preconceived ideas of Australian destinations so you will need to surprise them and break down preconceived stereotypes/perceptions of asmania. 2

3 he nature of hore xcursions hese are the official on shore tours offered by the cruise ship companies. he hore-x (tours) are pre-booked by the cruise passengers either at the time of booking their cruise holiday, on-line pre-departure or on-board prior to arrival in port. Availability and content of hore-x (tours) is generally determined by the cruise ship companies through their hore-x/i partner on a charter basis, ensuring the tours offered are tailored to the needs of their particular clients. nce tours are agreed and contracted at the destination, the cruise ship companies are able to offer a wide range of targeted pre-determined/pre-costed programs which they then heavily promote prior to the ship s arrival at port. hore-x (tours) are considered an extremely important revenue stream for the cruise ship companies. Participating in hore-x programs ensures security for the operator/supplier in that you know in advance anticipated numbers, inclusions/exclusions and payment arrangements, and of course your product is promoted to the passengers prior the ship s arrival at port. hore-x (tours) also provide security for the passengers. hey are able to familiarise themselves with the itinerary, inclusions etc. prior to arrival; they know the tours have been checked and are of high-quality; and most importantly, they are aware that the ship will wait for them if for some reason the tour is held up, and the cruise ship company will address issues on their behalf should they arise. hore xcursion trends It has become increasingly challenging for the cruise ship companies to encourage passengers to undertake a shore excursion. he quality of cruise lines pre-cruise and on-board marketing/information and the uniqueness of the hore- x (tours) on offer are increasingly important aspects, thus offering a compelling tour with appropriate inclusions and providing the I/hore-x with enough in-depth and appealing content to enable them to market your product effectively is critical. here has been a growth in FI (independent) passengers, with domestic passengers in particular making their own arrangements once they arrive at the destination. Cruise passengers are increasingly price and value conscious, however they will still expect high quality tours. ey points to remember ifferent cruise lines have different target markets. ifferent nationalities travel with different cruise lines. ou need to keep evolving and be flexible. It s all about an experience. ry to carve a niche for yourself; don t just offer something that can be found in other ports/destinations; play to asmania s strengths. ork closely with the I/hore-x to win the business. his is a relationship building exercise and it takes time. ot everyone has a product that is suitable for group sightseeing. ot everyone on the ship wants to take a group sightseeing excursion. H BII A BI PC (how the I/hore-x work with the cruise company and the supplier) equest from cruise company for a Program to be delivered at each port is received by the I/ hore-x 6-12 months out. I/hore-x is appointed by the cruise company and a tour program is agreed six months out. I/hore-x then secures services from suppliers (i.e. tourism operators) holding inventory at that time. C PUC I I H Bookings for shore excursions made prior to departure are passed over to the ship s hore-x team to manage on board (5-14 days out). hip s hore-x manager liaises with I on the progress of further tour sales. his is ongoing. uests continue to book and cancel tours. hey can and do change their mind prior to arrival in port (up until 24 hours prior). 3

4 H H IBU P (I) H-X? Abercrombie & ent oby Biddick, anager and Programs & hore xcursions elbourne mail: tbiddick@abercrombiekent.com.au Abercrombie & ent hawn ilva, Cruise Account anager elbourne mail: sdsilva@abercrombiekent.com.au Bob ood Cruise roup Jodi Pilborough old Coast mail: cruising@sthpactours.com.au Intercruises artin Bidgood, egional irector Australia ydney mail: m.bidgood@intercruises.com he reasons why cruise ship companies use a I/hore-x partner It is too complex and time consuming for them to contact each individual operator/supplier at each destination for each itinerary. he geographic distance and time difference between the respective cruise ship Head ffices and each port destination would make individual liaison cost prohibitive. Ultimately the cruise ship companies need to utilise an intermediary to ensure seamless coordination prior to and at the destination. For this reason, the cruise ship companies task their I/hore-x with overall contracting and logistical control of the shore excursions being offered. Although cruise ship companies tend to engage an I/hore-x on an annual basis, they do often utilise the same I/hore-x over many years. his enables them to offer their passengers the best itineraries and prices. It also gives them peace of mind in that they know their passengers are going to be well cared for, as the relationship between the tourism products (suppliers) and the I/hore-x strengthens over time. hings operators/suppliers need to consider if they want to work with I/hore-x ou will need to hold (and prove that you have) appropriate insurance and licencing. ou will need to be flexible due to factors outside the control of the cruise ship companies i.e. weather conditions. ou need to be aware that ship departure times and itineraries may be amended at the last minute given all asmanian port arrivals are part of a larger itinerary. ou need to take into account the relevant regulations and security requirements that need to be adhered to by both the ship and government authorities, and that these impact on the way the cruise companies may offer your tour to their passengers. ou need to take into consideration that nett pricing and related commissions correlate to the large numbers of passengers being delivered to you by the cruise ship companies, the logistics involved in setting up and managing the programs and the fact that the hore-x (tours) are promoted to a large targeted audience at no cost to you. Pricing your product when working with an I/hore-x emember the Is/hore-x companies provide a valuable distribution and coordination role; their relationship with the cruise ship company enables your product to be fast-tracked directly to the cruise passengers. ue to the complexity and comprehensive nature of the servicing the I/hore-x provides, the commission levels required can be up to 30%, remembering that the cruise ship company also receives a proportion of this commission (you provide nett rates to the I/ hore-x). he product and price you offer to the I/hore-x should be an exclusive offer wherever possible, preferably not available for purchase by those cruise ship passengers who may come direct to you, or a product that you offer for sale on the day via the asmanian ravel and Information Centre or a similar distributor. 4

5 hat operators/suppliers need to do et rates competitively and be consistent. ever set rates for I/hore-x that result in your tour being more expensive than the retail rate for the same tour unless you provide an additional value-add e.g. a meal, a drink, a memento. Include rate validity dates in all communications e.g. 1 ctober April utline cancellation charges if applicable (remember these need to take into consideration that changes may occur, and these are often outside the control of the I/hore- x and the cruise ship company). Include child rates and applicable ages e.g years. Have a Free of Charge (FC) policy for groups that accommodates the I/hore-x appointed tour guide (usually one FC for every 15 paying passengers). Be V clear on the inclusions and exclusions for your tour Include details relating to access and fitness levels. Advise of minimum and maximum guest capacity i.e. will you still run the tour with two persons? pecify departure times and departure and drop-off points for all components in the itinerary. pecify payment policy (note: payments are unlikely to be receipted by you less than 30 days after travel), AB and bank account details. Include any special conditions or block out dates well in advance in writing. hings operators/suppliers should do Commissions should not be considered as a discount; it is a marketing cost that enables you to work with the cruise ship companies. In short, it is the price you pay the I/ hore-x for making your product available to their cruise passengers. ther ways to be involved here is a growing market for small group private tours, so contact the hore-x to explore options. Private tours are a big part of any port visit so make sure your product is available online. verlands (where cruise passengers take a tour from one port and re-join the ship in another e.g. take a tour from Hobart to Burnie) provide opportunities for operators further way from the ports. Hotel programs (specifically for passengers arriving in the port of cruise departure) may be an option in the future. hat is the Australian Cruise Association (A)? he A is the cruise industry marketing brand for Australia and the Pacific region. It is made up of 81 members and represents regional ports, national and state tourism agencies, Is/hore-x and others dedicated to making the region a major world-class base and destination for cruise vessels. ach year the A holds an A and Cruise Conference, and attends Cruise hipping iami, the largest cruise conference and trade show in the world. he A also arranges famils to promote the destination to cruise ship executives, produces an annual conomic Impact Assessment for the cruise industry in Australia, and advocates on behalf of the industry to government. Contact: Jill Abel, eneral anager Phone: (03) mail: ceo@australiancruiseassociation.com irectly targeting cruise passengers prior to arrival nsure your website is information rich with content tailored toward cruise passengers, and that it contains effective key words that will deliver search engine optimisation. nsure you communicate a level of confidence to cruise passengers, letting them know of your experience, professionalism, knowledge of the destination and understanding of the needs of the respective cruise ships e.g. security arrangements, disembarkation procedure, etc. Use Facebook, witter, Instagram, and other social media sites; upload your guest book comments online; and have your guests share their experiences online via rip Advisor. ngage with sites such as Cruise Critic and provide suggested experiences for potential clients. Be prepared to adapt your product/departure times etc. to suit the needs of the respective cruise ship passenger profiles. 5

6 argeting last minute passengers Approximately 45% of passengers do not pre-book tour options prior to arriving in port. enerally they make their way to the asmanian ravel and Information Centre in Hobart and the akers orkshop in Burnie on arrival. Both these centres offer tour operators/suppliers the opportunity to be part of the cruise ship program. F IFAI C: Alex Heroys anager, asmanian ravel and Information Centre () City of Hobart : (03) : : alex.heroys@hobarttravelcentre.com.au Alison Burgess, Visitor ervices Co-ordinator, akers orkshop Burnie City Council : (03) : : aburgess@burnie.net Visiting Cruise hips IVA CUI hore xcursion perator: Bob ood Cruise roup Carnival egend and Carnival pirit Passengers: 2,124 Crew: 930 pirit is based year-round in Australia. Both ships are geared to the Australian market, for example with a BBQ on the top deck. CU I hore xcursion perator: Bob ood Cruise roup Queen ary 2 Passengers: 2,620 Crew: 1,253 As the name suggests, this vessel was built for royalty and offers a high-end premium experience for guests. CBI CUI hore xcursion perator: Intercruises Celebrity olstice Passengers: 2,850 Crew: 1,500 Family friendly with a multi-national mix, but increasing domestic/z passengers. Also an increasing number of Chinese passengers which are (anecdotally) Australian nationals travelling with family from Hong ong, ingapore or mainland China. CUI & II VA hore xcursion perator: Intercruises Astor Passengers: 650 Crew: 300 International passengers, mostly uropean. asmanian port call comes towards the end of a 38 day journey through Africa. HA- hore xcursion perator: A uropa Passengers: 408 Crew: 275 uropa 2 Passengers: 516 Crew: 370 Premium and luxury cruising. uropa won Best Cruise hip 12 years in a row. HA I I hore xcursion perator: Abercrombie & ent oordam Passengers: 1,916 Crew: 800 aasdam Passengers: 1,258 Crew: 580 egularly visit asmania. ainly international passengers; high percentage of orth Americans. 6

7 IA F hore xcursion perator: Intercruises irena Passengers: 690 Crew: 370 ecently refurbished; high-end. P& CUI AAIA hore xcursion perator: Bob ood Cruise roup Pacific Jewel Passengers: 1,950 Crew: 621 Pacific den Passengers: 1,258 Crew: 557 Australia s own domestic brand caters for Australian families (although no children on Pacific den) and retirees. PHIX I hore xcursion perator: Insight Australia ravel Artania Passengers: 1,260 Crew: 520 erman-operated. o children. P CUI hore xcursion perator: Bob ood Cruise roup awn Princess Passengers: 1,990 Crew: 900 Based in Brisbane year-round. ostly Australian passengers. merald Princess Passengers: 3,100 Crew: 1,200 Caters for a mix of international and domestic. even day asmanian itinerary. olden Princess Passengers: 2,636 Crew: 1,100 Family fun and older couples. un Princess Passengers: 2,010 Crew: 924 ulti-generational. ow-key, affordable cruising. AA hore xcursion perator: Intercruises he orld Passengers: 200 Crew: 280 his is the world s largest privately owned residential yacht. Very high-end. A IB I hore xcursion perator: Intercruises Azamara Journey Passengers: 694 Crew: 407 enerally high-end, destination-focussed cruising. lder professionals adiance of the eas Passengers: 2,501 Crew: 870 ostly international, although increasing domestic passengers. Family friendly. vation of the eas Passengers: 4,900 Crew: 2,500 U, U and Australian casual cruising with a lot of entertainment and activities on board. Please note the cruise ship company s chosen hore xcursion perator may change from year to year. 7

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Indulge in our restaurant or gift shop featuring asmanian VI craftsmanship rtbg.tas.gov.au U U H A H HAB HI CUI A AAIA I VI Forgotten to pack something? eed a C 12 lizabeth treet Pier ach cruise ship passenger with a cruise ship I card will receive a half price cruise on the boat only, excludes the lunch cruise. only a 10min walk from the Cruise erminal 8 All your pharmacy, travel, health and beauty needs at the best prices, guaranteed! mitten, Casaveen and hite um ool. Z erinomink. Find yarn, felt and accessories for your next craft project. A Arguably the best fish and chips in Australia ime agazine ept 2009 njoy great coffee, handmade pies, delicious sweets, sandwiches and friendly service U all in the comfort of a renovated and historic warehouse built by convicts nearly 200 years ago. F I. pen 6am-6pm. quare alamanca U Hawaiian shirt or suit? C Also grilled asmanian seafood, delicious salads and a seafood chowder to write home about. 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Hop on/hop off. 90 min loop. heelchair access. eparts hourly from the Information Centre HIA H IA A tmag.tas.gov.au/narryna I A 5 brochures are displayed in a prime position brochures are handed out from the Information desk at ac2 which is staffed by staff and volunteers adverting costs: $160 or $240 A4 per season. HAP P Arthur Circus lizabeth treet Pier arryna (1835) is a merchant s town house located in picturesque Battery Point. Its fine and decorative arts paint a rich picture of asmanian colonial life. AA A 18 C aterfront dining asmanian Cfood and wine 5 minutes from the boat ifi reat coffee, Free Just drop in for a drink on the pier! H P I A HIA UU QU AC Q QU Fitzroy ardens C 5 42 & F For Ambulance: 000 or 112 (on mobile) oyal Hobart Hospital: ission to eafarers 6 ontpelier etreat, AAA P alamanca 16 quare B68 CI alamanca ewsagency CHI AAA IA PI o t ellington (unanyi) Brochure ack I I I Z FI B A ater ransport P1 23 acquarie harf 2 information desk 3 Princes harf A 4 A ffers elcomes P Passengers to Hobart and a 40%discount, oney xchange Available Z free for International ravellers uty FI pen Cruise hip ays at ac 2 harf HobartAaodc.net.au etro Buses 2 I V lizabeth t Pier Brooke t Pier UA AAIA A A IA CCI BU ullivans Cove urray t Pier Q AC I QUA AC 13 Ferry erminal HA A achine Parliament House Post ffice 1 10 V C P A I UH H I A HA Phone 12 2 o Cascade Brewery, t elson, t ellington, 15 Huon Valley 22 t avids Park F P IV 50,000 distributed per cruise season given out via the volunteers, at the pier in racks and through the advertising includes a slot in the brochure rack at ac2 printed in ctober prior to the arrival of the first cruise ship of the season. o Cascade Brewery HU F H ings Pier arina Parliament quare t Helens Hospital asmanian choolof Art Constitution ock 19 HU F 6 IA I F C U Arrivals uide C I B U A B Baby Change Facility HU 3 A6 Village Cinema oilets HF A A C1 own AB Hall H ervice asmania A6 edline ermial V H Parking V A A6 Victoria ock Franklin quare t avids Cathedral Centrepoint asmanian ravel & Information Centre F A I I C IV VI IZ 14 axi ank Federation Corcert Hall City Hall A A HI A FA heatre oyal A C Hobart P 24 8 Cenotaph Bike rack 20 A CH HA I Cat & Fiddle Arcade B tate ibrary Allport useum liz ab eth t 9 a ll P H AC PB P IV HI o Port Arthur, Airport, ast Coast, ichmond alking oute to City H Hobart osque oyal Hobart Hospital Hobart Private Hospital A I V H t arys Cathedral ABC adio & elevision B H A3 A IH A H A A 18 IZA Police Jewish HQ ynagogue B I HA I VI PB B IB A I C CH HI 21 o orth Hobart HI V B o aunceston, est Coast, A A V B I AB H 1 Queens omain he Hobart Aquatic Centre CH V A VI A CH pportunity for an operator/supplier to register their tours to be sold by the on the day A notice is sent out a month prior to operators/suppliers wanting to register their tours to be sold by the. ours are then listed by departure time for the day. ou need to consider offering inventory on a free-sell basis. he list is used by both the staff and volunteers. hey are used in order to reduce booking and confirmation wait times. Instant confirmation is preferable. U B C J A U A our ists A H B IZA A omain ennis Centre H H H o estaurants & hops & tate Cinema BU PB V I H H I PI I V A A P A Advertising with estination outhern asmania () also manage vehicle permits for the designated public parking area on Hunter treet, located adjacent to the UA Art chool where you may hawk your services. ou may have a table at the designated parking area and a sign and respond to passenger enquiries, you cannot target them directly. manage display posters in the ac2 erminal. hese form part of the welcome to port. hey are corflute posters mounted on timber partitions and can feature your business name, location, website, Q code, etc. but not pricing. For details contact estination outhern asmania : : marketing@southerntasmania.com.au Information correct as at February 2015.VAAIA.C.AU #discovertasmania 8