In her monthly column, Michelle Fee, CEO of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, sits down with Vicki Freed, senior vice president, sales, trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International, and discusses how the cruise industry has evolved and how travel agents can stay ahead of the curve.

Michelle Fee: You have always been such an advocate for the travel agent community. Why have you been so passionate?

Vicki Freed: I’ve been passionate about supporting the travel agent community because that’s where I started, and I understood their value from those early experiences. Travel partners are unbiased, they are third-party experts and they aren’t really tied to any one brand so what they care about is guiding their clients. I think that’s good because it benefits both the consumer and the suppliers. As I’ve become more deeply involved with the industry, I’ve come to appreciate the value of travel partners more and more, so that’s why I’m always advocating for them and supporting them.

MF: If you were a travel agent today, how would you build your cruise business?

VF: A lot of people think building their cruise business is just about pursuing new clients, but that’s not really building anything — that’s running on a hamster wheel. Yes, new clients are important, but even more important is keeping the clients you already have. Make sure you never lose them. Make them feel special and treat them so well that you’ll not only have a loyal client, but you’ll also have them out there singing your praises and building you referral business.

MF: With wave season upon us, what advice would you give an agent?

VF: For a successful wave season, always plan ahead. Start reaching out to your prospective clients and loyal cruisers so they are already thinking about their next vacation. Then, when January comes around, you’ll already have done half the work. All you will have to do is let them know that it’s the best time to book.

MF: We know that in order for agents to be successful, they must have a few groups in their marketing mix. What are some of your tips on how agents can develop their groups business?

VF: What brings any group of people together is a shared passion — what are yours? Start with something you already love and know a lot about and it will be easy to share that enthusiasm with others and plan a cruise around it. Anything you can rally people around: a cause, a hobby, a fan club, anything like that is a great starting point. From there, it’s just a matter of showing them the possibilities they’ll have with a cruise vacation and you’ve got a group that’s ready to set sail.

MF: All cruise lines are looking to attract the “first-time” cruiser; what can a travel agent do to help lead the charge?

VF: Some of the biggest obstacles to new-to-cruise clients are the old stereotypes, so dispelling those antiquated notions and showing potential cruisers that things are very different than they imagined is a good starting point. Find out what they like to do on a vacation and show them how a cruise could fulfill all their specific interests and desires. If you tell them about things they aren’t interested in, they’ll tune you out and you’ll be wasting your breath. That’s how you’ll convince new-to-cruisers to take the leap.

MF: We know Royal Caribbean International has something on board for everyone; how should an agent market to multi-generational families?

VF: When it comes to families especially, I think it’s important to talk about the experiences they’ll have together. Don’t just talk about programs and features — talk about how those things will create lifelong memories and unforgettable experiences. Yes, there is something for everyone, but there are also stories waiting to happen and a cruise is the perfect place to have them happen.