ASTA River Cruise Expo: The Good, The Food, and the Surprises
TLDR: If you want to sell more river cruises, this is the event for you
I had the pleasure of attending this year’s River Cruise Expo, and I have to give ASTA some hearty applause for this one. There’s not much I dislike more than a hotel conference room, so this event was a breath of fresh air.
First: The fact that the ships themselves were the hotels allowed us to truly experience a line & ship. I chose Riviera since I have never seen or sold it. Stay tuned for a podcast episode with a rep from Riviera, because I don’t think many advisors understand the positioning of this line. Same goes for Amadeus and Viva.
Second: Attending educational sessions on a river ship, in the lounge, as they pass hors d'oeuvres & fun little mocktails (or bubbly) is THE WAY TO GO. You are literally experiencing the vibes while learning. I have been fortunate to sail on several river cruises, but if I hadn’t, I can’t imagine a better way to prepare myself to sell from a place of confidence.
Aside from being able to experience the ships, the sessions were not simply live infomercials. While each line did highlight their product (which is important), they also covered a topic that is useful to travel advisors in general. For instance, Viking covered best practices for cruise nights. Scenic talked about some of the limiting beliefs we might need to conquer in order to feel confident selling luxury. Emerald covered selling groups.
Third: We got to eat on different ships each day for lunch & dinner (breakfast was on your accommodation ship). As a foodie, this was a huge benefit. I had some fun comparing the quality of the fish & chips (Emerald was the winner, by the way).
Last, but not least: The entertainment. Whew! When it comes to a party, Ama and Riverside were the place to be, and I may have had one too many beers one night. Now, it’s important to note that parties like this are not reflective of the average onboard experience, but they really went out of their way to make sure we had fun. And they did also showcase the type of evening entertainment that your clients can expect on board as well.
Here are my main takeaways:
If you have never been on a river cruise, this could be absolutely transformational for your business. I would suggest also doing a pre or post sailing, because the port experience is an important part of the experience, and I want you to be able to speak to that when selling.
If you’ve sailed on the river before but want to expand your horizons, this is the most efficient way to do so.
I don’t think it’s necessary to make this a priority every single year. I absolutely understand the desire to do so, because it’s a great time, but you don’t need to.
This event is a substantial investment. If it’s within your means, and you want to increase those commissions with commas in them, I think it’s a worthy one.
Let me know if you have any questions, and I hope to run into you at a River Cruise Expo one day!
