Travel advisors were the stars on board the new Viking Rota in Amsterdam last week, where seven advisors were honored as godparents of seven Viking river ships.
Headlining the ceremonies in Amsterdam were Shelby Steudle, President, Pavlus Travel, naming the Viking Fjolvar; Michael Londregan, Sr. VP, Global Markets, Virtuoso, naming the Viking Ptah; Ealeen Wong, Sr. Director of Strategy, Partnerships & Sales for Expedia Group’s Global Cruise Business naming the Viking Rota; Michael Consoli, Owner, Cruise Planners, naming the Viking Sekhmet; Carol Porter, Co-Owner, The Roaming Boomers, naming the Viking Haki; Carol Shaddix, Owner, Imagine Going There Travel, naming the Viking Halogi; and Danielle “Dani” Galloway, Global Managing Director, Luxury and Independent, Flight Centre Travel Group, naming the Viking Sjofn.
The ceremony took place alongside the Rota and the Haki, and was connected virtually to the five other ships in other parts of Europe and Egypt. Godparents beamed as they were recognized by Viking leadership including Executive Chairman Torstein Hagen and President and Chief Executive Officer Leah Talactac.
“The travel advisor community has been a strong partner for us in the 30 years we’ve been in business, and we’re looking forward to doing even more business in the next 30 years,” said Talactac, speaking at a press conference prior to the ceremony. Recognizing the importance of travel advisors to Viking’s success, she cited Viking’s advisor-friendly policies including no NCFs, no rebating, a takeover policy for bookings for any previous Viking clients up to 30 days before departure, a travel advisor call to action in all consumer marketing, automatic transfer of any client onboard bookings back to the travel agent and among the highest commissions in the industry. Viking’s fleet of 109 vessels and counting, she said, also gives advisors the opportunity to bring a lifetime of choices and value to clients.
The naming event and 2-day Holland mini cruise that followed reflected Viking’s value equation for clients on many levels. The Rota’s elegant yet unfussy ship design wasn’t a new look: it echoed the design of the other longships and reinforced the consistency of the Viking fleet. Logistics for the naming ceremony and celebratory dinner at a spectacular Amsterdam venue were flawlessly executed, with special touches like a canal boat ride en route to dinner. Local guides led immersive excursions, from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to the historic town of Delft, with commentary that illuminated past and present Dutch life.
During the event, Recommend caught up with Michelle Saegesser, Viking’s Sr. VP of Sales, to talk about the company’s relationship with travel advisors. “Our message is that it’s not just about selling,” she said. “It’s about helping advisors to elevate their businesses.” She pointed to the continuing success of a promotional program built around the words “I Sell Viking.”
“This simple slogan, which began a few years ago on Facebook and became a much bigger campaign helps travel advisors to identify luxury clients in their databases and in their communities,” Saegesser said. Her top tips on how to communicate the Viking story: “Sell the value, sell the volume, sell the consistency and sell the freedom of the experience.”
