Custom tour operator Avanti Destinations has just launched a new pre/post-cruise microsite, cruise.avantidestinations.com/home, designed specifically for cruise-savvy travel advisors who usually do not book FIT.
“Many advisors get started in FIT travel by booking pre- or post-cruise stays in port cities,” explained Nate Guilfoyle, Director of Web Services at Avanti, in a media announcement. “This new microsite has been designed to be particularly accessible and intuitive to use for advisors who book lots of cruises, but who have not yet tried booking pre- and post- with Avanti.
“The primary advantage we offer is a much wider range of options for three-, four-, and five-star hotels, sightseeing tours, activities and transfers in 63 port cities around the world compared to what cruise lines offer. This gives advisors the flexibility to tailor each pre/post-cruise stay to exactly what their client is looking for. We hope it will also motivate them to come back and book more FIT services with us.”
In Barcelona, for example, Avanti gives advisors 49 hotels and 37 tours to choose from, in Rome 31 hotels and 88 tours, in Kyoto 26 hotels and 47 tours. Avanti tours include shared, small group, and private options for every kind of interest, from historical, cultural, culinary, and active travel.
“With our new microsite, there is no limit to the number of nights or excursions that can be added to a pre- or post-cruise stay”, said Guilfoyle. “We do have a two-night minimum for land.”
Tutorial Highlights How the Microsite Works
The pre/post-cruise site leads advisors who are new to Avanti through the site registration process. A tutorial on the site highlights how it works, how to save a proposed pre/post-cruise stay, and other features. Advisors simply enter the cruise line, sailing date, ship name, number of days on the cruise, whether pre- or post-cruise is desired, star rating of hotel, room type, and the number of hotel nights in each destination.
For each destination, once the advisor selects the desired hotel star rating and number of nights, the site displays Avanti’s recommended hotels with photos and descriptions. After the hotel is selected, the site displays tour and transfer options. The site automatically finds the correct transfer for harbor, hotel, and airport.
Once the advisor finishes and saves all the selections, a price will be displayed. At the end, advisors can add their own agency fee and trip protection. When the advisor shares the completed pre- or post-cruise extension with their client, the agency fee and commission is not shown but is rather included in the total price. Trip protection is displayed as a separate cost.
“The proposed pre/post package the advisor shares with their client is completely interactive, so the client can look at the description of the hotel, tours, and transfers. We also give advisors the ability to add links to the specific cruise descriptions from the cruise line’s site for easy reference,” added Guilfoyle.
For more information, visit the microsite, cruise.avantidestinations.com/home, or book.avantidestinations.com.
We’ve teamed up with Avanti for an exclusive webinar on November 14th at 1PM ET! We’re excited to introduce you to the next level of Avanti’s partnership: The Avanti Advantage and their exclusive Hotel Amenity Program. It’s the culmination of decades of departmental upgrades, service level improvements, technological innovations, and gradual growth. Plus, two attendees will each win a $50 gift card. Click here to register.
