A group of 40 agents joined P&O Cruises for a week of training onboard Azura.
The cruise line hosted its Shine at Sea educational programme on a Canary Islands fly-cruise, giving agents the opportunity to experience the ship’s facilities, dining and excursions, as well as attending training sessions.
Agents from the companies including Hays Travel, Not Just Travel, Spears Travel, Cruise.co.uk, Fusion Holidays and Barrhead Travel spent a week onboard the 3,100-passenger ship cruising from Tenerife.
Activities onboard included a quiz, a Q&A session with the executive chef, hotel manager, and bar manager, as well as creating their own ‘perfect day at sea’ scenarios.
The agents were also able to choose their own shore excursions in destinations including Madeira and Lanzarote.
During the training P&O Cruises’ Training and Engagement Manager Stephanie Adams highlighted the importance of agents hooking adverts to the line’s partnerships such as the BAFTA Awards and Pride of Britain.
She said: “When ceremonies on the television, make sure you have adverts for P&O Cruises so you are ready for enquiries. We always see a spike in activity and we want to you to be a part of that.”
Stephanie added how the Shine at Sea sailings, which started last year, were extremely successful.
She explained: “I started as an agent fresh out of college, and I remember when a customer first asked about cruises, I had no idea. For me, Shine at Sea is really about giving agents the experience and the opportunity to talk confidently. It gives them all of the tools they need, so they don’t have that fear I had when I first started! First-hand experience is everything.”
What did the agents think?
Not Just Travel’s Gina Sheppard said: “Being onboard has been incredible and given me an insight into the ship. It’s also shown me how easy fly-cruising is, so I will definitely be able to talk from experience now. The spa onboard is gorgeous and I love the thermal suite, which I will definitely recommend to my clients.”
Fusion Holidays’ Harry Lightfoot said: “One thing about Azura that I have found is that it is perfect for families of all ages. It’s been great to be onboard to learn about all things P&O Cruises’ and the facilities on the ship. The training has been really informative. I am a big believer in ‘if you show us, we will learn more’.”
Hays Travel Crystal Peaks’ Annalie Hyslop said: “I have sold cruise for about three-and-a-half years, but never set foot on one, so it’s really nice to see what it’s about and be able to talk from experience to my customers, instead of word of mouth. The dining has been really surprising. I knew the buffet was always open but I didn’t know what to expect from the speciality dining,. They are amazing and the cover charges are minimal compared to the food you are actually getting. There are also a lot more pools and bars than I expected, and it’s actually really easy to get a seat on a sunbed.”
