Travel Advisors May Benefit as Virgin Voyages Bundles Amenities Into Premium Prices

Virgin Voyages, which started its sales to the public last week, is not bashful about its pricing, but that could be good news for travel advisors. When the cruise line starts service in April 2020, a five-night cruise that includes Havana will start at $3,650 per cabin. However, that price will include most of the onboard experiences, including dining, gratuities, and Wi-Fi.

This is a marked contrast to the industry trend for cruise lines, especially at the mass market level, to entice passengers with cheap fares and then nickel-and-dime them with charges (mostly non-commissionable) once they get on board. So advisors stand to benefit from higher commissions, plus gain the ability to offer a new product that may appeal to clients who don’t normally take cruises. For more about Virgin Voyages' travel agency program, click here.

Also on the high-priced front, a new survey of Australian travelers shows that, despite the country’s weakening economy, demand for luxury vacations is strong. Australian travel advisors are benefitting from the trend, crafting customized experiences and providing the kind of high-touch service this segment requires.

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— Maria Lenhart, Travel Advisor Editor

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Australian Travel Advisors Find That Luxury Clients Still Care About Price: Survey findings about a healthy luxury travel market in Australia demonstrate significant and lucrative opportunities for travel advisors who can meet clients’ lofty expectations while still delivering value.

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Skift Travel Advisor Editor Maria Lenhart [mbl@skift.com] curates the Skift Travel Advisor Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Tuesday. Have a story idea? Or a juicy news tip? Want to share a memo? Send her an email.