Travel Advisor Archives - Digital Age Travel Professionals

By NewsdeskNov 30, 2022 11:41am

Explora Journeys Explora I Luxury Cruises Cruise Information

Explora Journeys has unveiled its program of onboard entertainment and activities. Guests can explore seven onboard venues offering a range of entertainment options. Instead of a single main event, they can freely enjoy any experience they wish whenever they choose.

Guests can enjoy pre-and post-dinner poolside chill-outs in the Astern Lounge or contemporary pop inspired by Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox in the Explora Lounge. They can head to the Journeys Lounge for a laidback, candlelit evening of music inspired by the route the ship is sailing. There is also always music to accompany a coffee or a drink in the Lobby Bar.

Here’s what to expect:

Activities

Ombré Sunsets: Guests can hone their photography skills in the Explora Lounge.
The Spirit of Whiskey: A tutorial from mixologists in the Malt Whiskey Bar, where guests try their hand at making signature drinks.
Melodic Master Class: Resident artists will share their talents and discuss songwriting, improvisation, and composition.

Events

Captain’s Log… Secrets of the Sail: Guests join the captain or bridge officers on a walk around the deck.
Bal Mythos: At the stroke of midnight, guests can don handcrafted masks of local deities and dance to the resident Bacchus Band and singers.
Midnight Wayfinder: With guitar music and storytelling under the stars or around the Conservatory Pool, guests learn how sailors have long relied on the sea, wind, and stars to bring them safely to shore.
Inferno: A nod to the glamour of Manhattan’s Studio 54, Soul Train and Europe’s 1970s discos, where guests can enjoy cocktails and dance the night away.

Experiences

An Evening by Candlelight: Guest musicians and vocalists perform in the main lounges, creating a range of experiences from classical music to movie soundtracks.
Decadence: The themes of this experience switch from lounge to lounge, with live music and immersive performances.
Le Jazz: Guests on journeys that include France can enjoy a Parisian jazz club experience, accompanied by French martinis and canapés.
Let the Good Times Roll: Jiving to New Orleans jazz cabaret is an essential part of the Caribbean itinerary, with a French Creole menu, absinthe cocktails, and music.

Rituals

Ocean State of Mind: Every morning, guests can participate in guided meditations against a backdrop of sky and ocean.
Sundial Salutation: This twice-daily, movement-based wellness ritual is held in the morning and at sunset.
Midday Melodies: Every day onboard Explora I, the Atrium comes alive with acoustic music.
Sunset Aperitivo: Signature drinks and canapés associated with the ports of call are served in the bars and lounges, each with its own sonic vibe.
Moonrise: Every 28 days, guests clad in shades of silver and ivory gather to honor the full moon, sipping signature cocktails and dancing to live music.

Enrichment

The Book Club: Occasional journeys will have a particular book relating to the region in which the ship is sailing, culminating in a reading with the author.
Single Origin: Led by a barista, guests get familiar with local coffee cultures through tastings relevant to the countries they visit.
Artisanal: Courses on destination-themed crafts representative of local heritage, from textiles and tapestries to baskets and chocolate making, are taught by a local expert.
Dance the Day Away: On select journeys, guests can enjoy an afternoon of learning some of the region’s movement culture, accompanied by local dance music. Sessions are led by local experts, resident artists, and the international host.
The Creative’s Journey: Behind-the-scenes stories and iconic moments in stage and cinema are discovered through talks by resident and guest artists, together with other prolific talents. Among them are writers, directors, producers, actors, musicians, choreographers, costumiers, and set and lighting designers.

For more information, visit explorajourneys.com.

Showcase Your Expertise

Don’t just focus on selling the deal, sell your knowledge and expertise. Being a jack-of-all-trades (but a master of none) isn’t going to help you stand out in the marketplace, so be sure to focus on a niche to specialize in and communicate that expertise to your clients. To get started, choose a few destinations, products or types of travel experiences and make those your specialty. Incorporating a niche may seem like you’re narrowing your prospects, however, it can create more business than you think by winning over prospective clients’ trust.

Focus On Personalization And The Human Touch

In today’s digital world, personalization is a must, and that doesn’t exclude the travel industry. Travelers are seeking out that personal touch more than ever, which is your opportunity to step up and fill those shoes.

Large-scale online travel agencies often make travelers feel unimportant and unknown, and clients can be made to wait on hold when complications arise. Travelers want to be assured they can talk to a real person, not a machine or call center agent – someone who gives that personal support even while clients are traveling.

You’ll also want to take the time to get to know your clients’ interests. Travelers are seeking out personalized trips partial to their interests and hobbies. You may have a customer looking at going paddle boarding, exploring coffee houses, different cuisines or cliff diving on the other side of the globe. Whatever their interest is, creating a personalized itinerary that reflects the traveler is key to success.

Sell Your Services

When it comes to the value you can bring to a booking, people usually think of the assistance you can provide when things go wrong, the time you can save clients by sifting through a myriad of travel options and the details you can tend to on their behalf that make trips go more smoothly (especially during these last two years).

Travelers are not coming to you for something they can easily book online themselves. They want to see the value of using you. Add different complexities to remind your customer that only you can plan a vacation like this – unique recommendations, unforgettable excursions, first-hand experience – the possibilities are endless.

Define Your Elevator Pitch

If you had only 30 seconds to sell yourself (and the value you provide), the same amount of time it would take you to ascend five floors in an elevator, would you be able to convince someone to book their travel through you? A good elevator pitch will help you establish yourself as someone with the ability to create great vacations for your clients; not just a representative for various travel companies, but the go-to source for all things travel.

Take the time to define what makes your agency different than the large-scale OTAs or other travel advisors out there. Is it an interesting backstory or a focus on a specific travel expertise? Make sure you know who you are and what you’re able to share with your clients. If you’re not clearly defining your value, your clients won’t be able to see it either.