Selling Travel 101: When Should You Recommend Air/Sea Programs?
by John Hawks

Air/sea packages generally include more service from the cruise line. For example, most air/sea deals include transfers in the price, meaning that the cruise line will claim your clients' luggage at the airport (they simply have to get on the bus!). Also, if your clients' air/sea flight is delayed, the cruise line may exert more effort to hold the ship for them (depending on how many other air/sea passengers are also on the flight) or book another flight to get them to the first port at which they can board the ship. If your clients decide that you should book their airline tickets independently, you should recommend that they make plans to arrive in the embarkation port the day before their cruise departs, just to be safe.)

Air/sea travel arrangements can be more complicated than separate bookings. If you book the air/sea package, you won't typically know the flight schedule until 30 days before the clients' departure -- and you probably cannot make changes of any sort after that time. If your clients want to guarantee specific flights, or if they want to fly earlier or later than the cruise dates (e.g., to spend a few days in the embarkation port after the cruise), they'll typically have to pay an "air deviation fee" that can run from $25 to $100 or more per person -- and, in many cases, you'll have to ask for the "deviation" 90 days or more before the cruise departure date.

Air/sea deals can be more expensive than separate bookings. It always pays to do the math for your clients, comparing the cost of the air/sea package against the cost of booking their cruise fares and airline tickets separately. (Of course, if your clients plan to use frequent flier miles for the airfare, you won't be able to book the air through the cruise line.)

Once your clients have picked the actual cruise they want, talk with them in detail about their air travel options. Air/sea programs can offer real bargains, especially for longer trips like cruises to South America, Antarctica, and the South Pacific. However, it really pays to "comparison shop" and check the restrictions on these offers. You can do the research for your clients and present the options -- then, they can decide the best way for you to book their trip!