Seabourn, the world’s finest ultra-luxury cruise line, is making it smooth sailing for travel advisors to sell Seabourn cruises and other luxury travel products to affluent travelers with the launch of the new and updated Seabourn Academy.
First launched in 2012, Seabourn Academy is a resource for travel advisors to achieve professional and financial success, offering insights, techniques and insider tips from accomplished advisors on finding, attracting and satisfying affluent clients that can continue to provide lucrative business year after year. The new Seabourn Academy has been updated with a wealth of fresh material, videos and the latest company news and information within the industry. In addition, it provides a number of incentives for travel advisors to enroll in and learn, with graduates receiving rewards upon completion of the program.
Travel advisors desiring to broaden their skills and achieve their goals can access Seabourn Academy at no cost online at www.seabournacademy.com. Many have already done so: In fact, Seabourn just congratulated Linh Diep, from Travelmakers in California, who became the 5,000th graduate of Seabourn Academy since the program’s inception.
“We’re very excited to introduce the new Seabourn Academy and further cement the long-running and mutually beneficial relationships we have developed with our trusted travel advisors at the top of their field in the U.S. and around the world,” said Chris Austin, Seabourn’s senior vice president of Global Marketing & Sales. “Their success is our success, and the more travel advisors know about Seabourn and the art of selling to their client base – the better. Seabourn Academy covers every angle in the luxury travel genre and challenges participants to learn and grow in their fields. It’s an invaluable tool for travel advisors, including those who feel like they don’t know how to sell luxury options but want to get started.”
Seabourn Academy comprises six courses divided into multiple lessons that cover every angle of selling ultra-luxury travel to affluent clients. Each module opens with learning objectives, includes a quiz, and wraps up with a final exam. There is a wealth of detail on Seabourn’s expanded fleet, which now counts five ultra-luxury vessels and two on the horizon, as well as on the line’s worldwide and seasonal cruising destinations. Taken together, course work includes:
- 101: Mastering the Art of Selling Luxury Travel – Providing insights into the vocabulary of ultra-luxury, as well as differences, expectations, truths, and myths.
- 102: The Elements of Ultra-Luxury – An overview of the physical and intangible features of ultra-luxury travel and their benefits to affluent travelers.
- 103: The Anatomy of Ultra-Luxury Leisure – Covering ultra-luxury onboard programs, prestigious partnerships and the ultra-luxury guest experience.
- 104: Luxury Travel Destinations – A journey into seasonal cruising regions, matching clients to destinations that appeal to their interests and tastes, and the wealth of pre- and post-cruise options that Seabourn makes available to guests.
- 105: Locating, Attracting and Serving Luxury Travelers – Covering branding, the habits of affluent travelers, and successful marketing strategy and tactics.
- 106: Making the Sale & Seabourn Sales Support – The art of making recommendations, handling objections, and closing a sale, as well as resources available to travel advisors.
Plus optional courses covering Social Media 101 and Seabourn Journeys, which are pre- and post-cruise immersive land experiences commissionable to travel advisors at 14%.
Travel advisors who graduate from Seabourn Academy will receive a number of incentives and rewards, including:
- Certification as a Seabourn Ultra-Luxury Travel Specialist with email signature logo
- Continuing education credits from CLIA, The Travel Institute or ACTA
- Exclusive reduced Seabourn Advisor Appreciation Fares
- A chance to win a complimentary Seabourn voyage
“I’m very happy to be the 5000th Seabourn Academy Graduate. As a new agent, it really opened a new world of luxury, inclusive cruise vacations for me. I can’t wait to share the incredible itineraries, gourmet dining and outstanding service with all my friends and family,” said Diep from Travelmakers.
