Royal Caribbean booked the 2023 World Cruise's most luxurious accommodation, the Royal Suite, less than a week after opening its books.
The co-owner of Dream Vacations TravelPerks, Eugene, Ore. will soon receive the largest commission check Royal Caribbean has ever issued for a single reservation. Graham booked the suite for $772,331 for her client.
Advisors are awestruck by Royal Caribbean's 274-day world cruise. It received positive reviews from travel agents.
Vicki Freed (Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support and Services at Royal Caribbean), said, "We are so thrilled to see such an extremely rich booking made by travel advisor." It is our pleasure to pay that well-earned commission. After 18 months of chaos and turmoil in the industry, we are grateful for the positive attitude shown by the travel advisor community.
Graham Smith's husband Gary Smith started their travel agency almost 18 years ago. They have been working together with the client who booked their suite since 2012.
She said, "I have had the chance to develop a wonderful relationship" with the couple. "We have worked together on many wonderful sailings, then through all the suspended sailings. I have played a significant role in managing his cruise credits and protecting his interests. He trusts me to take care of him because he knows that I am his client.
Graham stated that the client informed her about the 274-day Ultimate World Cruise. It departs Dec. 10, 2023, on the Serenade of the Seas. Graham immediately called Royal Caribbean to reserve the Royal Suite.
She stated that Gary and she have always placed a lot of emphasis on their relationships. In this case, the client received cruise credits from an online agency through a reservation made by a group.
Smith stated that Smith was not able to get the certificate numbers or return his calls from the well-known online agency. "I was able work with the cruise lines guest services to get credit certificates to apply for one of his other reservations. Imagine if another agency had made an impression and won the sale. Every interaction is important."
Smith stated that TravelPerks was "all about relationships," both large and small.
She said, "On the exact same day I was closing this sale, I also booked an easy air ticket for $75 booking fee." We celebrate the successes, but we also celebrate the relationships and the chance to work with some truly amazing clients.
Graham stated that, as extraordinary as the sale may be, it does not cover our pandemic loss.
It is a beautiful example of how cruising can return and it is a light that guides us through the tunnel. This has been a very difficult time for us. We retained employee agents to help us maintain our client relationships and process refunds as well as manage cruise and travel credit. We are proud to say that we have maintained 5-star Google reviews throughout this period, as well as our amazing clients.
