We talk this week about how cruise vacations are sold – and by whom. It appears that cruise lines' direct sales have grown during the pandemic. We approached the topic from the travel advisor side and found quite a few reasons why this might be the case, and why advisors don’t seem to be that fazed.

On this episode Jackie Friedman, the president of host agency Nexion, talks with Jamie Biesiada, Travel Weekly's senior editor for retail, and host Rebecca Tobin about why cruise lines might be seeing more direct bookings, why travel advisors are still crucial partners, the travel advisor proposition -- and how best to communicate that value to a traveler.

This episode was recorded Oct. 25 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Related reading 

Cruise lines’ direct sales keep rising, but travel advisors are unfazed https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Travel-agents-unfazed-rising-direct-cruise-bookings 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings expects a surge in direct bookings https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCLH-anticipates-surge-direct-bookings 

From November 2021: Have cruise sales shifted to direct? CEOs say yes, advisors ponder why https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Have-cruise-sales-shifted-to-direct

We talk this week about how cruise vacations are sold – and by whom. It appears that cruise lines' direct sales have grown during the pandemic. We approached the topic from the travel advisor side and found quite a few reasons why this might be the case, and why advisors don’t seem to be that fazed.
On this episode Jackie Friedman, the president of host agency Nexion, talks with Jamie Biesiada, Travel Weekly's senior editor for retail, and host Rebecca Tobin about why cruise lines might be seeing more direct bookings, why travel advisors are still crucial partners, the travel advisor proposition -- and how best to communicate that value to a traveler.
This episode was recorded Oct. 25 and has been edited for length and clarity.
Related reading 
Cruise lines’ direct sales keep rising, but travel advisors are unfazed <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Travel-agents-unfazed-rising-direct-cruise-bookings">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Travel-agents-unfazed-rising-direct-cruise-bookings </a>
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings expects a surge in direct bookings <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCLH-anticipates-surge-direct-bookings">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/NCLH-anticipates-surge-direct-bookings </a>
From November 2021: Have cruise sales shifted to direct? CEOs say yes, advisors ponder why <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Have-cruise-sales-shifted-to-direct">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Have-cruise-sales-shifted-to-direct</a>

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they’ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they&rsquo;ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Hosted by Rebecca Tobin, managing editor of Travel Weekly

The Folo by Travel Weekly

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week. 

In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about.  

You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do. 

Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week.&nbsp;
In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about. &nbsp;
You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do.&nbsp;
Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.