Allow me to introduce myself… I’m Jess, and I look after content on this website (and all of the websites belonging to the Travel Village Group). I’ve worked in travel for over 20 years (specialising in cruise for around 15 years), beginning in sales as a travel agent in a call centre for Airtours, and progressing through the industry in roles such as training, Teletext, product and marketing. In the coming months I’m going to be writing a series of (fairly self-indulgent) blogs about something that I suspect will become my next big travel passion – Expedition Cruising. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been selected as one of only 30 CLIA Expedition Cruise Champions (in training) in its inaugural year, and I cannot wait to get started!
Why I’m Going Back To “School”
When I first started in the industry I went through a pretty intensive 6-week training course, learning everything from airport codes to popular resorts and how to use various booking systems. It’s a good thing too, because prior to this I wasn’t even sure where the Canary Islands were! The most important thing you learn though is how to “sell” a holiday to a client over the phone, and that requires learning from research. Back then the internet wasn’t what it is now, and you really had to rely on painting a picture or hope that your client had a brochure in front of them.
Ultimately, booking a holiday came down to the travel agent having knowledge that the client could could trust, and having the confidence to advise that they’re booking the right holiday for the client’s needs and wishes. 20 years later that hasn’t changed.
Good travel agents stand out because they do the work so you don’t have to. That’s not just sorting out paperwork, or being on hand to iron out wrinkles in your journey; it’s doing the research, learning a niche product, or passing on personal experiences.
I don’t “sell” holidays these days, in the simplest sense, yet I still consider myself a “travel agent”. My job is to ensure that when you visit our websites you find information that’s as accurate as possible, and enables our travel experts to help guide you when making choices for your next adventure. It would be wholly remiss of me to think that after 20 years of garnering travel industry knowledge that I “know it all”. I most definitely do not.
Why I Believe I’m An Expedition Cruiser
My holidays tend to be what many consider as “adventurous”… I love hiking (especially if it’s up a volcano!), wild swimming, camping, paddleboarding… you get the idea! But, I also adore cruising (ocean or river!) and city breaks… I simply love travelling, exploring and learning. The preconceived notions I have of “Expedition Cruising” are that it sounds like it would suit me perfectly, and after day 1 of my learning journey I know that I’m right.
But, this isn’t about me. This is about you – our valued clients – and our travel experts. How do I pass on the knowledge and information I’ll be amassing over the next six months? How will I be able to enthuse and help you “ooo” and “ahhh” over the idea of an expedition cruise as your next holiday? Keep your eyes peeled and hopefully all will become clear…
What Have I Learnt So Far?
Expedition – What does it mean to me?
The Collins dictionary describes the word Expedition as “an organised journey that is made for a particular purpose such as exploration.”
I think a lot of people hear the word Expedition and think of frostbitten explorers on arduous journeys. Not necessarily that appealing when you’re thinking about a “holiday”. Personally, I’m mentally transported back to high school and our Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, where I trudged through muddy fields and relied on basic orienteering skills to dodge angry cows. To me, this style of cruising feels better suited to the label “Exploration Cruising.” After all, that’s the essence of it—venturing into parts of the world that few people get to see.
I think a lot of people have the assumption that Expedition Cruising is all about the polar regions (Antarctica & the Arctic) and the Galapagos, and those are definitely the destinations that drive interest towards this style of travel. However, there’s far more of the world to explore, from Australia’s fascinating Kimberley Coast to the rugged Scottish Isles. In fact, you could actually say that there’s more of the world that’s accessible via Expedition Cruises than there is for mainstream cruising. This is mainly due to the size of the ships and the strict rules these cruise lines abide by in order to get licenses.
It’s all about the EXP to me…
Exp-edition – yep, it’s an organised journey. But, boy-oh-boy the journey is going to be done in style, on a purpose-built vessel!
Exp-loration – “the investigation of unknown regions” – you’ll visit places that regular “tourists” will never see.
Exp-erience – Life-changing moments, from stepping ashore on the seventh continent to witness a penguin colony, to meeting with a tribe in Papua New Guinea.
Exp-ertise – Every ship and sailing comes with onboard and ashore experts in fields relevant to your itinerary, to elevate your learning and appreciation of the destinations. From naturalists and geologists, to someone that can simply show you how to take a great picture of a polar bear on your smartphone!
Exp-ectations – Prepare to have them exceeded in every way. From service onboard from an attentive crew, to the thought and care that goes into ensuring you see the very best of what lies ashore.
I’m excited to introduce you to the expedition cruise line operators in more depth, and take a virtual deep dive into some of the amazing destinations that you can visit, over the course of the next six months and beyond!
Feeling Inspired?
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