DeSalvio Travel Introduces New Cruise Benefits for Wave Season
As wave season approaches, we have been spending more time looking closely at the cruise side of our business and, more importantly, at the experience our clients receive when they cruise with us.
One thing became clear. Through our Virtuoso relationship, our hotel clients are accustomed to receiving thoughtful amenities that add something extra to their stay. With cruises, the structure of those benefits can be different. We wanted to find a way to bring that same feeling of personal attention to our cruise clients.
So we decided to create our own additional cruise benefit.
For clients booking through Sarasota Cruise Agency or DeSalvio Travel, we will now provide additional onboard credit based on the value of the cruise booking, on top of applicable Virtuoso amenities.
An Additional Cruise Benefit From Us
The principle is deliberately simple. Every cruise qualifies, regardless of the cruise line, ship or itinerary.
Our additional onboard credit starts at $100 per person and increases by $100 for every additional $10,000 in booking value per person.
Total booking value per person | Additional SCA credit per person |
Under $10,000 | $100 |
$10,000–$19,999 | $200 |
$20,000–$29,999 | $300 |
$30,000–$39,999 | $400 |
$40,000–$49,999 | $500 |
$50,000–$59,999 | $600 |
$60,000–$69,999 | $700 |
And so on | +$100 per additional $10,000 |
The calculation is based on the total booking value per person, excluding travel insurance.
This benefit is entirely from us. It sits alongside the applicable Virtuoso amenities rather than replacing them.
Why We Wanted to Add More
For us, this is really about caring for our clients. When someone books a Virtuoso hotel through us, the amenities can add a small but meaningful personal touch to the stay. It might be a bottle of wine, a welcome amenity, a spa treatment or another benefit that gives the client a little more to enjoy.
We wanted our cruise clients to have that same opportunity.
An additional onboard credit can be used in different ways depending on the cruise. Perhaps it means a special bottle of wine, a spa treatment, a particularly good dinner or another experience onboard. We do not want to dictate how clients use it. The point is that they have something extra to enjoy.
The value of the cruise also matters. A longer and more expensive cruise generally means more time onboard and more opportunities to enjoy the ship's restaurants, spa and other experiences. That is why our benefit increases as the booking value increases.
Someone investing $50,000 per person in a cruise should receive a meaningful additional benefit from us. For that booking, the SCA contribution would be $600 per person, before taking into account any applicable Virtuoso amenities.
More Than the Credit
Of course, the onboard credit is only one part of what we do. Choosing the right cruise can require considerable research. We help clients compare ships and itineraries, think through the style of cruising that suits them and consider everything surrounding the sailing. That can include flights, hotels before or after the cruise, transfers and other arrangements. We also provide backup support when something needs attention before or during the trip.
For us, being a cruise advisor is not simply about finding a sailing and making a reservation. It is about understanding what the client is looking for and helping to put the entire journey together. The additional credit is simply a tangible way of adding something more to that relationship.
Extending the Virtuoso Philosophy
We value the benefits that come with our Virtuoso relationship, particularly the thoughtful extras that can make a hotel stay feel more personal.
With this new cruise benefit, we are extending that philosophy in our own way.
Rather than relying solely on the amenities that may be available through Virtuoso for a particular cruise, we are putting our own benefit behind the booking. The cruise line does not determine whether a client qualifies, and the itinerary does not need to meet a particular promotional requirement. It is our way of saying that we want our cruise clients to feel looked after too.
As we continue to build the cruise side of Sarasota Cruise Agency and DeSalvio Travel, that is the standard we want to maintain: careful advice, support around the journey and thoughtful extras that give our clients a little more to enjoy.
Planning Your Next Cruise
If you are considering a cruise and want help comparing ships, itineraries and everything surrounding the sailing, we can help. We can look at flights, hotels, pre- and post-cruise arrangements and the level of support you may need, while also making sure you understand the benefits available with your booking. Contact Sarasota Cruise Agency or DeSalvio Travel to begin planning.
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