Why I Spend Time With the People Before I recommend Brands

Meetings That Go Beyond Sales Conversations

Before I recommend any cruise line, hotel, or travel partner to my clients, I spend time getting to know the people behind the brand. Whenever possible, I inspect ships and hotels myself, study (brand) itineraries, meet company leadership, and build relationships with the Business Development Directors who represent these companies. A recommendation is never based on a brochure or a special offer alone. I want to know who is behind the product and how they look after our clients.

Over the years, that approach has brought me into contact with representatives from PONANT, Viking, Riverside, Silversea, Tauck, Lindblad, and AmaWaterways. Most of those conversations had very little to do with sales. More often, they centred around destinations, guest feedback, upcoming itineraries, operational realities, and how travel continues to change.

Through our Cruises & Concerts events (a special event series that brings special offerings and inspiration to our clients with a special piano concert), clients have also had the chance to meet many of the same people I work with behind the scenes. One of the best examples of how these relationships benefit both my clients and Sarasota Cruise Agency came through my collaboration with PONANT.

The Concert & Cruises event Poster

Inside the Seminars at Sea With PONANT

After working together, during my Concert & Cruises tour, across the United States, I was invited to join one of PONANT's Seminars at Sea. These voyages bring travel advisors and company representatives together onboard while sailing through the Mediterranean.

The days were not spent sitting in conference rooms. I shared meals with the team, walked through the ship, attended presentations, and spoke with the people who know the brand better than anyone else.

The people leading these companies know every detail of their ships and itineraries. Many have sailed the routes repeatedly themselves. They know which cabins guests ask for most often. They know which ports consistently receive the strongest feedback. They also know where improvements are still being made.

That was reflected in something Dale Woods, Business Development Director at PONANT, wrote after our collaboration:

"I had the pleasure of working with Marisa DeSalvio and Robert Poortinga of DeSalvio Travel during their multi-city U.S. roadshow this past February, where they hosted a series of intimate, impeccably executed soirées in Hollywood and Sarasota, Florida, as well as Bellingham, Washington and Salt Lake City, Utah. Their professionalism, warmth, and thoughtful inclusion of my colleagues—creating a collaborative platform to educate and inspire their clients—truly set them apart.

Well-spoken, deeply client-focused, and aligned with the philosophy of immersive, high-experience travel, they bring a rare blend of artistry and expertise to luxury advising; I would welcome the opportunity to work with them again and look forward to further collaboration aboard our upcoming seminar at sea."

For me, that relationship was never about upgrades or special treatment. It was built on trust between supplier and advisor, and ultimately between advisor and client.

Together with Marisa Desalvio, CEO of DeSalvio Travel and Ponant's Chief Commercial Officer Maxime Farrenq about Product Development for the American Market

What I Look For Before I Recommend a Brand

When I recommend a company, I want to know the people behind it. I want to see how they respond when something goes wrong. Knowing whether they stand behind what they sell and whether guest experience matters once the booking has been made.

The same applies on land.

In Bergamo, I spent six hours with Sara Cologni, the city's head guide. During a cheese tasting, she spent twenty minutes explaining how a single cheese was produced, why it mattered historically, and how it became part of local life. Later that evening, I watched another guide conduct a similar tasting in less than two minutes with barely any explanation. It are these experiences stay and matter to me.

With Sara Cologni in front of a 16th century Flemish Tapestry and a Giordano painting in Bergamo, discussing Renaissance art in Bergamo

What I Do To Give The Highest Service To My Clients

Over the years, I have met guides, destination managers, hotel managers, cruise executives, and company founders all over the world. Some became trusted partners. Others did not.

That process never stops.

Before recommending a brand, I attend industry events, inspect ships and hotels, meet leadership teams at trade shows, travel extensively myself, and pay close attention to what fellow advisors are experiencing.

When clients travel through Sarasota Cruise Agency, they are not travelling with a collection of anonymous suppliers. They are travelling with people I know, people I trust, and people I would happily travel with myself.

Why Book PONANT With Sarasota Cruise Agency?

As a Virtuoso-affiliated advisor, I can offer a $100 shipboard credit on eligible PONANT sailings. Over the years I have built strong relationships with the PONANT team, and they consistently do everything they can to assist both me and my clients.

Occasionally that can result in cabin upgrades when available, additional attention onboard, and smooth handling throughout the booking process. The relationship goes far beyond the traditional advisor-supplier connection. Through the Concert & Cruises events, I have spent time working alongside the people behind the brand, getting to know them long before a client ever steps onboard.