Friday, July 16, 2010
Elite Cruise Counselor and More
When I first started out in the industry, I didn't know much about cruising except that I loved doing it. After purchasing the franchise, I started to sink myself into absorbing as much knowledge I could to be successful and to learn how to sell the right product to my clients. After all you want to get the best bang for you buck and a well educated travel agent can help. Over the years I have attended the Disney College of Knowledge, became a WOW Expert Plus with Royal Caribbean, NCL Advanced Specialist and my greatest acheivement Elite Cruise Counselor with CLIA (Cruise Line International Association). Cruise Planners has begun their own University which I am currently a Junior and I just completed Carnival's Certification as well. As you can see this list goes on with my accomplishments, but I am sure you can also see that it takes a lot of work, time and dedication to gain this knowledge. So when you are looking for a travel agent, be sure you ask the right questions. How long have you been an agent? What are your certifications, not their company's as a whole; but theirs personally? I wish I would have known to ask these questions when I bought my first cruise. That way I would have probalby used someone else who knew what they were doing and wouldn't have ended up in the very front of the ship with a port hole (was suppose to be an Ocean View). The window was 18 inches in diameter, you couldn't see much of that beautiful ocean, unless you were on a deck. The worst part was when we docked away from the island, because we were tendering in that day and they dropped anchor at 6:00 in the morning. The entire cabin vibrated like we were living through an earthquake. It was a horrible rude awakening and I would never allow my clients to have that experience. I recognize that there are a lot of people who claim to be travel agents, but there are a small amount of agents who really take the time to educate themselves, so that they can sell what is best for the client. I pride myself on my knowledge and my service and I will continue to develope both. Happy Cruising!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Trying Something New
I just finished a webinar with Senior Cruise Director John Heald - Carnival Cruise Lines. If you don't know who he is; well he has become the #1 Blogger in the Cruise Industry. So with his encouragement, I thought I'd give it a try. So bare with me as I get started on this new journey.
Wow! Deciding what to talk about isn't easy. I wonder to myself; who would want to hear about what I have to say? Well I am told anyone and everyone, so here I go.
My name is Lina and I was born in Savannah, GA. At 10 years old my parents divorced and my mother remarried a Army Soldier. About a year after they were married, we moved to Germany where I spent the next 6 years of my life. Living in Europe gave me the opportunity to travel and see a lot of wonderful places. All the traveling we did, gave me the thirst to see more and help others see God's beautiful world. My life took a completely different direction and after leaving Germany I traveled very little. I went on my first cruise Royal Caribbeans Grandeur of the Seas in June of 2000. We (my ex-hubby and I) sailed to the Eastern Caribbean. I had no clue what cruising was about. I had no anticipation (other than a much needed vacation without the kids) of anything . So to my surprise, I just couldn't believe that these people were just so darn nice. I had never felt so pampered and well important. They made me feel like I was Princess Lina (How cool is that?) The whole remembering my name thing, well that just blew me away. Who really takes the time to remember someones name that is waiting on you or your waiting on? I do now, because I know how important it is in making people feel good about themselves. Anyway, when it came time to disembark and load up on the bus, I began to cry; literally. I wanted to just stay on the ship. Have you ever had a vacation experience that touched you in away that you'd never forget? Well, I'd say I did and it wasn't because of the company I was keeping. I just knew I would cruise again.
In September 2001, I was going through a divorce (go figure) and just started the dating process when the countries tragedy became a personal one as well. My mother was working in the Pentagon that horrible day and well needless to say she didn't survive. To my saving grace, I had just started dating Dave and well hew was my angel through the whole thing. We were married in July of 2002 and combined our two families to become what Vicky Garcia from Cruise Planners Home Office - the Brady Bunch plus Alice. Dave has four children and I have three. What a family and they all love cruising! Anyhow, Dave had always wanted to go to Aruba and he decided that Aruba was where he wanted to celebrate his 40th birthday. Hello; opportunity knocking! Yep, that is right I quickly suggested a cruise and well Dave got his wish. In December 2003, we boarded Royal Caribbeans Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan Puerto Rico and headed to the breath taking Southern Caribbean. Dave and I had an incredible time, except Dave's ear hurt from all my talking about how great cruising is. Well, it is Great!
Immediately after we returned home and without my knowledge Dave begun researching franchise opportunities. Shortly after we purchased our business and headed to a one week training in sunny Ft. Lauderdale Florida. One week, you ask? Yes,one week to get an idea of what the heck we got ourselves into. Since then I have been running the business on my own with a great hubby supporting me. Dave doesn't do as much of the selling, but he sure knows how to talk me and cruising up and send folks my way.
Since 2004, I have won two Bronze awards from home office and I like everyone else has had a few good years and a few not so good. Being a travel agent isn't as easy as you think. Sure there are businesses out there that will sell you anything you want, without any questions asked . And of course you can do it yourself on the Internet, without any questions as well. But those are the people who never use the same resource twice, because something didn't go as planned or got something they didn't want. I know this is true, because that was me before I became a Travel Agent or as I would like to call it a Cruise Specialist. Hey, I work hard for that title and you will understand why in my up-coming blogs, so stay tuned.
Until next time and Thanks for reading my blog,
Lina DiCola, ECC
Wow! Deciding what to talk about isn't easy. I wonder to myself; who would want to hear about what I have to say? Well I am told anyone and everyone, so here I go.
My name is Lina and I was born in Savannah, GA. At 10 years old my parents divorced and my mother remarried a Army Soldier. About a year after they were married, we moved to Germany where I spent the next 6 years of my life. Living in Europe gave me the opportunity to travel and see a lot of wonderful places. All the traveling we did, gave me the thirst to see more and help others see God's beautiful world. My life took a completely different direction and after leaving Germany I traveled very little. I went on my first cruise Royal Caribbeans Grandeur of the Seas in June of 2000. We (my ex-hubby and I) sailed to the Eastern Caribbean. I had no clue what cruising was about. I had no anticipation (other than a much needed vacation without the kids) of anything . So to my surprise, I just couldn't believe that these people were just so darn nice. I had never felt so pampered and well important. They made me feel like I was Princess Lina (How cool is that?) The whole remembering my name thing, well that just blew me away. Who really takes the time to remember someones name that is waiting on you or your waiting on? I do now, because I know how important it is in making people feel good about themselves. Anyway, when it came time to disembark and load up on the bus, I began to cry; literally. I wanted to just stay on the ship. Have you ever had a vacation experience that touched you in away that you'd never forget? Well, I'd say I did and it wasn't because of the company I was keeping. I just knew I would cruise again.
In September 2001, I was going through a divorce (go figure) and just started the dating process when the countries tragedy became a personal one as well. My mother was working in the Pentagon that horrible day and well needless to say she didn't survive. To my saving grace, I had just started dating Dave and well hew was my angel through the whole thing. We were married in July of 2002 and combined our two families to become what Vicky Garcia from Cruise Planners Home Office - the Brady Bunch plus Alice. Dave has four children and I have three. What a family and they all love cruising! Anyhow, Dave had always wanted to go to Aruba and he decided that Aruba was where he wanted to celebrate his 40th birthday. Hello; opportunity knocking! Yep, that is right I quickly suggested a cruise and well Dave got his wish. In December 2003, we boarded Royal Caribbeans Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan Puerto Rico and headed to the breath taking Southern Caribbean. Dave and I had an incredible time, except Dave's ear hurt from all my talking about how great cruising is. Well, it is Great!
Immediately after we returned home and without my knowledge Dave begun researching franchise opportunities. Shortly after we purchased our business and headed to a one week training in sunny Ft. Lauderdale Florida. One week, you ask? Yes,one week to get an idea of what the heck we got ourselves into. Since then I have been running the business on my own with a great hubby supporting me. Dave doesn't do as much of the selling, but he sure knows how to talk me and cruising up and send folks my way.
Since 2004, I have won two Bronze awards from home office and I like everyone else has had a few good years and a few not so good. Being a travel agent isn't as easy as you think. Sure there are businesses out there that will sell you anything you want, without any questions asked . And of course you can do it yourself on the Internet, without any questions as well. But those are the people who never use the same resource twice, because something didn't go as planned or got something they didn't want. I know this is true, because that was me before I became a Travel Agent or as I would like to call it a Cruise Specialist. Hey, I work hard for that title and you will understand why in my up-coming blogs, so stay tuned.
Until next time and Thanks for reading my blog,
Lina DiCola, ECC
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