Beyond the Handbooks

Send us Fan Mail What do you do when the customer's itinerary changes and now that favorite port or city will be missed? Michael , Chris , and Scott have some suggestions and a way to prepare customers for this possibility before they book their vacation.

Send us Fan Mail As you may have heard, our 2027 Seminar at Sea has been canceled. Why did that happen and what are we doing to plan for a new date? Chris has an update.

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , and Scott are going against the grain with this episode, suggesting that you should NOT do everything for the customer. Sometimes, they need to do it themselves.

Send us Fan Mail Do you sell price or value? Do you just sell the vacation or add value to the booking?  Michael , Chris , and Scott discuss the difference between a good travel advisor and an "order taker."

Send us Fan Mail Travel advisors love to film videos of ships and staterooms during inspections, but are you videos helping the customer or frustrating them?  Michael , Chris , and Scott have some helpful tips for creating better videos and photo galleries during your ship or site inspections.

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , and Scott help demystify how a cruise ship can be sold out but not at capacity, and now ships can go over 100% capacity.

Send us Fan Mail A business without a website is missing an opportunity to engage with customers anytime. But is your website and its contents helping or hurting your image? Michael , Chris , and Scott  share some tips and some pitfalls to avoid.

Send us Fan Mail Are you helping or hurting your business by using an "out of office" reply to your emails?  Michael , Chris , and Scott have some thoughts.

Send us Fan Mail A ship's capacity might seem simple, but it can be confusing for advisors and clients alike.  Chris has an example of how not understanding this concept created chaos for a cruise group and how you as an advisor can avoid this mistake while helping your clients understand it.

Send us Fan Mail Your website may be missing a very important element.  Chris has the details on what he sees missing from many travel agency websites.

Send us Fan Mail Chris has a quick update on our 2027 Seminar at Sea , which now only has 20% of its space remaining.

Send us Fan Mail Not getting responses to your emails? There might be a reason and Chris has a quick tip that might save a booking.

Send us Fan Mail What did you miss if you skipped our 2026 Seminar at Sea? Michael , Chris , Danielle , and Scott  talk about our favorite parts and look ahead to 2027.

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , and Scott  discuss whether or not advisors should narrow their focus and specialize in a specific niche of travel.

Send us Fan Mail Work time vs. personal time. Emergency vs. non-emergency. Michael , Chris , and Scott  discuss setting boundaries with clients and how to navigate being available in this on-demand world.

Send us Fan Mail Our newest work is now available! Michael , Chris , and Scott talk about today's release of their third book - The Travel Advisor's Cruise Line Handbook .

Send us Fan Mail Every travel advisor has been asked this question: "Why should I book with you?"  Michael , Chris , and Scott  share how they answer this question when a new client asks.

Send us Fan Mail The war with Iran is just the latest in a series of events around that world that cause worry for travelers. Michael , Chris , and Scott  share their thoughts on how to ease client anxiety over world events.

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , Scott , and Danielle have all the details in this deep dive into our 4th Annual Seminar at Sea .

Send us Fan Mail Every travel advisor has experienced a difficult client. But WHY are they being difficult? Is it a legitimate concern, or are they just hard to work with? Michael , Chris , and Scott  have some thoughts and some tips.

Send us Fan Mail Every sales course will tell you to always upsell. Michael , Chris , and Scott have a take that might seem counterintuitive but will actually yield better results.

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , and Scott break down what you can expect from their second book - The Travel Advisor's Cruise Handbook - and share their favorite lessons form the work.

Send us Fan Mail Michael  and  Chris  interview  Scott  and learn about his family and where his love of travel originated. 

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , and  Scott , have a warning about the latest travel-related scams and how you (and your clients) can avoid them.

Send us Fan Mail Michael , Chris , and Scott  explain what "client folders" are and how they can help you keep organized while also protecting yourself from mistakes or misunderstandings.