The Insider Travel Report Podcast

Jennifer Suarez, director of sales Celebrity Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at this month’s Virtuoso Travel Week about her cruise line’s upcoming new ship, Celebrity Xcel, and what it will mean for the upper premium cruise line. She also details new ways travel advisors can sell Celebrity now. For more information, visit www.thecelebritycommitment.com. Or www.celebr...

Helen McCabe-Young, Virtuoso’s senior vice president-global products and former senior vice president-global marketing, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at this month’s Virtuoso Travel Week about how the luxury travel network uses a new social media program to help its members market their luxury travel services. McCabe-Young also provides an update on other marketing initiati...

Gilad Berenstein, creator of the Virtuoso Tech Summit, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about what the Summit, held on Aug. 9 during Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, focused on, including AI and trending technology topics. Berenstein, a tech entrepreneur, investor and Virtuoso board member, has staged three Virtuoso Tech Summits in the last three years and this one was the l...

Danny Genung of Harr Travel talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about why Star of the Seas is ideal for multigenerational cruising and how Royal Caribbean delivers consistently across dining, entertainment and ship design. Genung highlights onboard flow, family neighborhoods, entertainment quality and how travel advisors can use these features to sell the product more easily. For more in...

Michael Anthony, partner chef at the newly reopened Waldorf Astoria New York, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the restaurants and cuisine at the hotel. From the two-level Lex Yard restaurant, named after the railroad yard beneath the building, to the light dining (and breakfast) in the famed Peacock Alley, Chef Michael delivers a modern interpretation of American classi...

David Kolner, executive vice president of Virtuoso, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at this month’s Virtuoso Travel Week about how sales are with the network (up 12 percent overall), where luxury travelers are going these days, what’s the mood among Virtuoso’s luxury travel advisors and much more. Get a status report on Virtuoso. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com ....

Marc Kazlauskas, the new CEO of Avoya Travel, talks with James Shillinglaw of insider Travel Report about his new role leading the innovative host agency, now completely owned by Certares, the travel investment firm, after it purchased the remaining stake from Avoya’s founding Anderson family. With a background running tour operators and a large travel agency, Kazlauskas seems well prepared to tak...

Luigi Romaniello, managing director of Waldorf Astoria New York, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his beautifully renovated iconic hotel in the heart of Manhattan. Romaniello talks about why the renovation took so long (eight years), the décor and size of the new rooms and suites, the intricately refurbished public areas, like the famed Peacock Alley, and the completely...

Jessica Hall Upchurch, vice chairman and sustainability strategist for luxury travel network Virtuoso, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the programs she has helped develop to turn sustainable travel into part of the mainstream for the group’s luxury travel advisors. Hall Upchurch has launched an annual sustainable travel report to gauge progress and has backed yearly awa...

Barbara Muckermann, Group CEO of Kempinski Hotels, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how she is relaunching a hotel brand that is now 128 years young. Muckermann used this year’s Virtuoso Travel Week, where Kempinski sponsored the gala dinner, to drive home the history of her brand, its localized approach to luxury hotels, and its roster of famed properties. And she has b...

Jennifer Tombaugh, CEO of Tauck, is celebrating the venerated guided travel company’s 100th anniversary by launching a new product line called Roam by Tauck. Roam, first new launch in more than a decade, is designed specifically for travelers in their 40s and 50s. with small-group journeys averaging just 16 guests per departure and an engaging balance of flexibility, active adventures and signatur...

Linken D’Souza, senior vice president of food and beverage for Royal Caribbean International, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard Star of the Seas about the ship’s new complimentary dining options and premium experiences, including the new Lincoln Park Supper Club. D’Souza also shares upcoming food and beverage plans for Perfect Day Mexico and Paradise Island, along with sustainab...

Cruise lines rely on support from many other segments of the industry to sell their sailings. This includes travel technology companies and tour operators that provide essential tools, pre- and post-cruise tours, and excursions. These partners remain a crucial part of the cruise sales process, offering resources that enhance the overall travel experience. Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report moderat...

Jason Montague, chief luxury officer of Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last week’s Virtuoso Travel Week about his new role overseeing both a luxury cruise line and an upper premium line. Montague also tells us why he decided to return to Regent and Oceania (he had previously overseen Regent and helped to develop Oceania). He tells us...

Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard the new Star of the Seas about updates to the Icon class and how the cruise line continues to innovate for travel advisors and their clients. Freed covers new entertainment, booking upgrades, multigenerational staterooms, "Perfect Days" on l...

A key part of the cruise experience is the destination, including the ports where guests disembark and explore. Tourism officials share what their destinations offer, from island attractions to cruise line private islands, and how these experiences enhance the overall journey. This discussion highlights how travel advisors can better sell the destination component of a cruise. Alan Fine of Insider...

Matthew Upchurch, chairman and CEO of Virtuoso, the luxury travel network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the 37th Virtuoso Travel Week, held in Las Vegas last week. Upchurch also details his thoughts about how Virtuoso has evolved over the years and its new structure. He gives his view where luxury travel advisors are today and the state of the industry. For more info...

River cruising is expanding its reach to attract new markets, engage a more active customer, develop new destinations, and offer longer cruises. This panel of river cruise experts examines the latest new products and services, as well as the newest destinations on the rivers of the world. Our river cruise experts also tell you how your clients can visit familiar rivers in a completely new way. The...

Big ship, midsize ship, small ship, boutique ship. Cruise ships are getting larger and more intricate, with even more stateroom categories, dining options, activities, new technology and even dedicated island or beach destinations that guests can visit. They are getting more boutique and specialized and also more luxurious and destination focused. This Virtual Roadshow-Selling Cruises panel looks...

We interview Cruise Planners, one of the top cruise-selling agencies in the business today to find out the keys to their success. Michelle Fee, founder and CEO, and Theresa Scalzitti, chief operating officer, detail the history of their more than 30-year-old travel agency, which began by selling mostly cruises and has evolved into one of the largest sellers of travel in the business with more than...

Liz Biden of The Royal Portfolio talks with Michaela Guzy of Insider Travel Report about how she transformed her family’s holiday homes into a collection of luxury properties across South Africa. Biden shares the stories behind each hotel, her creative process, her commitment to art, sustainability and community development, and her plans to expand into Victoria Falls. For more information, visit...

Colm O’Brien, general manager of L’Auberge de Sedona, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the renovation of this boutique Arizona resort, which just joined Small Luxury Hotels of the World. From newly renovated rooms to Creekside restaurants, this is the perfect retreat for couples interested in natural surroundings and the spectacular setting of Sedona. For more informatio...

David Chait, founder & CEO of travel tech firm Travefy, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the products and services his company has developed for travel advisors. Specifically, Travefy has just introduced a new CRM Suite for advisors that includes invoicing, commission tracking, integrated email and a contact management system in one unified workspace. For more inform...

Farah Barhorst, director-onboard revenue for Holland America Line, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the return of the behind-the-scenes ship tour. For a price, guests can now get a comprehensive tour of their Holland America ship, going from the bridge down to the laundry rooms, food storage areas, recycling centers and more. For more information, visit www.hollandameric...

Catherine Powell, the new CEO of AmaWaterways, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about her new role, her background and her plans for the luxury river cruise line going forward. Powell tells us about her first river cruises on AmaWaterways, her impressions of the product and how she intends to keep working with the travel agency distribution system to sell her company’s river c...