Cruise specialist, House of Travel LynnMall

Name: Alana Prasad

Age: 27

Role: Owner/operator, travel sales consultant and cruise specialist

Work hours: More than 50 hours a week

Average pay: $50,000 and perks for a cruise specialist, part of the profit for an owner/operator

Qualifications: Introduction to Travel and Tourism at Unitec, Sabre airline system training, International Cruise Council Australasia course


Q: Describe how you got this job?

A: Initially I was the receptionist, then I moved into being a travel sales consultant. House of Travel saw potential and approached me to be an owner/operator. With regards to the cruise speciality, we wanted everyone at LynnMall to be cruise specialists so we all did the necessary training.

Q: Describe what you do?

A: Designing people's dream holidays and making them a reality. Making sure that people know the facts about cruising, as a lot of people think it is just The Love Boat. Making sure my staff are satisfied and know what they are doing.

Q: What have you had to do to succeed at this job?

A: Be a good communicator. You need to be proactive in suggesting things to clients. For instance, for elderly clients you need to be able to help them with their holiday so everything is organised and smooth, whereas a family need to know all the optional excursions of a cruise.

You need to listen to what the client wants as there is no point selling something if it is not what they want. We need to keep being prepared to learn as things are always changing in our industry and we need to be up with the play. You need to know what products there are to sell.

Q: What sort of training or experience do you need?

A: House of Travel wanted to be able to promote cruises as a lot of people had the wrong idea about cruising. So we trained with the industry specialists.

It is a two-day course of theory, cruise line representatives come to talk to us and we have to do practical work, such as a site inspection of a cruise ship visiting Auckland, so we know what we are selling.

And we can go on a cruise. If you experience something you know what you are selling.

Q: What skills and qualities do you need?

A: You need to have attention to detail, good listening skills, a passion for travel. Some cruises are out of Auckland so the whole thing is a cruise, but if someone wants a whole package they could fly to Mexico and then do a cruise there.

So it is not only cruising you need to be passionate about, but everything fitting together.

Being customer focused - everything needs to revolve around the client.

Q: Best part of the job?

A: No day is the same, as every booking is different. I think it is making people's dreams come to a reality.

Q: Most challenging part?

A: Trying to fit everything in the same day and juggling the day-to-day duties.

Q: How do you define success in this job?

A: Seeing customers in the mall and they say 'hey thanks for a great trip' - and they keep coming back to you. That's the best.

Q: What are your career hopes for future?

A: To be seen as the travel company to work for. To be the best travel company in New Zealand. And to be the best outlet in New Zealand for House of Travel.

Q: What do you like most and find most satisfying about your job?

A: Being part of a successful New Zealand-owned company. Seeing House of Travel being profitable and working for a great team and company.

Q: If I wanted a job like yours how would I go about it?

A: House of Travel has its own training courses so if you want my job you need to have some travel experience and the skills of communication, attention to detail, a passion for travel and a passion to fulfil people's dreams.

Basically there are lots of jobs out there that have the same attributes as a travel consultant and they are very transferable. It is your attitude to life and your job that makes you a good travel consultant.

Q: What advice would you have for someone contemplating a career like yours?

A: If you have the communication skills and the passion the only thing that would stop you being a travel consultant is not picking up the phone and being proactive and ringing a House of Travel office, or door knocking.