176. Selling & Serving Luxury Cruise Clients with Kemi Wells-Conrad
Episode Description
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Cruising has quietly changed, and this episode explains why more advisors should be paying attention. Luxury cruise expert Kemi Wells-Conrad, founder of Wells Luxury Travel, returns to share how small-ship and yacht-style cruising delivers the kind of bespoke, high-touch experience many travelers assume only exists on land. Kemi breaks down how to handle the “I hate cruising” objection, why luxury cruises often deliver better value than mass-market sailings, and how to confidently match the right cruise line to the right client. From better ports and longer stays to fewer crowds, elevated dining, and inclusive pricing, this episode shows why luxury cruising is becoming one of the smartest tools in an advisor’s sales strategy. If you want clients stepping off the ship saying, “that was worth every penny,” press play!
About Kemi Wells-Conrad:
In 2014, Kemi joined the travel industry, working as the Director of Sales – Corporate and Leisure at North South Travel, where she oversaw the team, handled all strategic partnerships, sales and marketing for the agency. Six years later, at the start of 2021, Kemi decided to launch her own agency, Wells Luxury Travel, a boutique collective for advisors specializing in four key pillars: adventure, celebration, sustainability and wellness travel. Kemi is a proud member of the Travel + Leisure Advisory Board, is a featured A-Lister in their annual awards and sits on the advisory board for National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions. Kemi previously ran the Young Travel Professionals and then Millennials in Travel Vancouver chapter, as well as sitting on Virtuoso’s Global Member Advisory Board for over 6 years. She has been quoted and featured in a variety of publications, including Travel + Leisure, Robb Report, CNBC and BRIDES.
Today we will cover:
- (02:20) How Kemi fell in love with cruising
- (08:15) Selling the value of luxury cruising to hesitant clients
- (14:25) Why luxury cruises offer better ports and longer stays
- (22:15) Advisor benefits of selling cruises
- (28:45) Marketing cruises to non-cruisers
- (33:00) Who’s actually booking luxury and expedition cruises now
- (36:30) Hosted sailings and advisor education opportunities
Listen to Episode 120: The Real Cost of Running A Travel Business with Kemi Wells-Conrad
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