Exploring the Western Caribbean on the Norwegian Getaway Seminar at Sea
Written by: Guest on December 19, 2016
December 4th to 11th, KHM Travel’s National Training Director Marie Smith and Agent Trainer Chantelle Nye set sail on a Seminar at Sea on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Getaway.
They accompanied 14 agents on a Western Caribbean cruise to the sunny ports of Roatan in Honduras, the brand new Harvest Caye in Belize, and Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico.
Agents enjoyed plenty of free time during this trip, and got to make the experience their own through Norwegian’s Freestyle Cruising concept.
“I loved getting to actually experience Freestyle Cruising to its fullest and taking advantage of a la carte dining,” says Marie. “Norwegian has also added a ton of entertainment options included a wine and paint night, an escape room experience, and really great shows each night.”
Monday’s day at sea began with KHM Travel-exclusive sales trainings from Marie and Chantelle. In the afternoon, agents were free to explore the Getaway, which is one of Norwegian’s newest ships. With 28 dining options, a tri-level sports complex, five water slides and the cruise industry’s first open-air promenade, there was certainly a lot to take in!
Roatan, off the coast of Honduras, is a popular spot for eco-tourism, which Marie and Chantelle experienced first-hand at the Gumbalimba Preserve on their first port day. They hung out with iguanas, macaws and a few friendly monkeys!
The following day, the Getaway docked at Harvest Caye, Norwegian’s newly developed port in Belize. The cruise line has designed it as a destination that has plenty of allure for cruise passengers.
Want to spend the day in a luxurious beachside cabana with five close friends? Or zipline 3,000 feet across the island? Or shop for locally-made Belizean crafts?
It’s all possible on Harvest Caye, but it’s also important to point out to travel clients that it is not a private island. Harvest Caye was developed by Norwegian, but is operated by Belizean companies. The activities, food and beverages here are not included in the cruise price, so guests will need to bring cash along.
The next port-of-call, Costa Maya, was equally as impressive. It is a relatively new port, but the town has a charming, colonial Mexican look. Marie and Chantelle toured the ancient Mayan ruins at Chacchoben, and got their steps in climbing to the top of one of the pyramids. The beauty of Costa Maya’s beach, the vibrant shopping district, and the variety of things to do here make this a must-visit cruise destination!
They mixed things up in Cozumel, which is an island just across from Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan Peninsula. Rather than an excursion, Marie and Chantelle opted for a site inspection of the upscale, all-inclusive Cozumel Palace resort.
“With a dive shop on premises, this is a popular resort for the scuba and snorkeling crowd,” says Chantelle. “The resort is smaller than other Palace Resorts, which makes it more intimate and able to provide guests great service.”
Saturday morning agents gathered for a training session with Norwegian, to learn even more about the cruise line’s product and how to sell it to travel clients. After that, they had another free day at sea before coming together for our farewell dinner.
Thanks to all the agents who joined us on this fun, valuable Seminar at Sea!
To see more photos from this Seminar at Sea, visit our Flickr album.
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