Cruise Product Knowledge FAQ
Quick answers for agents learning the cruise product.
Start Selling CruisesCruise Product Knowledge FAQ
How do I find out a ship’s class?
Start with the cruise line’s own ship page. Some lines group ships by class on their fleet pages; others, such as Carnival, list ships individually and leave the grouping to the trade.
Where do agents see category codes?
On cruise-line booking portals and the booking tools agencies use, next to each cabin type and in deck-plan legends. Consumer booking sites often hide them behind cabin names.
Do I need to memorize every code?
No. Learn the pattern for the two or three lines you sell most and keep the deck-plan legend open for the rest.
Is product knowledge enough to sell cruises?
It is one part. You also need a way to book and be paid, an understanding of the sales conversation, and clients. Be a Travel Agent helps new sellers with the setup.
Does this site cover river cruise products?
Not in depth. River ships are built in their own families and cabins are categorized differently; the Official River Cruise Directory and our river sites cover that product.
What is the difference between a sister ship and a ship of the same class?
They usually mean the same thing: ships built to the same design. Sellers sometimes use “sister ship” more loosely for ships that share most features even when the line counts them as different classes.
How should I explain a guarantee cabin to a nervous client?
Say what is certain and what is not: the cabin type, or better, is guaranteed; the location is not, and the line assigns it later. If location matters to them — seasickness, noise, connecting cabins — recommend choosing a specific cabin instead.
Are fare rules the same for groups?
Not always. Group bookings are governed by the group contract, with its own deposit, name-change and release dates. Read the contract alongside the line’s regular terms; Cruise Group Sales covers how group contracts work.
Where can clients learn the basics themselves?
Send them to our consumer sister site Cruise Institute for Cruise 101 and a glossary, and to Cruise Ship Deck Plans for choosing a cabin. Clients who understand the basics ask better questions.
Will this site tell me what agents earn?
No. Earnings depend on the agency you work with, your market and your effort, and we do not publish income or commission figures.
A Simple Product-Knowledge Routine
- Each week, learn one ship class end to end: its ships, signature venues and cabin types.
- Each quote, translate every category code you send into words the client understands.
- Each month, reread the fare rules of the lines you sell most; they change.
- Each sailing you take, walk the decks with the deck plan in hand and note what surprised you.
Keep your notes in one place, by line and class, and they become your own reference library over time.
More for Cruise Sellers
Training and credentials: Cruise Agent University and Master Cruise Counselor. The wider advisor career: Be a Travel Advisor. Why specialize in cruises: Cruise Selling. Industry suppliers and news: the Official Travel Industry Directory.
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