Rick Ayup talks about his rise to celebrity
Six of Celebrity’s top production Canadian travel advisors, including Ayup, recently won a free cruise for two from Celebrity Cruises Canada (plus $1,000 in air credits from Air Canada). Alan Brooks, Director of Celebrity National Sales, Canada said: “There’s nothing more rewarding than giving cash or prizes to your travel partners.”
Travel Week spoke to Ayup about why celebrities keep returning to cruise line products.
In Ayup’s view, Celebrity offers well-maintained, classic boats that appeal to just about everyone. “They go to great lengths to make sure the ship always looks fresh and new. Service is always a top priority for Celebrity, and you won’t have to look around or wait for a member of staff to help you. No need to.”
Ayup said Celebrity does a great job with group rates as well, noting that they “not only include the perks that matter most to our clients, like drinks and WiFi, but also break the bank, not to mention a refundable deposit.” We are bundling it at a price of .
Travel Week asked Ayup about the cruise line’s standout itineraries.
“Celebrity continues to offer amazing cruise itineraries to the Caribbean and Mediterranean, but what stands out to me are the ones that people might not initially think of when they think of cruises,” he says.
Japan cruises are a “great option” and Vacations for Canada has sold many of these itineraries in 2023, he added. “Personally, I had great success selling a series of trips to Japan combined with Far East cruises to Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. On one great cruise, celebrity clients stayed in the same cabin and… You can visit all of these amazing destinations without having to pack or unpack.”
Travel Week also asked Ayup about his own favorite celebrity sailing.
“We have been lucky enough to be on many amazing celebrity cruises over the years, but there is one that immediately stands out in our hearts,” he says. “When asked about cruises, I always talk about the most amazing cruises to the British Isles. We traveled the canals of Amsterdam, visited Dublin and Belfast, experienced the White Cliffs of Dover, and Bruges in Belgium. One of the key highlights was staying in Liverpool, the home of the Beatles, and soaking it all up. I also stopped in Cherbourg and Le Havre in France, where I was able to see the World War II monuments. You can’t help but feel emotional when you’re there.”
Ayup added: “I don’t plan on specific destinations or itineraries. The great thing about Celebrity is that there are so many options and new itineraries. In my role as a cruise travel advisor for Vacations for Canadians, We’re lucky to see so many new cruise opportunities. The hard part is choosing one.”
Naturally, celebrities are always happy to bring in more top producers. “We can’t wait to announce our next big prize giveaway contest, so stay tuned,” said Brooks.
