Wave Season
Wave Season is the busiest booking period in the cruise industry, typically running from January through March. It's when cruise lines offer their best deals and promotions of the year, resulting in the highest volume of bookings. For cruise line employees and travel agents, this is the most demanding time of year, requiring additional staffing and extended hours. Think of it as the "Black Friday season" of the cruise industry, but lasting several months instead of one day.
Examples in Resumes
Managed a team of 15 booking agents during Wave Season, exceeding sales targets by 25%
Developed promotional strategies for Wave Season resulting in 40% booking increase
Successfully handled 200+ daily customer inquiries during peak Wave Season periods
Typical job title: "Cruise Travel Agents"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Cruise Travel Agents
Industry Organizations
Job Boards
Professional Networks
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How would you develop a Wave Season strategy to maximize bookings?
Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss creating promotional campaigns, managing team schedules, coordinating with cruise lines, analyzing past season data, and implementing customer retention strategies.
Q: How do you handle team management during Wave Season peak periods?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate experience in staff scheduling, training seasonal workers, maintaining service quality during high volume, and implementing efficient workflows to handle increased demand.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What strategies do you use to prioritize leads during Wave Season?
Expected Answer: Should explain methods for qualifying leads, managing multiple bookings simultaneously, and balancing new inquiries with following up on existing opportunities.
Q: How do you maintain customer service standards during high-volume periods?
Expected Answer: Should discuss time management techniques, customer communication strategies, and how to handle multiple bookings while maintaining attention to detail.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What do you know about Wave Season and why is it important?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of Wave Season timing, its importance to the cruise industry, and basic knowledge of common promotions and deals.
Q: How would you handle multiple booking requests during peak times?
Expected Answer: Should show basic understanding of prioritization, organization skills, and ability to manage multiple tasks while maintaining accuracy.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic cruise line knowledge
- Customer service skills
- Booking system operation
- Understanding of Wave Season promotions
Mid (2-5 years)
- Advanced sales techniques
- Multiple booking management
- Promotion and pricing expertise
- Client relationship building
Senior (5+ years)
- Team leadership during peak seasons
- Strategic planning
- Revenue optimization
- Training and mentoring
Red Flags to Watch For
- No knowledge of major cruise lines and their products
- Poor understanding of seasonal pricing variations
- Lack of experience with booking systems
- Unable to handle high-pressure situations
- Poor time management skills
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