July/August 2023
Meet Susanna Steinbeck — Passion for Travel Led Her Here
By Paloma Villaverde de Rico
Susanna Steinbeck knows a thing or two about cruising, and she’s not afraid to yell it from the proverbial mountaintop or, in her case, the ship’s bow. She’s so passionate about this mode of vacationing, and traveling itself, that at just 19 years old she knows exactly what she wants to do with her life—book vacations that make her client’s dreams of cruising the world come true. And
yes
, Steinbeck is currently running a travel agency
at just 19 years of age
.
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“I’ve been traveling back and forth between parents in the USA and Germany regularly by myself since the age of six, and ever since I was very young, my dad has been taking me on cruises every year,†she says. “I then grew up adopting the mindset (thanks to my parents) that anything I desire in life is possible, which led me to develop curiosity whether I could make a living off talking about and selling what I know and love. I researched this question, talked to some people and just went for it!â€
Enter
Cruisie Travel
, which was founded by Steinbeck, who is very modest about her entry into the travel advisor world. She emphasizes that she did not do this alone: “I joined a course which is curated for aspiring travel advisors like me and teaches [you] how to run and operate your own agency within weeks. The modules and support are phenomenal, and they helped me get connected with a host agency. I joined the course in August 2022 and had my agency running about two months later.â€
Her love of cruising has really set her apart. She says she feels passionate about helping people discover their love for cruises and is “determined and certain about the fact that there is a cruise out there for anyone, they just have to be matched with it and discover the magic of cruising for themselves. I am confident talking about (almost) every major cruise line and can determine what type of person may enjoy which supplier, regardless of age. Being a young adult myself, I can then talk from personal experience, which is something I highly value in terms of providing good quality service to my customers.â€
She adds that her age can be a magnet for some clients, as “I predict that people enjoy that I am not what most people think of as the ‘typical travel advisor.’†As a teenager, she obviously embraces social media to attract clients, pointing out that “through social media, people turn to more people who they know, like and trust. In that sense, seeing a travel advisor online experience something you really would like to do, is something that didn’t exist before and is definitely keeping the need for travel advisors alive.â€
When it comes to whether her age has been a gift or a hindrance, Steinbeck says, “It has definitely been a blessing in most ways. It seems like most travel advisors are far above my age and (understandably) do not seem to have perspective on what younger generations may like and value. There just doesn’t seem to be a big market when it comes to helping young adults curate their ideal cruise experience.â€
But Steinbeck reminds
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that it’s not just her age that makes her unique. “I do not know many other travel advisors who have been on so many different cruise lines and itineraries around the world,†she tells us. “I enjoy standing out as someone where people say: ‘Really? You’re a travel agent?’ I feel like I have made the right choice and I enjoy being amongst the young cruise travel advisor pioneers.â€
Check out the full Q&A with Steinbeck on
recommend.com
.
PRINCESS CRUISES
PRINCESS CRUISES IFC
COVER
EXPLORA JOURNEYS
Table of Contents
TURKISH AIRLINES
Editor's Notes
SANDALS
SANDALS SPREAD
Advisor Speak: Meet Susanna Steinbeck — Passion for Travel Led Her Here
Cruise: Mindful Vacations at Sea
Cruise: Mindful of Our Planet
OCEANIA CRUISES
Caribbean/Mexico: Green Wellcations for the Win
PALLADIUM HOTEL GROUP
SAINT LUCIA SC
SAINT LUCIA
SANDALS SC
Onsite Review: 5 Unmissable 'Beyond the Beach' Experiences in Barbados
Onsite Review: Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
Onsite Review: This Punta Cana Hottie Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Adults—TRS Turquesa Hotel
North America: Sustainable Las Vegas—Betting on Green
MGM SC
MGM RESORTS
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RECOMMEND EDU HOUSE AD
RCA AWARDS HOUSE AD
