Cruise Addicts SA: Redefining Travel for South Africans

We had an interview with Troy Scott, the owner of Cruise Addicts SA.  We are also excited to announce Cruise Addicts SA is one of our latest clients. What a great team to be part of.

CruiseAddicts is a full travel company based in South Africa that specialises in local and international cruise holidays.  Troy has been cruising longer than he can remember and has been on every cruise ship from South Africa. He has also been on every one of the South African itineraries. 

Troy has been fortunate enough to have done several international cruises all over the world on different cruise ships.  He has been on the smaller, more intimate ships to the biggest cruise ships in the world. Some of the larger cruise ships are bigger than some towns and cities. 

Troy has a team of 12 of the most amazing agents and franchises that all have experience in cruising and cruise holidays.  Cruise Addicts SA is now one of the leading cruise holiday companies in the country. They are on their way to becoming one of the most successful international cruise companies as well.

Can you tell us the story behind the founding of Cruise Addicts SA?

 So the idea for Cruise Addicts SA started at the end of 2019.  A very good friend of mine was told that he had to go on pension and he was worried about what he was going to do.  We had done a number of cruises together with him and his wife and we were good friends.  I suggested to him that he starts to sell cruises as he was so knowledgeable and we were both such experienced cruisers.  I opened a PTY Ltd called Cruise Addicts SA and registered the name and the domain.  We then approached MSC and fortunately was given an agency fairly quickly.  We then officially started trading in 2020.  Little did we know but the worst thing that could have happened to a brand new company actually happened in March 2020… COVID 19!  I mean honestly, what shocking luck is that?

Overcoming challenges

 Covid 19 and the resultant travel ban was very difficult to steer the vessel through!  We persisted and we used the time during Covid and the travel ban to build the business on a more social side of things.  Using social media platforms, we sent out as much info as possible to all our friends, clients and followers.  We also were very big on giving out as much information as possible so that our clients knew exactly what was happening throughout the whole nightmare of lockdown and the travel ban.  This really enabled us to reach a vast number of people and we developed quite the following.  Clients would interact with us and ask us questions etc. and we would ensure that we got them answers.  We were very open and transparent and our clients appreciated this. 

Building a Legacy

During this time we were joined by another two fellow cruisers that wanted to sell cruises.  They got on board very quickly and helped a great deal in building the client base. Subsequently, we have grown our client base and Cruise Addicts SA now has 12 Franchises all operating under the Cruise Addicts SA umbrella.

Award-winning Company

Cruise Addicts SA has since won several awards and accolades and is now rated among the top independent agencies in the country.  All 12 of us are super proud of our accomplishments! We are thrilled that we represent such amazing companies in the cruising sector.  We have grown our client base exponentially and have a very dedicated following.  Our clients value us as a company and as individuals. Most of all, they value our honesty and our commitment to our clients.  They know that they can reach out to any one of us any time of the day and any day of the week.  Our clients are our top priority always.

Cruise Addicts SA is now a fully-fledged travel agency as well.  We can now do any holiday!

We do all :

• flights, both local and internationally
• hotels and accommodation
• car rentals
• shuttle service
• all cruises with all major cruise companies
• all visas
• and pretty much anything you can think of, both locally and internationally, for any client anywhere in the world!

What sets Cruise Addicts SA apart from other travel agencies offering cruise packages?

One of the things that set us apart are our people.  All of our agents and franchises are experienced. Experienced cruisers, experienced with the companies that we represent and experienced in the holidays that we sell!  We know that a cruise holiday is a massive life event that happens to a person, especially a first time cruiser.  People have saved up their hard-earned money, often for a long time to be able to go on this holiday of a lifetime. 

It takes a good team

Our agents and franchises ensure that the client’s holiday is as special and as enjoyable as we can possibly make it.  We take first-time cruisers and turn them into Cruise Addicts that cannot wait to plan their next cruise.  Our clients come back to us time and time again to not only build on their cruising experience but to make it the best possible experience for them.

Transparency goes a long way

Another very big part of what sets us apart is the fact that we are so open, transparent and honest.  We want the client to return to us for any of their holiday requirements so we ensure that the client is getting the best deal at the time.  We sit with the client and talk them through the whole process.  What to add onto the cruise, what to avoid, where to save money, how to maximise the experience and how to make this your very best holiday to date.  We discuss everything, we tell the clients what to pack and what to do.  We give them ideas of the best excursions to take linked to their likes and dislikes.  When the client is finished with one of our agents, they know that they have got the best possible package that is tailor-made to their experience.

What are some of the most popular cruise destinations currently? 

So locally, Mozambique is always a winner.  The weather is great, the water is clean and warm, it’s reasonably cost-effective and its not too far away from home.  The New Year cruise to Mauritius and Reunion is always the highlight of the local season. If planned properly and long enough in advance, can be a very reasonable holiday.  I also always encourage people to explore our own back yard so cruises to Cape Town and back to Durban are fantastic ways to see our amazing coastline.

 Internationally, the Mediterranean is unrivalled!  There are so many countries to see so many things to do, and so many cultures the choices are endless.  The Caribbean is another great alternative if you don’t mind the long-haul flights over to the US.  The Far East is growing in popularity with cruising in the South China Sea now a fast-growing itinerary.  There is also the family holidays on the bigger ships that incorporate theme parks and private islands.

I am a firm believer that the actual cruise ship is probably the biggest destination when cruising.  People want to see these great big new ships, they want to experience all the latest novelties on these massive ships.  You can now do anything on board these floating cities.  From go-carting to sky-diving simulators and wave pools to ice skating.  Restaurants that float above the water to capsules that take you hundreds of feet above the ship.  You name it, and we will find it for you on board these floating cities.

Have you noticed any changes in travel trends among your clients in recent years?

 We have noticed a number of changes over the last few years.  We have noticed that the age of the travellers has dropped significantly, there are a lot more younger people now cruising and a lot more families cruising.  More and more young people want to travel now while they can and experience as much as they can.

We have noticed that more and more people want to get the best possible price.  They are happy to shop around to get the best possible deals.  People are much more open to travelling on a budget.  The world has become a much smaller place and people want to see as much of it as possible.

Cruises have become the easiest way to travel around the world.  Where else can you see a different place each and every day, experience different countries all in the same holiday and best of all is that your hotel room travels with you to all of these places so there is no packing and unpacking, no taxis or travel fears, no time delays or anything like that.  Your hotel is the ship and the ship takes you anywhere in the world.

Are there any underrated cruise destinations or experiences that more people should know about?

  I’ve alluded to this already, but what I would like people to know is that the ship is the biggest destination of your whole cruise.  The ship is also where you will be spending most of your time so I always encourage clients to spend money enhancing your experience onboard the ship.  Book as many of the shows as possible, attend all the demonstrations and talks, go to the spa and indulge, book the fun experiences on-board and experience as much of the ship as you can. 

 Yes, the ports of call are all exciting but in most cases you will book an excursion or plan your own excursion for those few hours at each port.

As far as underrated experiences, people don’t realise how amazing the repositioning cruises can be.  This is when a ship is doing what we call a crossing i.e. moving from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.  These cruises are generally long cruises and are almost always very reasonably priced.  These cruises often move from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere or vice versa If you have the time to do one of these repositioning cruises, you simply have to try it at least once.

 The last experience that I want to mention is the cruises that I call “once in a lifetime” cruises.  These are cruises like sailing to the polar circle to see the Northern Lights or the Arctic circle to see the Southern Lights.  Cruises that sail to glaciers and ice fields.  Cruises to the Galapagos Archipelago and the list is endless.

Do you collaborate with any local businesses or tour operators at various ports of call to enhance the travel experience?

We do actually.  We have people, businesses and tour operators that we have personally used in almost all of the destinations.  From restaurants to taxis, from catamaran trips to jet boat racing, from zoos and parks to museums and almost everything in between.  We try always to network with locals and we keep in touch with them before and after the trips with good feedback from our clients. We would never refer to or recommend something that we have not tried.

What advice would you give first-time cruisers to make the most of their trip?

Any holiday is exciting and should be enjoyed to the absolute maximum.  My advice to first-time cruisers would be to make sure that the agent helping you plan this cruise is knowledgeable and experienced with a fantastic track record.  You need this to be the best experience of your life and the agent helping you should be able to assist you to plan the trip in such a way that it not only meets your expectations but literally blows those expectations out the water so to speak. 

My advice would be to listen to the agent helping you, ask questions and give them as much information about you and your family as possible.  This will enable them to tailor your cruise experience and make it the best experience of your life.  Once on board, take part in everything you can… play those games… dance the dances… let all your inhibitions go and enjoy every minute of your cruise.

 Be careful of agents that want to upsell everything to you or get you to spend money on unnecessary items.  First-time cruisers are unfortunately very easy targets for unscrupulous people.  Always try and find an agent that is experienced and has a track record.

·         Website  www.cruiseaddictssa.co.za

·         Email address  troy@cruiseaddictssa.co.za

·         Phone number  083 284 0378