Cruise Adviser — April 2018 by Cruise Adviser

S I L V E R S E A S H I P R E F I T | H O W TO S E L L : L U X U R Y | I N T E R V I E W : S AG A | I N F OC U S : PA N DAW

THE ONLY DESTINATION FOR THOSE SELLING CRUISES

A P R I L 2018

SACRED RIVER Jeannine Williamson visits the lesser-known holy heartlands of India and goes with the ebb and flow of the Ganges on a cruise with G Adventures

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April 2018 | Forward EDITOR’S LETTER

It’s time for cruise to start acting its age Millennials are important to the future of the cruise industry. With that, few could disagree. However, is there an almost unhealthy fascination with those aged between 18 and 34? Let’s not forget that the average age of a British cruise passenger is mid-50s. Many people aged between, say, 35 and 55 are rapidly becoming the cruise industry’s ‘forgotten generation’ and what about the older clientele – the bread and butter of the cruise industry? SACRED RIVER While it is unfashionable to have older people adorning a cruise line’s marketing material – so, instead, they use images like the one below – it is crucial that this group do not feel unwelcome on board. In this issue, Jane Archer investigates some of the best cruises for older people. Elsewhere, we have Jeannine Williamson meandering along the Ganges, the Indian holy river, with G Adventures; we speak to Iain Powell, the new head of trade sales for Saga; and we take a closer look at Pandaw, after the Myanmar specialist launched coastal cruises off the south coast of the country last year. Charlotte Cullinan takes tips from across the travel agent community that you can use to help first-time cruisers, while we also take a closer look at Cologne – one of Germany’s most beautiful river cruise destinations. Speaking of river cruise, it won’t have failed to grab your attention that this issue of cruise adviser comes with a brand new supplement. Here you’ll find all of the latest information to help you sell one of the fastest growing areas of the travel industry. From new launches to adventurous river cruising and the rise of Asia, it’s packed with key information to help you sell more. Good luck!

THIS MONTH WHAT WE LEARNT

P13

S I L V E R S E A S H I P R E F I T | H O W TO S E L L : L U X U R Y | I N T E R V I E W : S AG A | I N F OC U S : PA N DAW

THE ONLY DESTINATION FOR THOSE SELLING CRUISES

A P R I L 2018

Jeannine Williamson visits the lesser-known holy heartlands of India and goes with the ebb and flow of the Ganges on a cruise with G Adventures

MSC’S NEW SHIP HAS A VERY LARGE SCREEN The theatre on MSC Bellissima – home to the Cirque du Soleil at Sea – will have the largest LED screen on any ship P18

SILVERSEA CUT ONE OF ITS SHIPS IN HALF The luxury line’s Silver Spirit is being extended by 15m at a shipyard in Italy, giving the nine-year-old vessel additional capacity P28

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COLOGNE HAS A CHOCOLATE MUSEUM You can indulge your Willy Wonka fantasies at this river cruise destination, with its amazing three-metre-high chocolate fountain

Time to do more, with Cunard. Book a Cunard Fare and your customers can enjoy more freedom and choice, as well as additional benefits including complimentary on board spending money. Plus, make a Cunard Fare booking by 30 April 2018 and you’ll have the chance to win Afternoon Tea and an overnight stay at The Savoy in London for two*. Available on all cruises, regardless of when your customers book, the Cunard Fare offers the following: ✓ Choice of stateroom ✓ Priority in choosing dining time ✓ Highest priority in receiving an upgrade

✓ Complimentary shuttle buses in port ✓ 15% deposit ✓ Flexibility in changing booking.

PLUS an additional complimentary benefit (on cruises of seven nights or more): ◆

Spending money to use on board ◆ Car parking in Southampton ◆ Return coach travel to and from Southampton. *Terms and conditions apply.

WIN!

A VIP DAY AT THE RACES WITH SAGA p55

The overwhelming sights and sounds of the Ganges, p34

Contents MIDSHIP 34

Sacred Waters Jeannine Williamson joins G Adventures for a cruise along the Ganges – India’s lifeblood, immortalised as the goddess Ganga in Hindu. Once on board, she finds the pace very different to the rigidly timetabled river cruises in Europe

InFocus: Pandaw The Myanmar-based line started off by recreating the colonial steamboats on the Irrawaddy river, but has now become Asia’s largest operator How to sell: luxury Our unique how to sell guide

– this time looking at world of luxury cruise 46

How to keep business booming for the baby boomers It’s very well appealing to millennials, but we look at cruises for older people – the industry’s bread and butter CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Forward

FORWARD 3

Ed’s letter

News MSC Cruises to christen its new ship Bellissima in Southampton next year; Fred Olsen is looking to expand its fleet with new adventure ships; Abta holds its first cruise conference in London

Five minutes with... John Fair, CroisiEurope Sam Ballard speaks to the French-owned river cruise line’s new UK sales director about how it intends to build its British business

Silversea We report from Fincantieri shipyard in Italy where Silver Spirit is being extended – a first for a luxury line

New crew The big cruise industry hires this month

Fam trips / incentives We round up all the latest incentives and news

Interview: Saga We talk to Iain Powell, Saga’s new head of trade sales, who is keen to dispel some myths about the company and their offering Ports of Call: Cologne The German city is a regular river cruise stop, and promises beautiful buildings and some amazing museums Cruise tips Charlotte Cullinan gets advice

CroisiEurope, p22

from agents for you to pass on to first-time cruisers who may be uncertain about what to expect when they get on board

AFT 53

Directory All the cruise line contact details in one place Games room Unwind with our crossword, challenge yourself with sudoku, attempt our quiz or enter our competition to win a day at the races with Saga

Recipe The best recipes to be found at sea. This month: Holland America Line’s sensational shrimp provençal with rice

Lookout All the latest photos and insider info from the industry

Final word How cruise is leading the way in adopting an innovative, customer-led approach to bookings and intineraries Email info@cruise-adviser.com to share your thoughts CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

NEW ‘SOLO EXCLUSIVE’ RIVER CRUISE FOR 2018 The Blue Danube - 4th November 2018 If you have clients who travel solo and have always wanted to river cruise but don’t want to pay a single supplement, they will get a fantastic 5* river cruise in their own cabin for an incredible price.

Solo occupancy cabin

Price from

Lower deck (river view)

£1,299pp

Middle deck (french balcony)

£1,599pp

Upper deck (french balcony)

£1,699pp

EX STN (No Supp), LGW (£50 supp), LHR (£80 supp), EDI (£60 supp), MAN (£60 supp) NB. We also have a limited number of LOWER DECK cabins on ALL of our other departure dates with no sole occupancy supplement

Contact our friendly agency sales team: 01283 744307 Visit: www.rivieratravel.co.uk/agents Email: agencysales@rivieratravel.co.uk Riviera Travel booking terms and conditions apply. Prices correct as of 20.03.18.

Joseph

Darren

Tamzin

ABTA No. V4744

Mia

NEWS

Do you have a story for us? Email info@cruise-adviser.com

MSC CRUISES

MSC to christen its new mega-ship Bellissima in the UK The new vessel will be named at a ceremony in Southampton in March 2019

MSC Cruises is to christen one of its upcoming ship in the UK at a ceremony in Southampton next year. MSC Bellissima, the line’s fourth mega-ship, will be launched on March 2, 2019 with 2,000 VIP guests invited. The ship will be in port for a further three days, allowing 3,000 travel agents to get on board. The launch is the latest in MSC’s €10.5 billion investment programme. “MSC Cruises is going from strength to strength in the UK and Ireland, and the fact that such a high profile event is being held here is a signal of the importance of the UK and Ireland to MSC Cruises,” said Antonio Paradiso,

managing director MSC Cruises UK & Ireland. “This is an opportunity for us to thank our travel agents for helping us expand our distribution and reach new audiences. During the three-day christening celebrations we will have the opportunity to showcase our new and innovative ship, while the inaugural voyage from Southampton to Genoa will allow our UK guests the opportunity to be the first to sail on this beautiful ship.” The company also announced it will be adding voice-enabled technology to MSC for Me, its “digital cruise personal assistant”. MSC Bellissima will be the first ship to get the technology.

The new MSC ships will also be continuing the company’s partnership with Cirque du Soleil at Sea – with two new shows that will only be available on board MSC Bellissima. The theatre will feature the longest LED screen at sea. “We have chosen to host the Christening of MSC Bellissima in Southampton as a demonstration of our continued commitment to growth in the UK and Ireland,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises. “This is a truly beautiful ship, worthy of the name Bellissima and this christening will be a truly beautiful moment for MSC Cruises and the UK.”

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

EXPLORE

THE WORLD IN DEPTH AND IN STYLE

Sail further and delve deeper on these incredible EXC In-Depth Voyages. Your clients may choose the lens through which they would like to experience their cruise – be it arts and culture, photography, nature and science, food, history or onshore adventure – then enjoy fascinating lectures, interactive workshops with local artisans and memorable shore experiences that bring this focus to life. With itineraries ranging from 12 to 34 nights and the option to combine them into more leisurely holidays, these EXC In-Depth Voyages are travel at its most rewarding. Here are just a few ideas. On the intimate Maasdam your clients will see the world in the most engaging, authentic and personal way. 14-NIGHT SOUTH SEAS SAMPLER

13-NIGHT NEW ZEALAND PANORAMA

Cruise only from

Fly/cruise from

Cruise only from

Fly/cruise from

per person

THE HOLLAND AMERICA LINE DIFFERENCE Mid-sized, elegant Maasdam carries just 1,250 guests Spacious staterooms and suites, many with private balcony Nearly one crew member for every two guests Fine dining with casual to formal options Regional Cuisine, “EXC” destination experiences and more Sumptuous Greenhouse Spa & Salon Long days and overnight stays in gorgeous cities

20-NIGHT EAST INDIES & CORAL SEAS Cruise only from

Fly/cruise from

per person

20-NIGHT INDIAN OCEAN Cruise only from

Fly/cruise from

per person

£1,249 £3,059 £1,349 £2,899 £2,399 £3,559 £2,099 £3,559

DEPARTS: 11

Nov 2018

Maasdam DEPART:

PAPEETE

DEPARTS: 8

Dec 2018

Maasdam ARRIVE:

AUCKLAND

VISITS: Rarotonga

(Cook Islands); Alofi (Niue), Vava u (Tonga); Savusavu (Vanua Levi, Fiji); Suva (Viti Levu); Dravuni Island, Nuku Alofa (Tonga).

DEPART:

AUCKLAND VISITS: Tauranga

DEPARTS: 6

Jan 2019

Maasdam ARRIVE:

SYDNEY

(Rotorua, New Zealand, overnight); Waitangi (Chatham Islands); Wellington; Kaikoura; Akaroa (Christchurch); Port Chalmers (Dunedin); cruising Fjordland National Park.

DEPART:

FREMANTLE VISITS: Geraldton

DEPARTS: 26

Jan 2019

Maasdam ARRIVE:

SINGAPORE

(Australia); Exmouth, Broome, Kuri Bay, Darwin, Dili (East Timor); Komodo Island (Indonesia), Sulawesi, Celukan Bawang (Bali), Probolinggo (Java), Surabaya, Semarang.

DEPART:

SINGAPORE

ARRIVE:

SINGAPORE

VISITS: Singapore

(overnight), Malacca (Malaysia), Georgetown (Penang), Phuket (Thailand), Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), Hambantola, Male (Maldives), Uigamu, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Langkawi (Malaysia) Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur).

WAYS TO BOOK:

POLAR Online: via www.hollandamerica.com and click on partnerships • Reservations by phone – 0344 338 8600 Online training – www.halacademy.co.uk • Visit www.hollandamerica.com Terms & Conditions All lead in fares are per person sharing a twin inside stateroom in UK£ either cruise only or fly/cruise from London airports. Please ask for other stateroom grades and fly/cruise fares from regional airports.

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promenade or relax on the stunning beaches. Upon reaching elegant Palma, they can wander the maze of alleyways and cobblestone paths featuring Majorca’s best restaurants and shops. After a week of exploring, guests cruise back to Barcelona where they can stroll down the medieval streets of the Barri Gòtic or treat themselves to some tasty tapas at a streetside café.

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For guests seeking ultimate luxury, they can enjoy The Haven, Norwegian’s most spacious and well-appointed accommodations with the personal service of a 24hour butler. Whatever your guests choose, Norwegian Epic is a perfect holiday for couples, a family or a fun trip with friends. Norwegian Cruise Line has been voted the best cruise line

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Explore the remote islands of mystical French Polynesia eWaterways is delighted to introduce the incredible Aranui 5. Part passenger, part freighter, this upscale vessel provides exclusive access the Marquesas Islands’ history, culture and breathtaking scenery Do you have clients that have been there, done that and want something ever more off the beaten track? To see the world in an authentic way? To have an experience unlike any other? Located over 1,500km northeast of Tahiti, The Marquesas Islands – known as The Land of Men – are waiting to be discovered; a paradise lost and now found with the new custom-built Aranui 5. This upscale ship – part passenger, part freighter – is the main supply line to this archipelago, providing passage in great comfort to areas inaccessible by conventional methods. For the past 30 years the Aranui, with its Polynesian staff and crew, has been introducing these mystical

islands to the outside world. Guests will discover what Tahiti looked like 50 years ago, visiting all six of the islands in the Marquesas, as well as Fakarava and Rangiroa in the Tuamotus and Bora Bora in the Society Islands on this 14-day cruise. Experience the richness of the Marquesas, from its people to its history and culture to its breathtaking scenery.

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Aranui 5 is designed to offer all of the comforts of a cruise ship, while operating as a supply vessel. Classified as a small ship, it has just 103 cabins. With eight different guest decks, the interior decor reflects the Polynesian heritage of its owners and crew.

The ship features a restaurant where all the meals on board are served in a casual setting; two lounges; two conference rooms, where guest lecturers will offer presentations on various topics related to the Marquesas; four bars, including the Sky Bar with sweeping panoramic views; an outdoor pool; a boutique; a massage room and a gym. This is soft adventure and cultural immersion at its best. Prices start from £3,485pp (cruise only price; wine with meals and excursions included). For more information or to make a booking call eWaterways 0808 168 1458 or email salesuk@ewaterways.com

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Forward FRED OLSEN

New ships for Fred Olsen

Company looking to add exploration-style ships as it updates its fleet Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is talking to shipyards about building a new series of exploration-style ships, according to chairman Fred Olsen Jr. Olsen said he would be interested in building up to four new ships, although the series could extend beyond that if the demand was there. The company also revealed that it was reducing the capacity across its existing four ships by about 10 per cent as it takes out the cabins on its lower decks. The move would increase space per passenger across its vessels o make them more

premium and “give our guests a better experience”, Olsen said. Olsen also revealed that the company would be adding RIB boats to every ship as they sought to increase the amount of smaller ports that passengers could access, as well as activities such as whale watching. Boudicca was the most recent ship in the fleet to undergo a refit, seeing

the addition of an Oriental Tea Room and Indian Ocean Restaurant. Mike Rodwell, managing director of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are very proud of our smaller, classic cruise ships, and we recognise the importance of investment in upgrades and improvements to ensure that guest are always able to enjoy their holidays to the full.”

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

AVALON

SHEARINGS

Holidays are “sacrosanct” says RCL boss Leven

European fleet to become suite-only

New range of Croatian coastal cruises launched

Royal Caribbean’s boss has said that the travel industry will “ride out” the turbulence created by Brexit. Speaking at the Abta Brexit Briefing, Stuart Leven, vice president EMEA and managing director of RCL, said that: “Holidays are sacrosanct.” “I have been in this industry for 30 years – the Brits love to go on holiday,” he added. “They weigh everything up and then still get on the plane.” Speaking about a trade deal with Europe he said he was “optimistic”. “There are 53 million trips to Europe every year, which means that there is an appetite for a deal on both sides. It is as important to them as it is to us.”

Avalon Waterways has announced that its European fleet will be suiteonly as it launched its 2019 cruise programme. The line has also extended its ‘Active Discovery’ programme from two rivers (Rhine and Danube) to three in 2019 (Rhône). Janet Parton, sales director, said: “We are thrilled to be launching a whole host of new itineraries and active experiences for agents to be able to offer their customers in 2019. For the first time, Avalon’s entire fleet will also be made up of suite ships giving our guests exclusive access to the industry’s only open-air balconies and beds facing the incredible views for which river cruising is famous.”

Shearings Holidays has launched a selection of Croatian coastal cruises on board intimate, state-of-theart, yacht-like ships with capacity of fewer than 40 passengers. The new itineraries are available on a selection of dates between late April and early October 2018. Jane Aktins, managing director at Shearings Holidays, said: “This is something a little different for us and offers agents a new product to promote from a trusted brand. It is perfect for customers who fancy cruising the rugged Adriatic coast and its islands in a more intimate way and these seven night trips take in some of Croatia’s most unspoilt beaches, historic treasures and traditional villages.”

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April 2018 | Forward ABTA

Abta holds first cruise conference

Speakers included execs from Google, Deloitte and Traveltek as well as Clia Abta has held its inaugural first-time cruise conference featuring speakers such as Clia boss Andy Harmer, as well as executives from Traveltek, Deloitte and Google. The conference, talked delegates through sessions including understanding the future cruise market, itinerary considerations and new market demographics. Sebastien Pichon, industry manager of travel at Google and Alistair Pritchard, lead partner of travel at Deloitte looked at rebranding in core markets and how to reach new customers.

Peter Whittle, the global sales director of Traveltek, took a session on how agents could use technology to maximise bookings during which he revealed that, despite cruise and fly accounting for a significant amount of enquiries, the number of quotes agents produced dropped off significantly – often being replaced with cruise-only quotes. He also

flagged solo travellers and families as being major growth areas. During the final panel session, on new products and experiences, Peter Shanks, managing director of Silversea, said that the line’s core focus continued to be baby boomers rather than a younger demographic, adding that they would “let the other cruise lines chase millennials”.

WTH UK

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

NAT GEO

Cruise118 co-founder James Cole leaves firm

Perfect Day Island Collection unveiled

Brand to work directly with travel agents

James Cole, the co-founder of Cruise118, has left the business. Cole, who set up Cruise118 in 2008, left the company at the end of March to persue other interests. Alison Earnshaw, the company’s product and commercial director, has taken over as managing director. The company entered into a partnership with the US travel firm World Travel Holdings in 2010, with Cole becoming managing director of the newly formed World Travel Holdings UK. The brands Six Star Cruises and River Voyages operate under the WTH UK umbrella. Cruise118 was founded with Mal Barritt who is now at ITC Travel Group.

Royal Caribbean International has unveiled its Perfect Day Island Collection – a series of private islands around the world. The first in the collection will be its existing island, CocoCay, soon to re-open following a $200 million refurbishment. Further islands are due to be opened in Asia, Australia and the Caribbean. Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said: “We are introducing the Perfect Day Island Collection to deliver the most memorable holiday for adventure seekers on land and onboard our ships. Perfect Day at CocoCay will be the ultimate family destination in the Caribbean.”

National Geographic Expeditions will begin working directly with travel agents for the first time. The brand, which partners with G Adventures to sell escorted group ‘Journeys’, will sell its 57 upmarket lodges, private tours and eight expedition cruise ships in the UK market. National Geographic Expeditions is now looking for UK agents to dynamically package its products with flights under their own Atols. Travel director Nathan Philpot, previously of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said it aimed to become “travel agents’ number-one choice” for adventure travel in Europe within five years. He said it will pay “competitive” commission. CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

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April 2018 | Forward

FIVE MINUTES WITH…

John Fair, CroisiEurope Sam Ballard speaks to the river cruise line’s new UK sales director about how he intends to increase the French-owned company’s presence in the country CroisiEurope is a big cruise line. To some travel agents that will come as a big surprise, but with almost 50 vessels located on the rivers of Europe, Asia and Africa – as well as barges on the canals of France, coastal cruises off the coast of Italy and Croatia and safari lodges in Namibia and Zimbabwe (that includes cruising in Botswana and South Africa) – the scale of the company is staggering. Recent additions include river cruises in eastern Canada, an area previously left off most river cruise programmes. Unsurprisingly, the company is now seeking to grow its source market beyond its native France and has brought in industry stalwart John Fair to help lead the efforts with the UK trade. Fair, who worked with CroisiEurope during his time at Cosmos Tours and Cruises, will now be the focal point for those efforts. We caught up with him to talk more about the newly-created role and what it entails.

What are your main responsibilities going to be with CroisiEurope? My key target is going to be raising awareness of CroisiEurope with travel agents here in the UK. Not many people know where to place us in the market: we are a French, familyowned international river cruise line that offers a phenomenal level of service for a very reasonable price point. Being French, cuisine plays a major role in our cruises, as does our heritage. Everything is done with that famous French flair, meaning we’re perfect for discerning travellers who want to enjoy our French cuisine with some fine wines. We include alcohol in the price of the cruise, too, making us even better value for money. What is CroisiEurope’s biggest strength? The depth of our offering. We have paddleships operating on the Elbe, incredible cruises in Africa that are paired with stays in African lodges

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as well as coastal cruises in Europe. That’s on top of our river cruises throughout Europe and Asia, with more destinations being launched all the time – including the St Lawrence River in Canada. Can you tell us something that most agents won’t know about CroisiEurope? We are Europe’s biggest river cruise line with 50 ships on more than 20 rivers worldwide. That includes some destinations totally unique to us such as the Loire in France, Guadalquivir and Guadiana in Spain and Portugal, St Lawrence in Canada and Lake Zariba in Zimbabwe. What is your biggest challenge? Getting across the quality of our offering and matching that up to our price point, which is very reasonable without compromising on quality for what our guests experience while on board.

April 2018 | Forward

SHIP REFIT

Silversea stretches Silver Spirit The line has become the first to lengthen a luxury cruise ship. Jane Archer was at the Fincantieri shipyard in Sicily to witness history being made When Silver Spirit launched in December 2009, it was just under 200m long and accommodated 540 passengers. When it leaves the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Sicily, on May 1, it will not only have gained another 15m as a new section is inserted into the superstructure, but have 34 more suites and capacity for 608 passengers. It will also have had a complete makeover to bring the décor and dining in line with Silver Muse, the Silversea ship launched in 2017. The concept of cutting a ship in half and putting it back together with an extra bit in the middle sounds an amazing feat of engineering. In fact, so many cruise lines have done it that

these days it is “routine surgery”, according to Silversea’s technical guru Andrea Zito. However, Silversea says it is first luxury line to undertake the operation. Much of Silver Spirit’s furniture had been unloaded and distributed to local charities in Crete before it arrived in Palermo so the yard workers were able to get to work fast. The first job was to tag some 1,300 cables, air ducts and pipes – basically all the services that would be cut – so they could be matched to labels on the same services once the mid-section was inserted. Then the cutters moved in. Project manager Brian Swensen said: “The biggest challenges are

logistics and communication. Get the planning right and people working as a team and the rest falls into place.” On the afternoon of Silver Spirit’s fourth day in dry-dock, I watched as the final cut was made and the front half of the ship inched slowly away from the back on a system of skid pads and hydraulic jacks and the mid-section started to manoeuvre into position. Just 24 hours later, I was back at the yard to see the new section slide into place. Once Silver Spirit is welded back together, the refurbishment starts. It’s a big job, not only adding more top-flight accommodation, but changing the décor and reinventing the dining experience.

Silversea’s UK managing director Peter Shanks in front of Silver Spirit at Fincantieri shipyard, Sicily

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April 2018 | Forward Among the changes two restaurants, Atlantide and Indochine (respectively a steakhouse and an Asian eatery), will replace the dining room. Both made their debut on Silver Muse, are complimentary and don’t need reservations. The Stars Supper Club will be reinvented as Silver Note, a venue that serves up jazz and light bites, and there’ll be a new Arts Café for drinks and snacks as well as a pizza restaurant. All the new venues, which replicate the outlets that were introduced on Silver Muse last year, will be detailed in a module in Silversea’s training academy. It’s all costing a cool $70 million, which seems a lot to add space for just 34 more suites, but UK managing director Peter Shanks said it is considerably less than building a new ship (Silversea already has one new ship on order for 2020 and more in the pipeline) and will be set against extra revenue over many years given that Spirit is only nine years old. He added: “There is a new drive and ambition to improve the fleet so there will be more refurbishments. We can’t add all the venues to the smaller ships but they will be refurbished in the image of Muse.” Shanks joined Silversea in January as UK managing director and said the motivation behind the investment is to improve standards and appeal to a new generation of clients. “We attract the Silent Generation [born between 1925 and 1946] but we want to target Baby Boomers [born between 1946 and 1964] and they demand choice and flexibility.” He admits that Silversea has not always been trade-friendly, but says that is changing with new initiatives including Webinars Wednesdays and an agent reward scheme. There are also new marketing and resource platforms on the cruise line’s website where agents can access and personalise promotional materials and information to send to clients. Shanks said: “Silversea is seen as a leader in the luxury market by our past cruisers, but not by others. Our challenge is to work with agents to reach customers who are looking for true luxury.” CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

Explore

GLOBE

Issue One

December 2016

CRUISE ADVISER THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FOR THOSE SELLING CRUISES

PREVIEW EDITION

D E C E M B E R 2016

CRUISE ADVISER

F E AT U RE S | R O OM SE RVI C E ME N U | S H O R E E XC U R S I O NS

ISSUE ONE

FEBRUARY 2016

CRUISE ADVISER

EX-UK 2016

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FOR THOSE SELLING CRUISES

WATERMARK

ADVENTURE 2016

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST HOLIDAYS IN THE WORLD

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ADVENTURE 2016

WHY ARE CRUISES M A K I N G WAV E S ? SAILING SOLO O F F T H E B E AT E N T R AC K WHY ARE CRUISES M A K I N G WAV E S ? SAILING SOLO

RIVER GUIDE

THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FOR THOSE SELLING CRUISES

Solus

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HOW TO SELL

Sam Ballard sails the Mississippi on a musicthemed tour from New Orleans to Memphis

Gary Buchanan takes in two of expedition cruise’s great destinations: Antarctica and the Galápagos

A brief history of the Norwegian shipping company that has been sailing the fjords since 1893

Our unique walkthrough guide featuring 14 fantastic adventure cruises

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thevillagepost Amazing Grace Introducing Tauck’s new ship on the mighty Rhine

Turning the tide An in-depth look at MSC Cruises’ forthcoming Seaside

Issue two

A world of luxury We consider the benefits of all-inclusive river cruising

O F F T H E B E AT E N T R AC K

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WONDERFUL WORLD FOUR BUCKET-LIST STOPS

FIRE & ICE

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APRIL 2016

LUXURY 2016

ON THE HORIZON THE LATEST CRUISE NEWS

EMERALD WATERWAYS AN IN-DEPTH LOOK

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CRUISE & MORE HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME

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FJORD FOCUS A JOURNEY TO WEST NORWAY

AMERICAN QUEEN

Eastern promises Sailing Asia’s majestic Mekong with APT Touring

thevillagepost American Queen A music-themed tour of the Deep South on the mighty Mississippi

Fire and ice Explore the Galápagos and Antarctica with our handy guide

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Capital concerns Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest with Scenic on the Danube

COPENHAGEN WITH CRUISE & MARITIME VOYAGES

EXTENSIVE EX-UK DEPARTURE LISTINGS

EUROSTAR RIVER CRUISE SPECIAL

INTERVIEW: P&O’ CRUISES' PAUL LUDLOW

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SECRETS OF THE DOURO Explore the wonders of Porto with our new itinerary for 2017

MEET THE FLEET Introducing a trio of new ships: Emerald Radiance, Liberté and Destiny

RAISE A GLASS Enjoy the world’s finest wines during our new cruise on the Rhône

WHICH RIVER ARE YOU? Find out which Emerald Waterways cruise best suits your personality

EMERALD EXPLORER

All around the world These epic cruises and flights will take you across the globe

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FAMILY

Sam Ballard takes a closer look at the history of Carnival’s exquisite ultra-luxury brand

Planning a holiday with the kids? We reveal the secrets to travelling in style

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issue 3

CRYSTAL CRUISES

Jeannine Williamson speaks to Edie Rodriguez about the cruise line’s lightspeed developments

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THE GREAT BEYOND WHY TRAVELLERS OF ALL AGES ARE HEADING OUT ALONE

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SCENIC

From Passau to Budapest, Anthony Pearce takes in the wonders of the beautiful Danube

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A new trade magazine from the team at cruise adviser

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ISSUE TWO

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Issue three

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CRUISE ADVISER

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H E L P I N G YO U S E L L S O L O T R AV E L

DECEMBER 2016 / JANUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

MARCH 2017

PREVIEW GUIDE 2016

Where next for cruise?

PREVIEW GUIDE 2016

The new ships, destinations and innovations arriving in 2017

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FROM THE TEAM

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CRUISE ADVISER APRIL 2017

SOLUS

INDIAN SUMMER WE EXPLAIN WHY THE COUNTRY IS BACK ON THE MAP FOR SOLOS

Norway with Cruise & Maritime Voyages

INSIDE

KRISTIN KARST, GILES HAWKE, EDIE RODRIGUEZ, ANDY HARMER AND MORE SHARE THEIR PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Win! A CMV CRUISE for two on

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2017 EX-UK DEPARTURES OPINION: SVEN LINDBLAD THE RHINE WITH RIVIERA IN FOCUS: P&O CRUISES

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HOW TO FIND FIRST-TIME GUESTS

GREEK ODYSSEY

THE

FRENCH

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Jeannine Williamson joins Viking Sky in Rhodes

CMV’S NEW FLAGSHIP

WE JOIN COLUMBUS IN TILBURY

MERAVIGLIA LAUNCHES

MSC’S EXPANSION CONTINUES

Jeannine Williamson joins Uniworld in Paris

ENDS OF THE EARTH

ADVENTURE ON THE DOURO

THE 5 MOST INNOVATIVE ROOMS AT SEA

By Gary Buchanan PLUS:

Daniel Allen travels along the Mekong with Scenic

By Adam Coulter

HOW TO SELL RIVER CRUISE

PLUS OCEAN MEDALLION: GAME-CHANGING TECH

ABTA ON BREXIT

THE GREAT SHORE EXCURSION DEBATE

WOMEN IN CRUISE SPECIAL

JO RZYMOWSKA ON CELEBRITY EDGE HOW TO MAKE A £100,000 BOOKING THE INDUSTRY’S MOST LUXURIOUS SHIPS

VIETNAM

By Gilly Pickup

SILVER MUSE: FIRST LOOK

Adam Coulter explores Chile’s rugged wilderness

GOOD MORNING

THE JOYS OF MINI-CRUISE

By Katherine Lawrey

GILES HAWKE ON THE COSMOS RELAUNCH

PLUS LUXURY BARGE HOLIDAYS IN EUROPE THE 10 BEST ADVENTURE DESTINATIONS INTERVIEW: VIKING FOUNDER TORSTEIN HAGEN

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F E AT U R E S | R O O M S E RVIC E M E NU | S H O R E E XC U R S IO NS

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M A R C H 2018 JA N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y 20 18

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SA I LI N G I NTO A N E W

SELECTION

Exploring the Galápagos Islands – the land that time forgot

PICTURE

PERFECT

How cruise lines can capture millennials – the selfie generation

PLUS TOP 10: SPECIALITY RESTAURANTS PLAN A CRUISE MONTH PREVIEW AMSTERDAM DESTINATION FOCUS

PLUS HOW TO SELL: PRE AND POST EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CARNIVAL’S ARNOLD DONALD INTRODUCING MARELLA CRUISES

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The new launches, innovations and destinations to look forward to in 2018 PLUS VIKING RIVER CRUISES ON THE DANUBE HOW TO SELL: YOUR FIRST CRUISE PORTS OF CALL: SYDNEY

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PARADISE FOUND We return to the Caribbean with P&O Cruises and find it very much open for business after last year’s hurricanes

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PLUS HOW TO SELL: EX-UK PORTS OF CALL: COPENHAGEN WAVE: SPECIAL OFFERS ROUND-UP

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Jeannine Williamson joins CroisiEurope in the heart of Prague, before exploring the lesser-known Elbe en route to Berlin PLUS EXCLUSIVE RITZ-CARLTON YACHT COLLECTION PREVIEW CRUISE & MARITIME VOYAGES IN AMSTERDAM 10 OF THE BEST WILDLIFE CRUISES

April 2018 | Forward

NEW HIRES

Shane Riley joins Virgin Voyages as director of international sales

Dan Whitehouse named as Saga marketing director Saga has appointed Dan Whitehouse to the role of marketing director for Saga Holidays and cruises. Whitehouse joins Saga in April from Titan Travel. Prior to joining Titan, Dan also spent 15 years building his career in travel and marketing. Stuart Beamish, group marketing director, Saga, said: “Dan’s experience makes him perfect for the exciting journey that we are going on at Saga Travel.”

Aurora appoints Craig Upshall for UK sales

Virgin Voyages has appointed P&O Cruises’ Shane Riley as director of international sales. Riley takes up his new role from May 21 and will report in to Stacy Shaw, vice-president of sales and business development. Riley was formerly director of trade engagement and onboard sales at P&O Cruises. Shaw said he was chosen due to his “extensive

knowledge of the UK travel industry and his genuine commitment to travel agents and their success”. “Given our British heritage at Virgin, the UK holds a special place in our hearts. This is a market that’s very important to us and we can’t think of anyone better to look after our partners there,” Shaw added. Virgin Voyages will launch its first ship in 2020.

Aurora Expeditions has appointed Craig Upshall as UK and Europe sales director. Upshall has been Europe, Middle East, India and Africa business manager for the Canadian tourist rail service Rocky Mountaineer for seven years, and previously worked for Royal Caribbean, Island Cruises and American Airlines. He joins Edith Beaudoin as Aurora Expeditions, who has been appointed as North America sales director. The line will launch a new ship, Greg Mortimer, in 2019.

P&O Cruises promotes Rosy Sims to director of trade engagement and onboard sales

Francis Riley joins Traveltek in Miami

P&O Cruises has announced the promotion of Rosy Sims to the position of director of trade engagement and onboard sales. In her new position, Sims will focus on the new 180,000 GT ship which launches in May 2020 and goes on sale in September 2018, build on the success of Shine Rewards Club and work with agents to help them grow their on board sales. P&O Cruises VP sales and distribution Alex Delamere-White said: “I am delighted that we have

Francis Riley, the former Norwegian Cruise Line UK boss, has been appointed as senior vice president sales at Traveltek based at the company’s US headquarters in Miami. Riley said: “Traveltek is well placed to capitalise on growing demand for technology solutions in the North and South American travel markets with its vast portfolio of advanced tools allowing agents, tour operators and cruise specialists to customise holiday packages according to their customers’ unique requirements.”

been able to promote internally and thereby help and invest in Rosy’s career development. Having held a number of positions within our brands, including working on board, she has the knowledge and experience required for this role. “With two new next-generation ships on order for P&O Cruises, which will have significant impact and penetration in the new to cruise market, I am confident that Rosy will work with agents to create mutual success.”

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April 2018 | Forward

FAM TRIPS & INCENTIVES

Saga offers travel agents a VIP day out at the races

Silversea doubles its agent ship visits for 2018 Silversea has revealed its latest trade incentive for its Silversea Agent Rewards scheme. The company will be offering 10 points for every booking made between 1 and 30 April. The ultra-luxury line will also be offering double points for any 2018 voyage. Read about Silversea’s major refurbishment on p18.

Carnival goes big for Panorama

Saga Cruises is offering a luxury day at the races for its April and May travel agent incentive. The line has 20 tickets for a VIP day at Aintree with the chance to see Craig David live in the evening. An alternative race day is available at Newmarket with evening entertainment by Paloma Faith. The prize includes transport, a free

bar and lunch – all in a private box. Every Saga cruise or holiday booking will be entered in to the competition to win. Long-haul bookings will be entered twice. The incentive will run throughout April and May. Saga have also set aside two additional VIP days out at Newmarket for cruise adviser. Turn to p55 to enter our competition.

Carnival Cruise Line is awarding agents £10 (or 10 Loyalty Rocks points) for every booking in April and £20 (or 20 Loyalty Rocks points) for bookings on its new ship,Carnival Panorama. The points can be exchanged for prizes to the value of £1 per point. Carnival Panorama is due to enter service for Carnival in November 2019, sailing from Long Beach. To register for the Loyalty Rocks Club, agents should visit loyaltyrocksclub.redpoints.co.uk.

Celebrity Cruises recognises the “hard work and dedication” of agents by offering up to 1,000 Celebrity Rewards points for every booking Celebrity Cruises is offering up to 1,000 Celebrity Rewards points for every booking made before May 31. The offer is being made regardless of the length of each sailing or the date of travel. The offer is for 250 points on inside and oceanview staterooms, 500 on balcony, 750 on AquaClass or Concierge and 1,000 on suite class bookings; 1,000 Celebrity Reward points are worth £10. Claire Stirrup, director of sales, UK and Ireland, Celebrity Cruises,

said: “Agents are at the heart of everything we do at Celebrity Cruises, their continuing support and enthusiasm for our ships and our itineraries has grown the brand and encouraged more and more guests to choose a Celebrity Cruises holiday. “It’s only right that we recognise that hard work and dedication with even more Celebrity Rewards this spring.” The company is also running a number of incentives and discounts

to help agents secure bookings, including a free classic drinks package worth $900 per person, $300 of onboard spend and a half-price cruise for second guests sharing the same stateroom on selected cruises. Agents must sign up at celebrityrewards.com to take part in the campaign and can cash their points for a variety of rewards including lunch or a shopping spree. For more information see cruisingpower.co.uk. CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

So much to do, so much time.

April 2018 |Forward

INTERVIEW

Iain Powell, head of trade sales, Saga Sam Ballard talks to the man who has been brought in from Carnival to change perceptions Few people realise the true size and scale of Saga Holidays. From once-in-a-lifetime tours on the TransSiberian Railway to river cruises meandering through the valleys and dense forests of Europe. It is a company that has been built on one central premise: that you must be older than 50 years old to go. However, from that one fact (which isn’t quite true: you can actually be in your 40s as long as you are travelling with someone over 50) a number of myths have emerged and the company’s offering somewhat lost along the way. A Saga holiday is a far more luxurious affair than many would otherwise realise.

Within the ocean cruise sector the company surprised many by announcing additions to its fleet with two ships – Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure. The real kicker, however, was that the two new ships will both be newbuilds. “There are many misconceptions about Saga,” explains Iain Powell, the new head of trade sales for Saga Holidays. “People think that, although we’re holidays for the over 50s, it’s holidays for the significantly older than that. That’s not the case. A lot of the time the demographics selling the product aren’t the demographic who purchase our product and that can be tough.

We’ve got to explain to people selling it why they should be selling it, what’s the customer type, what’s the product like – and they won’t always naturally relate to it. There’s a big education piece there.” Powell, who joined Saga from Carnival UK, is charged with looking after the company’s burgeoning trade sales team. Given that the Saga only started selling through the trade in the last few years, the numbers are not stratospheric (roughly nine to ten per cent for holidays and six to seven per cent for cruise) but he has already began implementing changes that will see that number increase.

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April 2018 | Forward For starters, the field sales team – which is currently made up of two cruise members and five for holidays – will be combined to create one Saga Holidays team. This will stop divided regional coverage and increase the amount of reps for Saga Cruise – massive given the new tonnage that will be coming on to the market with Spirit of Discovery in 2019 and the Spirit of Adventure in 2020. “We need to be as easy to do business with as possible,” he explains. “The brief and the five year plan is to try to take the share of trade sales to a more significant number – low 20 per cent is the goal – while also growing the overall business as a whole. Our targets within trade are pretty significant.” A big part of Powell’s challenge is going to be taking the messaging back to basics and really getting across the company’s unique selling points – particularly the level of inclusions on the cruise side of the business. From chauffeur driven door-to-door transfers to included health insurance – both of which are a massive benefit for older travellers who want their holiday to be stress free as possible and may have found the cost of insurance prohibitive in the past. On board, the new ships will be full board with drinks included at dinner. Saga Sapphire is currently offering all-inclusive cruises for 2018 as the line continues to drum up interest in its ocean product. As excitement begins to ramp up for the first ship launch next year, Powell is keen to harness that with agency partners. “We’re looking at yard visits as we get into the summer and start building. We’ll be running competitions and incentives out there and already have a good ship visit programme whenever the ships are in Dover or Southampton. Saga is also really great at offering up the ship for the night in terms of fam trips – getting agents on board. They’re far more flexible than I’ve seen elsewhere.” In terms of incentives, the strategy is going to be more about getting

The new Saga ships will be luxurious and full-board

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April 2018 | Forward agents tied into experiences that resonate with the brand. That might be a VIP experience that includes a chauffeur driven service, or an evening that celebrates their culinary offering – although Powell is keen to stress that the monetary value of incentives won’t change. The April and May incentive Powell has devised (more details on p54) let’s agents win a luxury day at either Aintree or Newmarket races, with evening entertainment provided by Craig David or Paloma Faith. However, if incentives are all in place and Saga’s trade engagement is going to be stepped up to the next level, would the company ever consider appointing an agent as godmother? “It’s a good question and I don’t know the answer in all honesty! Would I like to? Yes. There are also lots of other cool ways to engage with agents over the launch, too though – suites could be named after agents, for instance. You can do bars, places on board. There can be competitions to name them. “The new ships and the new hardware is going to make us significantly more modern,” Powell adds. “It’s boutique, stylish cruising with a five-star feel. As a total standard we’ve raised the bar.”

The atrium on board Saga’s new ships will set a new standard for the cruise line

THREE SAGA CRUISES 13 night inaugural cruise

19 nights on Sapphire

54 nights on Pearl II

Saga – Spirit of Discovery Dover (round-trip) July 10, 2019 From £4,385pp

Saga – Sapphire Dover (round-trip) July 19, 2018 From £3,368pp

Saga – Pearl II Portsmouth (round-trip), Feb 16, 2019 From £9,650pp

The first cruise on board Saga’s first ever newbuild ship is going to be an event to behold. The round-Britain itinerary includes calls at Newcastle, Orkney, Liverpool and Dublin.

This ‘musical’ adventure to Portugal and Spain is on board the all-inclusive Saga Sapphire, meaning that there will be plenty of opportunities to try some great wines on a cruise in the Med.

This epic journey to Africa is also the final cruise Saga will operate on the Pearl II, making it perfect for nostalgia seekers out there. Calls include Angola, Namibia and South Africa.

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Relaunching May 1, 2018 In May, Waterfront Publishing will relaunch ABTA Magazine, the official title for ABTA, the travel association, with an exciting new design, size, feel and ethos. The relaunched magazine, published six times a year, will act as the voice of the travel industry, providing in-depth features, news, comment, analysis and interviews. Reporting on aviation, entertainment, hotels, cruise, ski, and more, the magazine will cover the breadth of the travel industry. The new-look title will feature readers’ letters, an advice column, games and competitions, as well as dedicated business travel and UK holiday sections. ABTA Magazine will also be available online at ABTAmag.com, bolstered by breaking news, more reactive comment pieces and longerform insights. The magazine will form the centrepiece of a range of ABTA publications including an ABTA Magazine World Travel Market special edition; a series of ABTA Magazine destination and trend supplements; ABTA Golf; and the ABTA Handbooks.

Email info@ABTAmag.com to subscribe

April 2018 | Forward

PORTS OF CALL

Cologne

The beautiful German city is perfect for lovers of art, architecture and chocolate, writes Katherine Lawrey With a population of a million people, Cologne is one of the biggest ports you can encounter on a German river cruise. It’s easily accessible, given that cruise ships dock in the heart of the city, with berths stretching for a mile along the embankment between the city’s railway station and the chocolate museum. This means the Old Town and the famous gothic cathedral are reachable on foot. And a stroll along the riverside promenade can easily be paused by stopping in a tavern to sample the local beer. The 2,000-year-old city has a strong museum scene. Fans of contemporary art should make a beeline for Museum Ludwig, where American pop art (Warhol, Lichtenstein), German expressionism (Beckmann, Dix, Kirchner) and the world’s third largest Picasso collection are on show. The Romano-Germanic Museum is a must for archaeology devotees. The museum preserves the foundations of an urban roman villa, including the remains of a large Dionysius mosaic in its original place in the basement. There are 100,000-yearold stone tools used by the earliest arable farmers in the Rhineland and

astonishingly well-preserved glass items. Wall paintings, inscriptions and tableware show what daily life was like in Roman Cologne. The history of cocoa production is covered in the Schokoladenmuseum, which tracks the emergence, history and culture of chocolate, and rewards those who follow the nose-tickling scents of melted chocolate with a three-metre-high chocolate fountain. There are a few different vantage points to take in sweeping city views. There’s a cable car on the east bank of the Rhine, which takes you directly to Cologne Zoo. High-rise office tower KolnTriangle has a panoramic platform 100m up that’s easily accessible by lift. A more intrepid climb is the city’s gothic cathedral, with 533 steps in a narrow spiral staircase to get to the top. On a clear day the views stretch all the way to the Siebengebirge hills south of Bonn. The right bank of the Rhine offers plenty of space to roam, and there are plenty of city parks for more outdoor relaxation. The Flora and Botanical Garden is Cologne’s oldest public park, visited by more than a million people every year. The 11.5 hectare

The design of the Kranhäuser buildings is supposed to reflect the old harbourside cranes

April 2018 | Forward complex is home to more than 10,000 species of plants, with the most exotic housed in tropical greenhouses and the Palm House. Rheinpark Park is particularly child-friendly, with numerous playgrounds and a children’s train within its boundaries. This park is also the boarding point for the Cologne cable car. The Volksgarten Garden is another top tip for a summer’s day – with an open air beer garden, a lake complete with pedalo hire and a hidden rose garden where members of the resistance used to meet in the Second World War. If your clients want a traditional Cologne experience, be sure to steer them in the direction of the city’s Brauhauser or brewery restaurants. Clustered in city streets around the cathedral, city hall and the Rhine Promenade, the Brauhausers originated when breweries began to sell their beer to the public in vestibules and courtyards. The makeshift pubs developed into restaurants that have never lost their rustic charm. The oldest of these was the Bauhaus Sion on Unter Taschenmacher, which opened in 1511. Alongside the hearty fare served in these brewpubs, Cologne has a varied culinary offering. A regular street food festival in the artsy Ehrenfeld District offers the chance to try delicacies including wild garlic sausage from the neighbouring Eiffel

region, Eiffel beef steak burgers, battered Oreo cookies and Colognebrewed ginger ale. The pre-Christmas period is a particularly magical time to experience the city. Cologne is a star attraction on many a Christmas markets river cruise, with at least seven markets to explore. The cathedral market has an impressive backdrop; there’s an ice skating rink

at the biggest market – Home of the Elves; visitors can enjoy live jazz music at the Stadtgarten; Market of the Angels is draped in twinkling stars; the Harbour Christmas market is more modern; and the Village of St Nicholas has a medieval feel. Cologne is Germany’s self-proclaimed gay capital so there is a gay and lesbian market, with pink and purple chalets and burlesque dancing.

THREE COLOGNE CRUISES 11-day Swiss adventure

Seven nights on the Rhine

14 nights to Frankfurt

Riviera Travel Cologne-Zermatt, Switzerland May-Septmber 2018 From £2,098pp

Viking Cruises Amsterdam-Basel March-December 2018 From £2,395pp

Crystal Amsterdam-Frankfurt May 13-27, 2018 From $8,840pp

This itinerary, which starts in Cologne, combines a river cruise (Rüdesheim, Koblenz, Strasboug) and then joins the Glacier Express in Switzerland

This classic Rhine cruise on Viking Cruises begins in the Dutch capital and takes in Cologne, Heidelberg, Strasbourg and the Rhine Gorge.

Including an overnight in Amsterdam and Basel, this cruise on ultra-luxury line Crystal calls at all the Rhine classics, including Cologne.

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April 2018 | Forward

CRUISE TIPS

Help make sure first time is the right time for your clients Life on board can be daunting for novice cruisers. Charlotte Cullinan asks top agents for insider tips to help first-time customers sail through their first cruise Going on a cruise for the first time can be a daunting experience. Have you booked the right destination for the right length of time? Is the cruise line the right one for you? Does the ship cater for all your needs? When you do end up going, what do you pack to take with you? And what are the dos and don’ts of life on board? We spoke to a number of the country’s top cruise agents for their insider tips on all of these subjects so you can reassure your customers and help them sail through their booking and their holiday and become confident cruisers. Once they’ve been they will want to go again and again, so do things right now and you may well end up with a customer for life.

What to book

If the budget allows, it’s still possible to get that small ship feel on a bigger ship if you choose a higher grade cabin that gives you the additional benefits of priority tender for excursions when anchored at sea, priority disembarkation on your final day, exclusive intimate restaurants and exclusive smaller reserved seating areas in the main show lounge, giving you the best of both worlds. Helen Hawke, director, Newell’s Travel If there are two stairwells, with one at each end of the floor, pick a cabin in the middle of the two as you will tend to get less traffic passing by. And

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if your ship has a nightclub or casino, make sure you choose a cabin that isn’t directly below. Rob Kenton, managing director, Triangle Travel On fly cruises and river cruises, always book a pre-cruise hotel. Otherwise you don’t get to see your departure port, such as Barcelona, Venice and Rome, or Amsterdam and Cologne for river cruises. Nick Pritchard, cruising manager, Newell’s Travel If your itinerary has days at sea, pre-book any required spa packages or speciality dining in advance, as during a sea day these will get booked

April 2018 | Forward very quickly and on board you’d be lucky to find availability. Lee Hunt, owner, Deben Travel

What to pack

Remember not to pack your tickets and passport in your main case, as it will be taken outside the terminal, directly to your cabin. And firsttime cruisers may not know that for disembarkation you put your case outside your cabin by midnight, so ensure you have clothes out for the last morning, and pack a small bag for toiletries and pyjamas to carry off yourself. Ladies could pack a pashmina, as dining rooms can have air conditioning on in the evening and it can get pretty cold. Sue Bond, business travel manager, Newell’s Travel Use foldaway cases which can be stored under the beds and not clutter up what may be quite a small cabin. Jo Bayley, cruise ambassador, Newell’s Travel, Kingsbridge Take extra hangers (or ask for extras), as there are never enough. And take a hanging toilet bag, as space is often limited in cabins. On river cruises you are often in port or moored at night, so it’s great to get off and have a walk after dinner. Ensure you get a map, ask how far certain landmarks are from the ship, and take sensible footwear to change in to. Lisa McEwan, senior manager, Carrick Travel, Solihull It’s a good idea to take some giant towel pegs to keep your towel on your sunbed, as it can get windy on deck. Jacqui Oag, branch manager, Travel House Llanelli

Clockwise: the solarium on Celebrity Equinox; the spa on Seabourn Encore; Barcelona

A pocket hand sanitiser is useful to carry. Wash your hands often, especially after handling money, as lots of germs can come from it. Trevor Bones, proprietor, Southern Cross Travel

Life on board

Stick something memorable to your cabin door to see where in the corridor you are, such as a balloon or even a post it note. Keep a copy of CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Forward the ship’s deck plan in your handbag or pocket so you can find your way around easily. Sandra Walters, branch manager, Travel House, Carmarthen Wi-fi can be expensive on board, so it’s often worth waiting until you are in port to catch up with friends on social media or uploading photos and videos. Also, try to settle your onboard account the night before you arrive home, as the queues can be lengthy on the last day. Lee Hunt, owner, Deben Travel Many first time cruisers are not fully aware of the gratuity policy on board and are often shocked when they see their bill at the end of their cruise. It’s worth remembering that if you aren’t 100 per cent satisfied with the service you have received on board then you are entitled to question the gratuity amount. It’s doubtful it will be waived totally, but you may be able to negotiate it down. Gemma Antrobus, managing director, Haslemere Travel Think about your ports of call, as certain ports are commercial and aren’t within walking distance of the nearest city, so unless you plan a transfer or an excursion there will be nothing to see or do. For example, Italy’s Livorno is a commercial port, but there are great excursions on offer, such as Florence or Pisa. However, shore excursions can be expensive, and sometimes if you haven’t been to a destination before it is much cheaper and just as much fun to explore on your own. Julia Coats, senior travel professional, Destination Lounge Take full advantage of the onboard self-service laundrettes. You can buy detergent on the ship for a small fee and do all your washing and drying for free before you return home. It might not be the most exciting way to spend an hour or two of your holiday but you’ll really appreciate it when you aren’t faced with piles of washing to do once you arrive home! Sarah Wilson, training and recruitment team leader, Bolsover Cruise Club CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

GANGES

Sacred waters Jeannine Williamson sails along the Ganges with G Adventures and finds that, unlike their rigidly timetabled European counterparts, Indian river cruises just go with the flow

April 2018 | Midship Lazing on steamer chairs with gin and tonics in hand we feel like royalty as children jump up and down excitedly on the ghats – the stone steps leading down to the river – men pause from their ritual ablutions and women set aside piles of washing to watch our progress. After four days on the Ganges we are already taking it in turns to be on ‘waving duty’; ready to return the omnipresent greetings of smiling locals in a two-way reciprocal arrangement. The river, immortalised as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism, is both India’s lifeblood and a sacred waterway. Only ten per cent of travellers to India visit West Bengal where the 2,525km-long river flows into the Bay of Bengal and out into the Indian Ocean. The 24-passenger Varuna provided us with the perfect viewpoint to watch the ever-changing panorama of river life in a region where few tourists set foot. On our voyage from Farakka to Kolkata we see timeless scenes of jam-packed wooden ferries traversing our path to transport townsfolk, goods and even a horse between communities, fishermen casting their nets from tiny boats and even a ritual cremation near the water’s edge. And, as one of only five hotel boats operating on the Ganges, wherever we docked a curious crowd was always waiting to greet us. Operated by the Assam Bengal Navigation Company and chartered by G Adventures, the colonial-style ship is decked out in gleaming teak and brass and provides a really authentic and accessible way of experiencing India. Crew members are all local and trained by the line and on shore excursions passengers are taken to small, individually run restaurants and transported by rickshaws and tuk-tuks to support the local economy. Totally different from river cruising in Europe, where daily schedules run like clockwork, daily programmes are variously influenced by the ebb and flow of the tidal Ganges, weather conditions and spontaneous stops, which all add to the sense of adventure for open-minded clients who are happy to go with the flow.

The 24-passenger Varuna is a colonial-style ship, decked out in gleaming teak and brass and is the perfect vantage point for the sights of the Ganges

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April 2018 | Midship One day we spotted a riot of colour on one of the ghats where a women’s festival was taking place. The captain decided to launch Varuna’s tender so we could go over and join in the celebration where the air was thick with incense and the scent of flowers offered to the gods. Our guide Subho – who was, essentially, a walking encyclopedia – accompanied us for the duration of the cruise, imparting information, thought-provoking philosophy and humour in equal measure. There was naturalist Baba, too, who was the first to spot elusive Ganges river dolphins breaking the surface of the still water ahead of Varuna. Completing the trio was G Adventures’ easygoing CEO (Chief Experience Officer) Duyshant, who hosted daily briefings over cocktails in Varuna’s cosy wood-panelled bar and kept an expert eye on things. Brian Young, managing director of G Adventures, said: “River cruise is one of the fastest-growing segments in travel, showing travellers a very different side to some of the world’s greatest places. There’s no better way to experience some countries than on a small vessel, in a small group. This is slow travel at its best and at G Adventures we break away from the all-inclusive model to get travellers off the boat and into local communities, and making a difference to the destinations we’re visiting by bringing tourist dollars to the local economies. “India is one of our top destinations and a cruise is perfect for those who are looking to see a different part of the country, or to take a more relaxed mode of travel in what can be a challenging country for travellers going it alone. “Agents might also be able to identify customers who aren’t what they would consider a traditional ‘cruise’ customer and convert them to this way of travel through our very different approach. Likewise, there might be customers who are already into cruising, and are ready to graduate to a more cultural experience.” Each day certainly brought an intoxicating mix of contrasting sights CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Midship and things to see and do, with up to three excursions paced throughout the early morning and late afternoon to avoid the hottest times of the day. In the brass-making village of Matiari we watched every stage of the labour intensive manufacturing process – from raw materials being smelted in fiery kilns, metal being beaten by hand and finally being turned into decorative and practical objects that made wonderful and inexpensive souvenirs. At the Plassey battlefield site – now a lush, rural backwater – Subho explained how Clive of India defeated Siraj-ud Daulah in 1757 and changed the course of Indian history. In Murshidabad’s imposing Hazarduari Palace we discovered many of the 1,000 doors are false to confuse and deter latter-day intruders. We visited all kinds of temples and, in the charming French colonial town of Chandannager, saw an 18th century Catholic church presided over by an Anglo-Indian priest called Orson Welles. Adding to inevitable jokes about his name he told us his father, Michael Thomas, was known as MT Welles (think about it!). Walking back to the ship we were enchanted by monkeys that jumped out of trees to sit on waterside benches and survey passers-by. Another day we strolled through a teeming market where stall holders sat cross-legged between an array of vegetables and glistening fresh fish and a street vendor turned the wheel on a Heath Robinson contraption to produce tiny, tooth rattling cups of raw sugar cane juice. The ever-smiling crew were always there to welcome us back on board, handing out restorative drinks and cool towels before cleaning our shoes. All cabins have panoramic windows, so passengers never miss out on passing scenery and the open deck is the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail as the sun dips over the horizon and turns the river the colour of burnished gold. Meals are all buffet style and feature an ever-changing array of delicious Indian dishes (not all of which are spicy), washed down with refreshingly large bottles of Indian beer and surprisingly good domestic

The sights along the Ganges and the buffetstyle dining room on board the Varuna

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April 2018 | Midship

wine. One day the chef gave us a lesson on how to make a chicken or vegetable curry using some of the country’s 50-plus spices – you won’t find any basic curry powder here – and handed out a printed menu. The final ingredient listed was “lots of love”. It was another delightful touch in a really personal small ship cruise that will take clients into the heart and soul of this mesmerising country. On the final morning the temple bells rang out at sunrise and Hindu worshippers lowered themselves in the waters to bathe. For us it signalled the end of a culturally immersive week on the Ganges.

THREE GANGES CRUISES Eight-night Ganges Experience

12-night Journey on the Ganges

17-night Colours of India

G Adventures – Varuna Kolkata-Farakka July 12, 2018 From £937pp (current saving of £312)

Riviera Travel – RV Bengal Kolkata round trip, cruise and land stay September 27, 2018 From £3,499pp

APT – RV Rajmahal Farakka-Kolkata, cruise and land stay December 5, 2018 From £4,995pp

A good value introduction to India with daily excursions to local villages, temples and historic cities, with options to add flights at time of booking.

This cruise comes combined with a four-night hotel stay and excursions to Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal, Kolkata. It also includes flights.

Premium escorted cruise and land tour also taking in Delhi and the Taj Mahal, with flights and the option for a twonight extension in Varanasi.

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April 2018 | Midship

INFOCUS

Pandaw Sam Ballard talks to Marco Rosa, vice president of sales and marketing, about the expansion of the Asian river cruise line beyond its Myanmar and river roots Since it was founded in 1995, Pandaw has cemented its status as the ultimate cruise line with which to explore Myanmar, a country regarded as one of the most mysterious and evocative in Southeast Asia. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is a country that holds a unique place in the hearts of many Brits. A former colony, it is unsurprising perhaps to see the country’s tourism industry play on this old world feel. The Belmond Hotel in Yangon (the former capital, Rangoon) is called the Governor’s Residence, you can still take high tea at The Strand Hotel and Pandaw – with their post-colonial furnishings and beautiful teak decks – are widely

considered to be the market leader when it comes to cruises on the Irrawaddy River. The company’s ships, which hold no more than 40 passengers, are based on the fleet of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, a Scottish firm which ran more than 650 ships on the Burmese river during colonial times. “Pandaw is the largest river cruise line in Asia,” explains Marco Rosa, vice president of sales and marketing at Pandaw. “We started in Myanmar where we now have a significant number of ships. We have since expanded to be in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and North Vietnam where we are the only cruise line sailing on the Red River.”

The growth of Pandaw is phenomenal. In Rosa’s own words: “We are constantly trying to find unusual destinations and look for things our competitors don’t do.” That searching has led to an incredible roster of destinations: the Irrawaddy and Chindwin in Myanmar, as well as the Irrawaddy Delta; Halong Bay and the Mekong, which runs through Southeast Asia; and the Mergui Archipelago, a group of 800 islands off the south coast of Burma that is explored on Pandaw’s coastal cruise ship, the ten-suite Andaman Explorer. The Mergui cruise, which only launched in November 2017, is a really interesting proposition for TIMELINE 1865 Irrawaddy Flotilla Company established 1942 Fleet scuppered after the Imperial Japanese Army invade Burma 1995 Paul and Roser Strachan are the first to offer river cruises on the Irrawaddy since colonial times 1998 Paul Strachan discovers an original Clyde-built steamer called the Pandaw 2003 Pandaw launches on the Mekong between Saigon and Angkor Wat 2016 Second Ship for Laos and launch of Andaman Explorer, Pandaw’s coastal cruise ship

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April 2018 | Midship Pandaw. Rosa puts it much more succinctly: “It’s like a holiday on your own private yacht at a price that is very different from chartering your own ship.” The seven-night itinerary can be paired with a river cruise – leading to a discount of as much as 50 per cent off the price. Pandaw isn’t shying away from the family market either, offering children their own cabin, free of charge, on selected sailings during the 2018 school summer holidays. For Rosa, working with the trade is crucial – although he recommends that agents use their network of tour operator partners (Kuoni, Cox & Kings, Travel 2, etc) to make bookings. That being said, it is only a very certain type of passenger that he wants to travel with Pandaw. “If the ship stops and we have an excursion, I never see anyone staying on board and reading a book – that’s not us. Our passengers are wealthy people, but they are travelling with us to explore the local culture – not sit around drinking champagne. You get off the ship and live like a local for six hours. You learn so much. “I wouldn’t call Pandaw a cruise line. We are an expedition and adventure travel company. I always say that if your clients are a typical Crystal or Silversea customer then do not sell them a Pandaw cruise. It’s not good for them or us.”

Pandaw cruises on the Irrawaddy and (below) the Mergui Archipelago

THREE MYANMAR CRUISES Ten nights with Pandaw

16 days with Scenic

14 days with Avalon Waterways

Pandaw – RV Pandaw II Prome–Mingun October 12, 2018 From $3,856pp

Scenic – Scenic Aura Mandalay-Yangon November 11, 2018 From £5,145pp

Avalon Waterways – Myanmar Yangon (round-trip) September 19, 2018 From $4,419pp

Taking in the old city of Mandalay and magical Bagan, this classic ten-night cruise with Pandaw really highlights much of what the country has to offer.

Ultra-luxury operator Scenic offers an Irrawaddy Cruise with a post-cruise stay in the nation’s former capital Yangon bolted on.

Avalon Waterways begins its tour with a stay in the bustling city of Yangon before transferring to Bagan to embark on the river cruise on day four.

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LUXURY CRUISES The luxury sector of the cruise industry continues to amaze and its growth over the past few years has been astonishing. This year will see the launch of two new Ponant ships (Le Laperrouse and Le Champlain); Seabourn Ovation, the sister ship to Encore; Scenic’s ultra-luxury discovery yacht, Scenic Eclipse; as well as Celebrity’s innovative Celebrity Edge and Holland America Line’s Niew Statendam. There are more options than ever before for those looking for a high-end experience: there are now five and six-star options on most rivers, in expedition and adventure cruise and even in the family cruise sector, where suite class has improved dramatically. For this How to Sell guide, we’ve spoken to the experts – those who sell high-end cruises, the cruise lines themselves, as well as the customers who expect nothing but the best. With entry-level prices way above your average sailing, savvy agents can make a tidy penny. We’ve provided nine great examples.

How is your customer travelling?

Solo p43

Couple p44

Family p45

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Solo Those accustomed to luxury travel won’t be put off by a high-price tag, but even for the wealthiest solo travellers, being forced to pay twice can be too much to bear. Although single supplements are still widely enforced throughout the industry, there has been a concerted effort in recent years to do more for solo travellers. Here are three luxury solo options: a city break, a sunny getaway and an adventure cruise.

What sort of holiday do you want?

City break

Sunny getaway

Adventure

Who? Avalon Waterways Where? Rhine When? September 2018 How long? Seven nights How much? From £2,075

Who? Ponant Where? Croatia When? November 2018 How long? Seven nights How much? From £3,635

Who? Cunard Where? Norwegian fjords When? June 2018 How long? Seven nights How much? From £2,063

This Frankfurt to Amsterdam cruise on the Rhine is ideal for solo travellers who want a luxurious experience, and the chance to explore a few cities. There’s a lot included in the price: flights from Heathrow, excursions, wine and beer at dinner – plus there’s no single supplement. The included tours provide a great opportunity to befriend other likeminded guests.

Ponant, the fast-growing luxury French cruise line, has waived the single supplement on a handful of cruises this year, including this round-trip itinerary from Venice. On the 264-guest Lyrial guests will call at the likes of Korcula, Sibenik and Dubrovnik, as well as through the breathtaking Bay of Kotor.

Cunard has long been a byword for luxury, and now it can be enjoyed by solo travellers too. As part of the recent ‘remastering’ of the line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, 15 beautiful new single staterooms were added. On this cruise to the beautiful Norwegian fjords you can enjoy a number of events organised specifically with solo travellers in mind.

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Couple A cruise is the perfect holiday for couples, particularly honeymooners after a once-in-a-lifetime experience. These types of customers are often new to cruise, but are attracted to the glamour of the premium and luxury lines – the food, the service, the beautiful décor. We’ve picked three options – a city break, a classic sunny getaway and an adventure cruise perfect for loved-up pairs.

What sort of holiday do you want?

City break

Sunny getaway

Adventure

Who? Uniworld Where? Paris When? December 2018 How long? Eight days How much? From £2,119pp

Who? Oceania Cruises Where? Mediterranean When? June 2018 How long? Seven nights How much? From £1,819pp

Who? Silversea Where? Galápagos When? September 2018 How long? Seven nights How much? From £5,490pp

An obvious choice, maybe, but what city is more romantic than Paris? This eight-day winter-time sailing on Uniworld is perfect for couples, and promises ultimate luxury. Joie de Vivre is one of the prettiest ships we’ve seen, with some of the best service, meaning this cruise is ready-made for honeymooners.

This cruise on Oceania from Rome to Venice calls at some incredible Mediterranean stops, including Sorreto/Capri (Italy) and Kotor (Montenegro), but it’s what’s on board the ship, Riviera, that really steals the show. Oceania says it spends more on food per guest than any other line. And it shows – the restaurants are outstanding.

One of Silversea’s expedition voyages, this incredible itinerary takes in the lava fields, tidal pools and the weird and wonderful indigenous wildlife of the Galápagos. The archipelago is one of the ultimate adventure cruise destinations and this cruise on the high-end line is perfect for those who want to combine adventure and luxury.

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Family Luxury cruise lines are increasingly catering for families and mainstream family-friendly lines are increasingly catering for luxury guests. It’s worth remembering that just because a cruise line doesn’t position itself as luxury, doesn’t mean they don’t have incredibly luxurious options. Below we’ve picked three options – one city break, one sunny getaway and one adventure cruise – that well-heeled families will love.

What sort of holiday do you want?

City break

Sunny getaway

Adventure

Who? Holland America Line Where? Baltics When? August 2018 How long? 10 nights How much? From £4,431 for a family of four sharing a veranda stateroom

Who? Royal Caribbean International Where? Mediterranean When? August 2018 How long? Seven nights How much? From £9,104 for a family of four sharing a suite

Who? Star Clippers Where? Caribbean When? December 2018 How long? Seven nights

If you’ve got customers looking to visit cities, look no further than a Baltics cruise: this itinerary during the summer holidays takes in Copenhagen, Tallinn, St Petersburg and Helsinki. The great thing about Holland America Line is that it knows how to do luxury, but also caters for kids as well as anyone.

Royal Caribbean isn’t a line often associated with luxury, but this cruise on Symphony of the Seas, the largest ship in the world, has plenty for those who can afford it. The line’s suites are some of the most spacious at sea, meaning parents can have luxury and kids can have all the fun that comes with a Royal Caribbean cruise.

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Star Clippers may not have the facilities of the mainstream family lines, or the decadence of the six-star operators, but makes up for that in pure adventure. A cruise on Star Flyer, one of the line’s famous tall ships, will be an unforgettable experience for a family. It’s best suited for those with energetic and adventurous teenagers.

April 2018 | Midship

FEATURE

How to keep business booming for the baby boomers Like it or not, the majority of UK cruise passengers are over 60. Jane Archer suggests the best cruise lines for clients who want to enjoy their golden years One of the strange things about age is how irrelevant it becomes the older you get. When you’re a kid, five and a half really matters. By the time you are 65, you’re happy to stop counting and get on with the important job of enjoying life. According to the stats, that invariably means taking a cruise. Some 65 per cent of UK cruise passengers are aged 55 and over, according to Clia UK & Ireland, with those aged 65-plus making up a massive 41 per cent of the market. Many will no doubt love the idea of holidaying with their families on the big resort-style ships with ice-skating

rinks, water slides and go-kart tracks, but what about those who don’t? Or couples or single folk who want a break from big ships when the grandkids are back in school? That’s why it is vital that agents match their older clients to the right ship. It’s not a science, but does involve a little digging. Do they want a big or small ship, to sail from the UK, to be sure there will be no kids on board? Are they happy flying, do they want to linger longer in the places they are visiting, maybe take an educational-style cruise? Are they travelling alone? Does river appeal?

It is also imperative to remember the maxim that 60 is the new 40 and also not to assume that retired means infirm. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ chairman Fred Olsen Jr said: “Mobility and interest is more important than age. People are more adventurous; they want more active excursions.” Fred Olsen, Saga Cruises and Cruise & Maritime Voyages are favourites with retired Britons who want to cruise from the UK on ships that serve up British food and entertainment and uphold some formal traditions.

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April 2018 | Midship They have much in common – their ships are small to mid-size, they have a no-kids policy on some or all departures (Saga ships, uniquely, are exclusively for those aged 50 and over) and they sail from the UK to places as far away and as diverse as Greenland, the Med, the Canary Islands and Canada, offering lots of options for older folk who don’t like to fly. Their ships are fairly old (CMV’s Marco Polo is well into its 50s and Fred Olsen’s Black Watch isn’t far behind), but savvy agents can turn that into a selling point. Their age means they have lots of single cabins, which appeal to older people who used to travel with partners but are now on their own. Ships owned by Fred Olsen and Saga have a good supply sold at low or no supplement, and, because they have them, CMV needs them, too. It has designated 150 cabins on Columbus and Magellan as singles and charges just 25 per cent supplement. If clients prefer something more modern, suggest they wait until next year, when Saga is launching a new ship, Spirit of Discovery. It will hold 999 guests and have a plentiful supply of single cabins. Alternatively they could try P&O Cruises’ Oriana and Arcadia. Neither is new, and they are relatively big (1,880 and 2,094 passengers respectively), but they sail from Southampton and you have to be 18 or over to get on board. Older folk who like to have kids around – and plenty still do – can hop on Marella Cruises’ Marella Discovery, which is sailing from Newcastle and Southampton this summer and is bound to attract families in school holidays. There’s lots more choice for older clients who don’t mind flying, including voyages in Asia, the Indian Ocean and Caribbean with Fred Olsen, and in the Med, Northern Europe and South America with Azamara Club Cruises. Larry Pimentel, Azamara’s president and chief executive officer, said: “Everyone talks about millennials, but baby boomers [those born between 1946 and 1964] are the ones with money. We are a super

Three ships that are popular with older cruisers. Clockwise from above: Vogages to Antiquity’s Aegean Odyssey; Fred Olsen’s Black Watch; CMV’s Marco Polo

boomer product.” Azamara has three small ships (just 690 passengers) and itineraries that stay late or overnights in many ports. Viking has new ships, no kids and complimentary introductory

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excursions at each port, while cultural cruise line Voyages to Antiquity is a perfect fit for retired people who would rather tour Pompeii than learn to cook pasta in Naples and happily swap song and

THREE CRUISES FOR OVER-60S Iceland and Northern Lights

Cruise & Maritime Voyages – Astoria Poole (round-trip) March 10, 2019 From £1,919pp Gushing waterfalls, spouting geysers. lava fields and bubbling mud pools await on this soft adventure cruise that includes two days in Iceland.

A Voyage through the Middle Sea

Voyages to Antiquity – Aegean Odyssey Athens-Malaga October 28, 2018 From £2,495pp With two days in Athens and tours to Minoan settlements in Santorini and Crete and the Roman city of Syracuse, history buffs will have a blast.

Ancient Arabia, India and the Med

dance shows for a lecture about 18th century art. And then there is river cruise, which is popular with those aged 60-plus as it is seen (not necessarily correctly) as a slower-paced holiday.

Most river cruise lines can pair Rhine cruises with Eurostar travel to and from the continent. Meanwhile, Shearings and The River Cruise Line package cruises with coach travel from the UK.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines – Boudicca Colombo – Dover January 10, 2019 From £3,899pp Loyal Fred fans only have to fly one way to have a taste of the exotic as they sail back to the UK from Sri Lanka via India, the Middle East and Suez Canal. CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

DIRECTORY Got a cruise query? Let us assist you. The cruise adviser directory provides you with the vital contact details for all major cruise lines operating in the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; meaning trade sales support is never more than a phone call away

CRUISE LINES!

Information missing or out of date? Email info@cruise-adviser.com

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

Tom Dumbrell, sales manager – Afloat in France 020 3117 1408 tom.dumbrell@belmond.com

A-Rosa Lucia Rowe, head of sales UK and Ireland 078 4202 6013 l.rowe@a-rosa.de

Carnival Cruise Line Luke Smith, head of UK & international sales 020 7378 4660 carnivalsalesuk@carnival.com

Amadeus River Cruises Natalie O’Mahoney, head of sales 0800 035 6411 natalie@fredrivercruises.co.uk

Celebrity Cruises Isabelle Charlton / Victoria Shipp 01932 834 379 (option 2) salessupport@rccl.com

AmaWaterways Jamie Loizou, sales, marketing and digital director 033 3305 3902 jamieloizou@amawaterways.com

Celestyal Cruises Marios Polydorou, senior manager sales +30 216 400 9631 m.polydorou@celestyalcruises.gr

American Cruise Lines Susan Shultz, director of sales +1 203 453 6800 susan@americancruiselines.com

Choosing Cruising Robbie White, managing director 07740 368 379 robbie@choosingcruising.co.uk

American Queen Steamboat Company Katrina Weston, general manager 01223 568 904 k.weston@aqgsa.com

Coral Expeditions Jan Jepsen, UK and Europe representative 07702 714 150 jan@intouchrep.com

APT Touring Kate Ashman, sales and commercial specialist 01494 736 147 agentclub@aptouring.co.uk

Cosmos Janet Parton, sales director 020 8315 4545 agencysales@cosmos.co.uk

Atlas/Kompas Predrag Krivokapic, president +1 954 258 8531 / +385 9 1975 1735 kompas@kompas.net

CroisiEurope John Fair, sales director 020 8328 1281 jfair@croisieurope.com

Aurora Expeditions Talia Schwartzman, sales executive +61 2 9252 1033 agents@auroraexpeditions.co.uk Craig Upshall, sales director UK/Europe 07824 305 232 craig@auroraexpeditions.co.uk

Cruise & Maritime Voyages Lisa Jacobs, head of trade sales 0844 414 6140 lisa.jacobs@cruiseandmaritime.com

Avalon Waterways Janet Parton, sales director 020 8315 4545 agencysales@avaloncruises.co.uk

Crystal Cruises Mick Dupont, head of UK sales 020 7399 7602 mick@cruiseportfolio.co.uk

Azamara Club Cruises Lori Scanella, business support executive 01932 834 379 salessupport.uk@rccl.com

Cruising Excursions Simonne Fairbanks, chief operating officer 0800 091 8274 traveltrade@cruisingexcursions.com

Cunard Line Victoria Snelgar, business manager – sales operations 07773 253 279 victoria.snelgar@cunard.co.uk

Belmond Alexis Viols, director of sales – Road to Mandalay and Belmond Orcaella +66 2 267 4881 2 Ext 19 alexis.viols@belmond.com

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

Hebridean Island Cruises Lisa White, reservations manager 01756 704 704 lisa.white@hebridean.co.uk

Disney Cruise Line Juliet Holden, account executive 080 0171 2317

Heritage Line Emma Wild, head of sales 0808 168 1458 salesuk@ewaterways.com

Emerald Waterways Lewis Quigley, trade marketing executive 0161 233 1988 lewis.quigley@scenic.co.uk

Holland America Line James Scott, business development representative 0344 338 8600 james.scott@hollandamerica.co.uk Lucy Harris, business development representative 0344 338 8600 lucy.harris@hollandamerica.co.uk

European Waterways Mark Robinson, sales and reservations manager 01753 598 555 sales@europeanwaterways.com

Hurtigruten Anthony Daniels, head of sales 020 8846 2666 anthony.daniels@hurtigruten.com

eWaterways Emma Wild, head of sales 0808 168 1458 salesuk@ewaterways.com

I F

Intrepid Travel Andrew Turner, head of industry sales 080 8274 5719 ukbdm@intrepidtravel.com

Far Horizon Hannah Logan, UK sales manager 0800 035 3189 hannah@fredrivercruises.co.uk Fred Olsen Cruise Lines Mike Evans, head of sales 01473 746164 cruise.sales@fredolsen.co.uk

JTA Travel Dave Green, managing director 0121 508 5567 dave.green@jtatravel.co.uk

Fred Olsen River Cruises Hannah Logan, UK Sales Manager 0800 035 3189 hannah@fredrivercruises.co.uk

French America Line Kevin Griffin, director 020 7723 2450 kcgriffin@frenchamericaline.com

Katerina Line Dea Baretincic, sales manager +385 51 603 409 dea@katarina-line.hr

G Adventures Jerrine Barnett, new business development manager 07432 429 836 / 020 7243 9870 ext. 9948 jbarnett@gadventures.com

Latin Routes Jessica Bain, director 020 8546 6222 info@latinroutes.co.uk Leger Holidays Ashley Dellow, head of retail sales 01709 385 811 retail.sales@leger.co.uk

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Aishling McLoughlin, sales representative UK & Ireland 07921 223 176 aishling.mcloughlin@hl-cruises.com

Lindblad Expeditions Jacinta McEvoy, vice president global sales +1 212 261 9000 jacintam@expeditions.com

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

Paul Gaugin Mick Dupont, head of UK sales 020 7399 7602 mick@cruiseportfolio.co.uk

The Majestic Line Marie McGhee, sales manager 01369 707951 info@themajesticline.co.uk

Pearl Seas Cruises Susan Shultz, director of sales +1 203 458 5280 susan.shultz@pearlseascruises.com

Manatee Amazon Explorer Emma Wild, head of sales 0808 168 1458 salesuk@ewaterways.com

Ponant Stephen Winter, international sales director 0800 980 4027 swinter@ponant.com

Marella Cruises Andrew Isherwood, commercial support team 020 3451 2762 commercial.support@tui.co.uk

Poseidon Expeditions Alexandra Prokopyeva, sales and marketing 020 3808 7787 sales@poseidonexpeditions.com

MSC Cruises Victoria Taylor, sales operations manager 020 7092 8182 ukinsidesales@msccruises.co.uk

Ports Direct Karl Lapage, managing director 0843 0843 003 karl@portsdirect.co.uk

Noble Caledonia Agency sales 020 7752 0000 agencysales@noble-caledonia.co.uk

Princess Cruises Mark Lowman, manager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sales operations 023 8065 6531 mark.lowman@princesscruises.co.uk

Norwegian Cruise Line Jeremy McKenna, head of sales UK and Ireland 07408 805 216 jmckenna@ncl.com Karen Kundi, partnership relations manager 023 8124 5242 kkundi@ncl.com

Pullmantur Simon Chambers, operations manager 0800 021 3180 simon.chambers@fredholidays.co.uk

Quark Expeditions Pushparaj Shetty, senior distribution manager +1 416 645 8248 push.shetty@quarkexpeditions.com

Oceania Cruises Priti Mehta, head of sales UK and Ireland 023 8024 8604 pmehta@oceaniacruises.com

One Ocean Expeditions Debra Taylor, new business development 07956 852 197 debra@toucanmoon.com

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Caroline Moody, business development executive 023 8068 2283 agencysales@rssc.com Anna Salter, business development executive 023 8068 2283 agencysales@rssc.com

P&O Cruises Brodie McIntosh, trade engagement manager 023 8065 5780 brodie.mcintosh@cunardpocruises.com

Royal Caribbean International Trade support team 01932 834 379 salessupport.uk@rccl.com

Pandaw Marco Rosa, vice president sales and marketing 07973 876 967 marco@pandaw.com

Riviera Travel Darren Mussell, agency sales assistant manager 01283 744 307 agencysales@rivieratravel.co.uk

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

Travelsphere & Just You Polly Poulton, national account manager 01858 588 406 polly.poulton@Travelsphere.co.uk

Saga Travel Sukina Fagg, national account manager 080 0074 8021 sukina.fagg@saga.co.uk

Scenic Lewis Quigley, trade marketing executive 0161 233 1988 lewis.quigley@scenic.co.uk

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises David Chidley, national sales manager 07408 855 544 dave.chidley@uniworld.com

Seabourn James Scott, business development representative 0344 338 8610 james.scott@seabourn.co.uk Lucy Harris, business development representative 0344 338 8610 lucy.harris@seabourn.co.uk

Variety Cruises Chris Lorenzo, managing director, Seafarer Cruises 020 8324 3114 info@seafarerholidays.co.uk Victoria Cruises Tom Antonucci, sales manager +1 212 818 1680 tom@victoriacruises.co.uk

SeaCloud Anja Ringel, vice president, international markting and sales +49 40 3095 9217 aringel@seacloud.com

Viking Cruises Andrew Schweitzer, regional sales manager (south) 07825 986 996 andrew.schweitzer@vikingcruises.com Jenny Wade, regional sales manager (north) 07966 995 012 jenny.wade@vikingcruises.com

SeaDream Yacht Club Mark Schmitt, sales director 07904 068 407 mschmitt@seadream.com Shearings Michael Bowers, national sales manager 01942 823 449 sales.support@shearings.com

Volga Dream Hannah Logan, UK sales manager 0800 035 3189 hannah@fredrivercruises.co.uk

Silversea Sales support 020 7340 0700 salesuk@silversea.com Star Clippers Danielle Dudley, UK sales manager 077 6585 2116 danielle@starclippers.co.uk

Voyages to Antiquity Michelle Daniels, head of groups and partnerships 01865 302 2565 m.daniels@voyagestoantiquity.com

Tauck Kathryn Coles, UK and Ireland sales manager 080 0810 8020 tauckreservations@tauck.co.uk

Windstar Cruises Sales team (The Cruise Line) 0800 852 7248 windstarUK@cruiseline.co.uk

Titan Travel Edwina Coppock, agency sales manager 012 9345 0726; 078 3465 2135 edwina.coppock@titantravel.co.uk

CRUISE LINES!

Information missing or out of date? Email info@cruise-adviser.com

Travel2 Colin Currie, head of sales 07891 257 160 colin.currie@travel2.com

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft THINGS TO DO

GAMESROOM

Each month, we bring you a selection of things to do on your lunch break or journey to the office

CROSSWORD See the next cruise adviser in May for the answers

MARCH SOLUTION

ACROSS 6. Alleviate (4) 7. Consequences of monsoons (6) 8. The western part of Hispaniola (5) 9. Cruisers will see plenty of these (5) 11. Subject of a Vicar's cure (11) 14. Becomes a turkey? (5) 16. Upper leg (5) 19. Half-tamed polecat (6) 20. Austrian cultural centre on the Danube (4)

DOWN

SUDOKU

1. Spanish resort with a one-armed lady (6)

See the next cruise adviser in May for the answers

2. Quip (4) 3. Top corporate money person (1,1,1) 4. Riviera enclave (6)

5. Inactive (4)) 10. Exclamation of satisfaction (3)

7 5

12. Bring in (6)

13. Source of all power at sea (6)

5 7

15. Welsh emblem (4)

8 7

MARCH SOLUTION

18. When your ship is supposed to get there (1,1,1)

17. Small railway station (4)

5 2

3 7

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

QUIZ

WIN! A VIP day out at the races with Saga

See bottom of page for answers

1. Who won the first football World Cup, which was held in 1930? 2. Who was the last Tudor Monarch? 3. When was the first Concorde flight? 4. What was the first album released on Richard Branson’s Virgin Records? 5. What film beat Taxi Driver, Network and All the President’s Men to win Best Picture at the 1977 Academy Awards? 6. What Japanese word translates as ‘empty orchestra’ 7. Which luxury river cruise line has a ship called Joie de Vivre? 8. Which French dish translates as Mr Crunch? 9. Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio is the chairman of which cruise line?

You and a colleague can have a VIP raceday experience at Newmarket on Friday, June 22. The prize includes transport to and from the event, a private area with lunch, free bar and entertainment from singer Paloma Faith.

10. What was the first-ever entirely computer generated feature-length film? 11. In 1967, London Bridge was dismantled and moved to where?

To enter, answer the following question and send your answer to info@cruise-adviser.com with the subject line as ‘April competition’.

12. La Paz is the administrative capital of what country?

What is the name of Saga’s new ship which comes into service in 2019?

13. Which multinational chain took its name from a character in Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick?

Terms and conditions apply, see cruise-adviser. com/terms-conditions.

14. Before being transformed into a museum, what was the Louvre’s original purpose? 15. Where is the United Nations headquartered? QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Uruguay. 2. Queen Elizabeth I. 3. 1969. 4 Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells. 5 Rocky. 6. Karaoke. 7. Uniworld. 8. Croque Monsieur. 9 Silversea. 10 Toy Story. 11 Arizona. 12. Bolivia. 13. Starbucks. 14. Palace. 15. New York City.

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | aft For more recipes, see cruise-adviser.com/tag/recipe

RECIPE

In the galley

The best recipes to be found at sea. This month: Holland America Line’s mouth-watering shrimp provençal with seasoned yellow rice

Ingredients Shrimp Provençal 680g large shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp finely-minced garlic Coarse sea salt Freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup sliced scallions 2 tbsp prepared horseradish ½ tsp fennel seed ¼ cup dry white wine 560g tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped) 2 tsp of chopped fresh thyme 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley Yellow rice 3 tbsp unsalted butter 1 medium red onion, chopped 1 medium green bell pepper (cored seeded and chopped) 1 stalk celery (chopped) 1 ¼ cups long grain white rice

1 tsp Creole seasoning ½ tsp turmeric 2 ½ cups low sodium store-bought chicken broth and/or homemade shrimp stock Coarse sea salt Black pepper Method In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, oil and garlic. Toss well. Cover and let marinate for up to two hours. Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Add the rice, Creole seasoning and turmeric; stir for one minute. Add the broth or stock and bring to the boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, without stirring, until the rice is tender and all the liquid is

absorbed, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. While the rice is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add the shrimp with its marinade and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turns pink but are not yet cooked through, about three minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp to a plate and set aside. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and add the scallions, horseradish, orange zest and fennel seeds to the skillet. Cook, stirring for one minute. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Reduce the liquid, scraping up any browned bits, for about one minute. Add the tomatoes, thyme, parsley and reserved shrimp. Cook, stirring until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with the rice. CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

LOOKOUT

Images from the latest industry events 1. cruise adviser publisher Sam Ballard, pictured with Olympic swimmer Mark Foster and Clia’s Andy Harmer, picks up the award for Best Trade Feature at the Clia Media Awards 2018. Read the winning feature, about getting millennials on board, here: cruise-adviser.com/generation-game 2. Petra Nemcova, the model and U By Uniworld brand ambassador, announces the completion of Nibugaun School, built by the millennials cruise line and its foundation TreadRight, in the Sindhupalchok district of Nepal.

1 2

3. Ann and Shelena of Hays Travel Andover with Viking Cruises’ Andrew Schweitzer. The pair won prizes, including lunch on board, from the line’s new scratch cards scheme. 4. Lucky agent Jayne Fry, of Tui Kingswood, Bristo, wins big with P&O Cruises Shine Rewards Club, which recenly ran double points for every Select price booking. 5. Abta’s Attracting First Time Cruisers Conference welcomed speakers from Google, Deloitte and Traveltek, as well as Clia and Silversea.

CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

April 2018 | Aft

FINAL WORD

Adding personalisation to the equation The travel industry is following the lead of companies such as Netflix and Amazon by shifting to an innovative customer-led approach – and cruise is leading the way ‘Personalisation’ is a word we’re going to be hearing a lot more of in the travel industry. The theory is that the modern traveller wants unique experiences and the ability to create their own holiday, and it’s the job of the operator to tailor its product around them. Skift, the New York-based travel media company, named it as one of key travel trends to look out for in 2018, writing that “almost every brand in any given industry today is shifting from a product-led approach to a customer-centric approach”. Netflix and Amazon were the first to drive this shift, Skift notes, by customising content based on users’ tastes. Now we’re seeing this extended to the travel industry, where companies are partnering with technology providers to collect data from customers and use it to improve their holiday experiences. It was something that Alistair Pritchard of Deloitte spoke about at

Abta’s Attracting First Time Cruisers Conference in London last month, where he said that cruise companies need to introduce more flexibility to their itineraries, as well as the ability to tailor their offering. But how easy is that when you’re talking about potentially thousands of guests on each sailing? In fact, it is a cruise company that is leading the way on this marriage of the traditional holiday and cutting-edge technology. Carnival Corporation’s wearable Ocean Medallion, which is being rolled out on Princess Cruises, has been hailed as a gamechanger, and with good reason. Its potential is huge. At home guests log in and enter their details, preferences and thus customise their holiday experience. Once filled in, guests are officially “ocean ready” and, from the time they arrive at the port, everything becomes more interactive. When

guests are on board they can choose to download Ocean Compass to their own smart device as a “digital concierge”; it automatically opens their stateroom, lets staff know their favourite drink and, if they order it and move, where to find them. On a smaller scale, Royal Caribbean International’s Royal Genie service, available with its top suites on its newest ships, attempts to create unforgettable personal experiences. Through a questionnaire, the cruise line asks the likes of ‘what was your childhood dream?’ Stuart Leven, the company’s vice president EMEA, explains that on one ship “a woman came on and said her childhood dream was to be a DJ. So we arranged for her to DJ in the ship’s floating DJ box, so she did a set over the rollerdisco for an hour. The Royal Genie is all about making dreams come true.” It’s a great opportunity to make your customers feel truly special.

COMING NEXT TIME How to sell: river cruise

Symphony of the Seas

U by Uniworld

Our unique walk-through guide on how to sell river cruises, featuring incredible cruises on the Danube, Rhone and Mekong

Sam Ballard joins Royal Caribbean International as the line breaks its own record by launching the largest ship in the world, again

Sara Macefield joins the line charged with rethinking the river cruise industry and judges whether it will get younger passengers on board CRUISE-ADVISER.COM

2018-2020 Viking ocean cruises on sale now All our cruises include: P Return scheduled flights from the UK P All staterooms and suites have a private veranda P Included excursion in almost every port P All on board meals in a choice of multiple dining venues P House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner P Free use of spa facilities P Free 24-hour room service P Free Wi-Fi P And much more

To find out more or to request our ocean brochure, call now on 020 8780 7985 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk Prices correct at time of going to print but are subject to availability and change. From prices are per person and based on two people sharing the lowest grade stateroom available on selected departure dates in 2018-2020. Prices valid until 31 May 2018. Single supplements 100%. For more information, please visit vikingcruises.co.uk/terms-conditions or call us.

Iconic Western Mediterranean 8 days, 5 guided tours Rome – Barcelona From £1,690pp Viking Homelands 15 days, 11 guided tours Stockholm – Bergen From £3,590pp West Indies Explorer 11 days, 9 guided tours San Juan roundtrip From £2,790pp In Search of the Northern Lights 13 days, 6 guided tours Bergen – London (Tilbury) From £3,795pp Alaska & the Inside Passage 11 days, 7 guided tours Vancouver – Seward From £4,815pp

ALL

E X C LUS I V E

THE WORLD’S BEST IS NOW EVEN BETTER

INTRODUCING CRYSTAL CRUISES.™ THE WORLD'S BEST IS NOW EVEN BETTER. Voted the World’s Best more times than any other hotel, resort or cruise line in history, Crystal Cruises is more than just a luxurious way to explore the world. It is an adventure, opening up the globe just for you. Whether by Ocean, River or Yacht, we are taking luxury travel further than ever before. Welcome to the new Crystal. WINNER

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A BOOKING, PLEASE CALL:

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ABTA No.V8548