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Cruise destination
Australia Atlantic France port profiles Cruises for culture vultures
Cruise Shipping Miami Preview Directory of Port Associations
| PORT PROFILE | Olbia Port |
PIPERS, PARADES AND THE BEST PARKING ON THE EAST COAST. Located in the heart of Atlantic Canada, Halifax is only a day’s sail from New York or Boston and close to France’s St. Pierre and Miquelon. The city offers a full service port, capable of turnaround calls and able to handle the world’s largest vessels - with shore power planning underway. Let your ship enjoy world-class port facilities while your guests enjoy a true East Coast experience.
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| WINTER 2013 |
Cruises for all... I
t’s a truism, but there really is a cruise for everyone. If agents are tuned into the customer then they can perfectly match the cruise to the customer. It might be an expedition cruise to those who want real adventure, a small-ship cultural cruise to those who want to immerse themselves in the destination, or perhaps a large ship style of cruise where the ship and all the entertainment and distractions on board is as much a part of the trip as the ports of call. Selling the right cruise hangs on the breadth and depth of agent knowledge: knowing size of ship, style of ship, demographics, customer profile, itinerary, shore excursions, the opportunities for pre and post stays on long-haul destinations, the airlift and so on. It’s a lot to take in, particularly as cruise lines continue to add little-known and undiscovered ports of call. In the same vein we have taken a close look at those cruise lines who offer the small ship, destination-immersive cultural cruises, the likes of Hebridean Island Cruises, Voyages of Discovery, Swan Hellenic and Voyages to Antiquity. Find out what they offer the cruise passenger on pages 18-21. Jos Dewing, MD of The Cruise Line, underlines the importance of selling pre and post stays in his opinion piece on page 24. Our Cruise Destination this issue is Australia, which affords the perfect opportunity for agents to sell a pre and post stay around the region. Discover what the options are on pages 13-17. Elsewhere in the issue we review Seatrade Europe (pages 10-11), preview the next big industry event, Cruise Shipping Miami (on page 25), find out what a cruise on Azamara Quest is like (pages 22-23) and profile two French ports trying to woo more cruise business on pages 26-29. Gillian Upton Editor
Published by Cruiseworthy Media 10 Tadorne Road, Tadworth KT20 5TD, Surrey, UK. Publisher/Managing Editor: Keith Ellis keith@cruiseworthy.co.uk Direct Tel: +44 (0) 1737 81 2411 Commercial Director: Trudy Redfern trudybanksr@gmail.com Mobile: +44 (0) 7766 426627 Editor: Gillian Upton gillupton@me.com Direct Tel: +44 (0) 208 675 7976 Art direction/design/production: Giles Ellis Creative studio@gileselliscreative.com Direct Tel: +44 (0) 1444 480491 www.gileselliscreative.com Editorial contributors: Jane Archer, Maria Harding, Susan Parker. Material in this publication is the copyright of the title publisher and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Annual subscriptions are available by contacting Keith Ellis from publisher’s office above. Front cover picture: Oceania passing Sydney Opera House.
| Welcome | WINTER 2013 |
Ports News Page 4
Port Association News Page 5
Pre & Post Stays Page 6-9
Seatrade Europe Review Page 10-11
Cruise Destination: Australia Page 13-17
Cultural Cruises Pages 18-21
Cruise Review: Azamara Quest Pages 22-23
Agent opinion Page 24
Preview: Cruise Shipping Miami Page 25
PORT FOLIO: La Rochelle Page 26-27
PORT FOLIO: Nantes Page 28-29
Directory of Port Associations Pages 30-31
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| NEWS | Ports |
PORT NEWS
Piraeus port shapes up
Piraeus opened its second international cruise passenger terminal in May, and a third terminal will start operations from April 2014. The development aims to strengthen its position as the most important hub among Mediterranean cruise ports. All three terminals will cover a combined area of 15,500 square metres. Cruise passenger numbers at Piraeus reached a new record in August, up by a massive 43.22 per cent to 329,540, the highest number in the last six years.
Piraeus wants to become the premier Mediterranean port
Big plans for Brooklyn Brooklyn Cruise Terminal (BCT) – the homeport for Princess and Cunard - is to be managed by Metro Cruise Services LLC (Metro) for the next four years. This will be the first time in Metro’s history that marine terminal and stevedore operations will be conducted in the Port of New York. Metro provides stevedore services in the Port of Boston to Crystal, RCI, Celebrity and Carnival cruise lines. BCT is the Eastern Seaboard’s
largest port and one of three cruise facilities in the Port of New York and New Jersey. It is arguably the easiest terminal to reach by road and has great views of Governors Island to the north and the Statue of Liberty to the west. Metro ‘s plans are to expand the facilities, to attract more cruise customers to Brooklyn, a higher call volume from existing loyal clients Princess and Cunard and an increase in corporate and sports events. Southampton’s old city walls
Bouquets for Southampton and Liverpool The UK ports of Southampton and Liverpool were singled out in Cruise Critic’s 2013 Editors’ Picks Awards. Southampton collected the Best UK Departure Port, while Liverpool was recognised in the awards as Best UK Port of Call.
Halifax is making good attempts for sustainability
US ports push environmental sustainability The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – which represents over 130 of the leading seaports in the US, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean - and Green Marine have signed a memorandum of understanding for increased co-operation between the two parties to advance environmental protection at seaports in the western hemisphere. It will enable ports and
terminals of all sizes to measure their environmental footprint, benchmark against others and improve their environmental performance, said AAPA president and CEO Kurt J Nagle. Green Marine members number over 70 ship owners, port authorities, terminals and shipyards from coast to coast, including the ports of Seattle. Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax.
Valletta celebrating TUI Cruises’ two ships
Valletta Cruise port welcomed TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 on October 13 It was a cause for celebration, with a flag exchange between the two ship captains and a surprise flash mob by crew members from the two ships. Malta Tourism Authority added an Inguardia reenactment, showing events happening during the Knights of St John period, plus a fireworks display prior to the ships’ departure.
Liverpool’s iconic skyline
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| WINTER 2013 |
| Port Associations | NEWS |
PORT ASSOCIATION NEWS
St. Johns Harbor, Antigua
Caribbean ports close to new alliance Julie-Anne Burrowes of On-Board Marketing, revealed at Seatrade Europe that an association of Caribbean ports is on the cards. Long-rumoured, it is now close to fruition with the name agreed of The Caribbean Cruise Alliance. One of the leading advocates is William Tatham, VP Cruise & Marine Operations for the Port Authority of Jamaica. The idea of co-operation has
proved successful over the last few years for the Caribbean Village at Seatrade which today is a group of 15 fully-fledged destinations and representatives of port authorities, tour operators and attractions. “It’s worked so well in terms of providing the Caribbean with increased visibility,” said Burrowes. “It could serve as a platform for further co-operation.
The world is changing and we have to look at new ways of doing business.” Despite the region being a premier cruising destination, it is losing market share, having dropped from 51% of the North American cruise market to 46%. “We pay attention to these figures and I don’t want the decrease to continue,” said Burrowes. “We are highly
dependent on the North American market but also see tremendous opportunity in Europe.” Individual destinations such as Curacao are benefitting from an increase of European visitors. Having agreed the initiative, the next stage is for all potential members to agree the formal mechanism and Burrowes believes this will happen before the year end.
Port of Saint Malo
Vive la France Eat, drink and be merry The Atlantic Alliance’s 2013 marketing theme is food and wine and the alliance made available a cookbook of recipes from the 18 members including latest members St Malo and Cork. It will be available online by December. The Alliance has yet to divulge its 2014 theme.
Cruise Europe’s membership has expanded with six new members. The French Atlantic ports of Saint Malo, Brest, Nantes, Bayonne, La Rochelle and Lorient are all joining at the beginning of 2014. “This makes the Association even more relevant to cruise lines,” said Jens Skrede, MD of Cruise Europe. All six ports will be joining the Cruise Europe stand at Cruise Shipping Miami in March. Two are profiled from page 26.
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PRE & POST STAYS NEWS
| NEWS | Pre & Post Stays |
First Atlantis in China A new, cutting-edge Atlantis resort along the Haitang Bay National Coast – the first Atlantis resort in China and only the third Atlantis worldwide – will open in 2016. Overlooking the stunning South China Sea, Atlantis on the
island of Sanya Hainan will encompass over 62 hectares of unparalleled excitement and larger than life experiences, revolutionary water play in Aquaventure Waterpark, exotic marine exhibits and incredible dining experiences. Already a
leading holiday destination, the island will be transformed into the new centre for entertainment in China with the addition of this new trailblazing landmark. The Bahamas and Dubai are sites of the other two Atlantis properties.
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
New luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi
More InterContinental hotels in Germany InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), will manage five hotels across Germany, the first being in Germany’s cruise capital, Hamburg, with the Holiday Inn Hamburg – City Nord (pictured).
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The hotels will include up to four of IHG’s hotel brands – Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza®, Holiday Inn® and Holiday Inn Express®. The Holiday Inn Hamburg –
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City Nord, will open in Q3 2016 as a newly constructed 297-room hotel with an open lobby and located in one of Hamburg’s best-known business parks.
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has opened its second hotel in Abu Dhabi. The hotel boasts the world’s highest suspended hotel suite, 200 metres above the ground and with 360 degree views of the Gulf. It also has the first Gary Rhodes’ restaurant in Abu Dhabi and the first Hommage Gentleman’s Grooming Atelier in the United Arab Emirates. The hotel is part of Nation Towers on the vibrant Corniche. St Regis will also open in Turkey, with a debut property in Istanbul opening in the first half of 2014. The 118-room property will be located in the sophisticated Nişantaşi neighbourhood in the Sisli district on the European side of the city and overlook Maçka Park and the Bosphorus. It will also have a luxurious presidential suite spanning approximately 2,000 square feet.
| Olbia Port | PORT PROFILE |
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| NEWS | Pre & Post Stays |
PRE & POST STAYS
Amsterdam’s new premier hotel
Waldorf Astoria, Royal Suite bedroom, Amsterdam
Bangkok hotel is now fully open
New spa treatments in Sydney hotel
The QT Sydney Hotel offers relaxing treatments at its spaQ as an antidote after long flights. Specifically the Kerstin Florian KLift Therapy treatments which are a range of reinvigorating The 281-room Centara Watergate treatments from thermal Pavillion Hotel in Bangkok is now massages to deep cleansing fully open, having soft-opened this facials. The hotel also has a spring. The rooms and essential traditional barbers service, Men facilities have now been augmented At Work spaQ, offering men’s by its Chili Hip on the 20th floor and grooming services, including a Walk open-air sky lounge on the cut-throat shave with a straight rooftop/21st floor (pictured) add two blade, hot towels and face new dining and entertainment massage to man-friendly facials. venues to the Pratunam fashion and The 200-room QT Sydney hotel is shopping district. The hotel is integral set within two of the city’s most to the Watergate Pavillion Fashion iconic buildings – the historic Mall and also includes a spa, fitness Gowings Department Store and centre and sun deck on the 9th floor. heritage-listed State Theatre.
Rome’s Hotel Eden changes hands The iconic Hotel Eden in Rome – between the Spanish Steps and Via Veneto – is now part of The Dorchester Group. The 121-room hotel is one of the world’s most majestic and iconic hotels in a truly superb setting. Originally built in 1834 and converted to a hotel in 1889, Hotel Eden is one of Rome’s most celebrated hotels and popular among royalty, heads
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of states and celebrities, as well as international travellers. It will undergo a careful restoration under its new owners. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, La Terrazza dell'Eden, the bar and Terrace Garden on the sixth floor have some of Rome’s most spectacular views of the city and is an observation point for the city.
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Next spring will see the opening of the 93-room Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, located on the heart of the Golden Bough of the Herengracht, one of the finest canalside addresses in the city. It is the first Waldorf Astoria in the Netherlands and comprises six original patrician houses of the 17th and 18th century, and a unique entrance and grand staircase attributed to the architect of kingstadholder William III, Daniel Marot.
Bedrooms feature exposed beams and large windows as well as modern amenities and luxurious touches including expansive bathrooms, WiFi, sumptuous interiors and memorable views. In addition, there is Peacock Alley for light bites, the Vault Bar for nightcaps and the hotel’s elegant signature restaurant for more formality. There is also a spa, pool and relaxation area.
Hilton Capital Grand, Abu Dhabi
Hilton Abu Dhabi re-opens Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi has been unveiled following a refurbishment and rebranding programme. The curved glass property with floor to ceiling bedroom windows, is located close to Abu Dhabi International Airport and boasts a luxurious and spacious spa, complete with 15 treatment rooms, sauna and whirlpool, a 24-hour fitness centre and an indoor and outdoor pool. Seven different bars and restaurants offer guests ample choices for dining.
| Pre & Post Stays | NEWS |
PRE & POST STAYS
First Leading Hotel for Bath Opening next spring, the Gainsborough Bath Spa will become the historic city’s first Leading Hotel of the World and the UKs only hotel to house a natural thermal spa. Sister to Pangkor Laut Resort in Malaysia, the 99room, five-star hotel is located on Beau Street and occupies three listed and historical buildings. It is a five-minute walk from Bath train station.
Greece steps up Greece is adding new attractions and reasons to stop over all the time. For example, Aristotle’s trail has launched in Chalkidiki, Northern Greece running 22km and a further seven trails will launch next year. There are new wine tours available in Santorini where you can find out more about the 50-plus white and red grape varieties that can be found on the island. Love Greek food? A
new initiative named ‘Greek Breakfast’ allows you to find out more about the most important meal of the day, the Greek way of course. In addition to listing the hotels where visitors can taste the local gastronomy, passengers can learn more about the history and background of the most important Greek products – from honey and oranges to olives and over 20 types of cheese – as well as more than 70 recipes of local dishes from all over Greece.
More hotels for London A Crowne Plaza will open in London in the spring of 2015 along the Albert Embankment, offering 130 rooms and a restaurant overlooking the Thames. Close to the Houses of Parliament and Lambeth Palace, the new property will add to the 400 existing Crowne Plaza’s around the world. And its more upmarket sister brand, the InterContinental, will open its third London property in 2015, on the Greenwich Peninsula adjacent to the 02. The InterContinental London The 02, will have 452-rooms, a health spa, numerous restaurants, a club lounge, main bar and a sky bar with 180-degree views over Canary Wharf and the River Thames.
AIR NEWS IN BRIEF... Two into one does go! Regional airline Flybe has launched a new rail-air link with South West Trains for train travel between Southampton Airport (Parkway Station) and London Waterloo. There are over 50 trains a days on this route and passengers can now purchase an integrated rail and air ticket in one go. The option to purchase a Rail-Air train ticket for £30 return is offered via the South West Trains link after a customer’s online flight booking has been confirmed at www.flybe.com. There is a selection of other ticket options including one way, first class and children’s fares and can be booked in either direction. Those passengers buying a return rail ticket will also be offered the benefit of fast-track access through airport security on return to the airport, at no extra cost. EasyJet expands in Naples Low cost carrier EasyJet is opening a base in Naples next spring. Two aircraft will be based in Southern Italy’s largest city, offering five new routes to Hamburg, Brussels, Catania, Mykonos and Corfu. The airline will fly 20 routes from the base, and fly additional frequencies on key routes such as London Gatwick with two daily flights. easyJet is also now offering “Fast Track” security in Naples for its FLEXIfare customers, making travel even easier by saving time at the Airport. easyJet will open another base, in Hamburg, next spring. Wizz Air allows more changes Low cost carrier Wizz Air is offering passengers a new option to modify their booking even if they are already checked-in on their flight. This new facility allows a no-fee booking change on wizzair.com.
Crowne Plaza, London opening in 2015
Ryanair opens first base in Greece Low cost carrier Ryanair opened its first base in Greece earlier this year on the island of Crete. It plans to invest over £40m into Chania Airport, where it has had one aircraft base since April 2013.
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| REVIEW | Seatrade Europe |
Gerd Drossel, Managing Director of Hamburg Cruise Centre
Reasons to be cheerful Great optimism and bullishness pervaded the session on Itineraries, Deployment Drivers, Shorex & Regulations on the last day of Seatrade Europe in Hamburg, reports Gillian Upton
T
he good news of a 16% growth rate in the number of cruise passenger nights across Northern Europe during 2012 over the same period in 2011 set the tone for this Seatrade session. Gerd Drossel, MD of Hamburg Cruise Centre, debated the likelihood of achieving a year-round destination for cruise. “It looks like we’re already there,” he said. “Our first vessel was January 7 2013 and the last will be 31st December, coupled with a record number of cruise passengers in one month, May, at 100, 000.” Hamburg – which is a member of the Atlantic Alliance - has 22 cruise calls between October and December so year-round
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cruising is already a trend in this German port city although extending the season through until the beginning of December is more likely than the first few weeks of January. Inbetween, Hamburg’s main season is from the second half of March to the first half of October. Drossel’s optimism about the future of cruising is based on Hamburg’s strategic position: an ideal location in Northern Europe; the city is a dooropener to cruising; and the city offers attractive pre and post programmes. Hamburg’s main trade is split between Norway/ Scandinavia (35%) and the eastern West Coast (35%). Drossel also suggested off-season tariffs to incentivise the cruise lines to extend their season. | WINTER 2013 |
Another upbeat presentation came from Wenche Nygard Eeg, MD of Cruise Norway, as despite only 58 of the country’s 2,200 cruise calls falling in the low season of JanuaryMarch and OctoberNovember, she says: “The season is getting longer and longer.” She cites 40 calls Norway will have during March 2014, compared with 34 in 2013 and 33 in 2012, and the 16 cruise calls next February, compared to 11 in 2013 and nine in 2012. A longer cruise season also has its challenges, she explains. “The weather, especially in the fjord area, limited opening hours, not all the 21 cruise ports in the country are adapted to winter cruising, limited capacity on trains, closed attractions and the profitability is in question
during the winter months.” In contrast, there are opportunities, for cruise passengers to enjoy dog sledging, ice hotels and search for the Northern Lights. “We need to develop shorex adapted to this season; it’s a huge opportunity to have new markets coming to Norway.” She added that the country’s shorex rose to 80% in winter – compared with 50% in the summer season. “We have strong demand from Brits in winter and those cruises are fully booked. They want to experience our unique attractions and
Wenche Nygard Eeg Managing Director of Cruise Norway
| Seatrade Europe | REVIEW |
experiences.” Kate O’Hara, speaking in her capacity as Chair of Cruise Britain, said that the growth in cruise – which is driven by destinations - has led to the rise of less wellknown ports and tender ports, citing the 52 ports around Britain and the rich variety of themed shorex, including golf, British heritage, Royalty, gardens, outdoor activity, art and culture and World Heritage sites. She cautioned: “Do not over-commit resources as congestion leads to a very poor visitor experience.“ O’Hara also warned ports
Kate O’Hara Chair of Cruise Britain
to be mindful of the new regulations. Neil Palomba, Chief Operating Officer of MSC Cruises and Chair of CLIA Europe’s Ports & Infrastructure subcommittee, reminded the audience that cruise ships run after the sun, to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, and that they can move ships quickly, even from popular ports, if there is instability. Nonetheless MSC has extended the season in the Med, with two large vessels there, and it is their plan to extend the seasonality in Northern Europe too as the Germans and Brits appreciate a cruise in a colder environment, “unlike our Italian and Spanish passengers. “Cruises are all about beautiful places and people’s dreams and the key is to provide a variety of destinations and continue to explore new places,” he said, adding that there was a need to focus on integrated transport
infrastructure throughout Europe, over road, rail and water. On costs, he believes cruise lines should pay the ports less as they are charging passengers less for a winter cruise. “All the ports need to look at their prices. We can go to the Caribbean instead,” he said. Palomba highlighted that fuel is now costing 30% more “so we are reviewing our deployment in Northern Europe by length of cruise. The length of stay in port will be dictated by the speed to get to the next port so there will be a reduction of the timings in port.” Javier Rodriguez Sanchez, Manager Port & group at Pullmantur, with five cruise ships deployed over 100 destinations and its own airline, warned: “If we leave the port two or three hours earlier it will affect our shorex programme.” He also stressed the importance of accessibility to the local airport and
airport capacity for widebodied aircraft. He said that shorex accounts for 60% of onboard earnings. Like other cruise lines, Pullmantur has had to review itineraries because of the new regulations coming into force in 2015, and this will affect its Baltic cruises. Bo Larsen of Cruise Baltic believes the 2015 regulations will “trigger new ports and create a new and innovative deployment pattern.” Ultimately, it means ports and cruise lines working together to find a costeffective solution.
Bo Larsen Managing Director of Cruise Baltic
Neil Polomba, Cheif Operatiing Officer of MSC
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| PORT PROFILE | Olbia Port |
COPENHAGEN JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER WE FLY FROM LONDON HEATHROW, MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM AND ABERDEEN TO COPENHAGEN
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| WINTER 2013 |
| Australia | CRUISE DESTINATION |
The land of Oz T
he great thing about Australia’s growth as a cruise destination is the opportunities it affords agents to package it with other tantalising destinations in the region. Why go all that way and not explore the likes of Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Bali? Ray Steward, UK Director of Sales and Marketing at Crystal Cruises, confirms
Cruising to, from and around Australia is a fantastic jumping off point for pre and post land explorations in the region that this is a major trend, citing one example of an Australian cruise booking that included a luxury hotel in Bali, a cruise to South Africa, a safari there plus a luxury train journey across the country and finally, flights home. And the cost of
that holiday? £28,000. “Long-haul destinations like Australia are more lucrative for agents as they’ll collect bigger commissions,” says Steward. “Customers are no longer getting their holidays from a brochure | WINTER 2013 |
but asking agents to bespoke their holiday so agents are becoming mini tour operators.” If cruise passengers are not visiting friends and relatives, they are exploring the region as a whole. Itineraries such as Sydney to Bali and Sydney to Singapore are popular choices, and booking backto-back cruises such as a seven-day Australian itinerary with a 38-day cruise into Singapore.
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| CRUISE DESTINATION | Australia |
Cruises for 2014, from Paul Gauguin and Crystal Cruises: An 11-night Fiji to Australia voyage: Lautoka, Fiji; Port Vila, Vanuatu; Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu; Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; Kieta, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; Samurai Island, Papua New Guinea; Rabaul, Papua New Guinea; and Cairns, Australia. Departing with Paul Gauguin 14th June 2014 with cruise fares from £4,290 per person including airfare from Los Angeles.
Two 14-night voyages between Australia & Southeast Asia: Cairns, Australia; Thursday Island, Australia; Darwin, Australia; Komodo Island, Indonesia; Benoa, Bali, Indonesia; Semarang, Indonesia; and Singapore. Departing on Paul Gauguin 25th June 2014 with cruise fares from £5,294 per person including airfare from Los Angeles. Reverse itinerary available 4th August 4, 2014 with cruise fares from £5,087 per person including airfare from Los Angeles.
Round-the-world airfares come into their own in this regard, allowing passengers to combine multiple countries. The likes of Air New Zealand, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, MAS, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic provide air access to all the principle ports. Australia has long been a port of call on world itineraries but it is now a stand-alone cruise destination. Sydney stands out as the country’s
A 12-night Australia to Fiji voyage: Cairns, Australia; Samurai Island, Papua New Guinea; Rabul, Papua New Guinea; Kieta, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu; Port Vila, Vanuatu; Malolo Island, Fiji; and Lautoka, Fiji. Departing on Paul Gauguin 18th August 2014 with cruise fares from £4,579 per person including airfare from Los Angeles.
14-night “Kiwis & Koalas” voyage: Auckland; Tuaranga; Wellington; Christchurch; Dunedin; Hobart; Melbourne (overnight); Sydney. Departing on Crystal Cruises 2nd February 2014 with cruise only fares from £4,487 per person.
12-night “From Barrier Reef to Bali” voyage: Sydney; Cairns (overnight; Darwin; Komodo Island; Lombok; Bali (overnight). Departing on Crystal Cruises 16th February 2014 with cruise only fares from £2,801 per person.
marquee port. Cruising into Sydney Harbour framed by the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and numerous bays and beaches takes some beating. Cruises tend to focus on ports along the eastern and northern coast, ie Brisbane, Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Port Douglas, Townsville and Darwin; or the southern and western coasts, taking in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Tasmania is common to many itineraries, for its
Darwin
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Cairns Townsville Whitsunday Islands
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Scuba diving coral reefs
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| Australia | CRUISE DESTINATION |
South East coast line
culture and terrain, customs house, and Hobart the natural port dwarfed as it is by Mount Wellington rising 3,600 feet from the sea. One caveat for passengers is not to do too much. Australia is such an expansive country that cruising around it is the ideal mode of transport. The distances would be too great for an equivalent land journey. Crystal’s Steward remarks: “Passengers may research their dream holiday online but want the confidence of using an agent to figure out how best to get from A to B, or whether the distances are do-able and basically to maximize their time.” Cruise lines include more time in ports and more overnights and position ships for special
occasions, such as a mooring under Sydney Harbour Bridge on New Year’s Eve. Read on for the lowdown on what your cruise customers can see and do at the major ports around Australia.
New South Wales: Eden, Newcastle, Sydney Sydney: Circular Quay is the ferry gateway to many attractions such as Taronga Zoo in the suburb of Mosman, Customs House and Museum of Contemporary Art. Wander round the historic Rocks area just behind the cruise terminal; it’s where the 11 ships of the first fleet anchored in 1788. It’s characterised by narrow streets and alleyways,
historic buildings, pubs, restaurants and shops. Pedestrian access to the Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway is also here. Visit the tranquil Botanical Gardens. The Australian National Maritime Museum, the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, Wild Life, Powerhouse Museum, an IMAX theatre, Chinese Garden of Friendship and fun shops and restaurants are all to be found in Darling Harbour. Passengers can walk there, take the ferry from Circular Quay or the monorail from the city centre.
Northern Territory: Darwin Sights include those from Darwin’s colonial history, namely Government House, the 19th century Fannie
The Great Barrier Reef
Bay Gaol, Chinese Museum & Temple and Darwin Civic Centre with its ancient banyan tree. Culture vultures can head for the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory while green-fingered tourists will love the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens spread over 42 hectares and some 2km north of the city.
Queensland: Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville Brisbane: Along the banks of the Brisbane River are Parliament House, People's Palace (a former temperance hotel), the City Hall and the only two surviving public buildings from the convict past – the stone Commissariat Store (the oldest building
Bribane
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| PORT PROFILE | Olbia Port |
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| WINTER 2013 |
| Cultural Cruises | FEATURE|
Rainfoest of Kuranda
in the city) and the Old Windmill in Wickham Park. City Hall houses an art gallery and museum on Brisbane's history. Cairns: The southern gateway to the wild, sparsely inhabited Cape York Peninsula. The wet tropics of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – both World Heritage Sites – are nearby. It’s also where passengers pick up the rainforest Sky Rail (gondola cableway to be precise) to Kuranda. Townsville: This is Australia's largest tropical city and a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Another tourist attraction is Reef HQ Aquarium, the world's largest coral reef aquarium. The Whitsunday Group of islands: the most developed of all Barrier Reef islands. Cruise ships sail through this group of islands using their tenders to visit various islands.
South Australia: Adelaide Adelaide: The city is studded with elegant
South West Australian coast
colonial buildings with preserved façades including Government House, South Australian Museum (a natural history museum), Art Gallery of South Australia, the impressive interior of Mortlock Library and Adelaide University's ‘great hall’ or Bonython Halls.
Tasmania: Burnie, Devonport, Hobart, Launceston & Port Arthur Devonport: Gateway to Cradle Mountain National Park and World Heritage areas in the north of the state. Also galleries and craft centres and the Tiagarra Aboriginal Culture Centre and Museum. Hobart: Australia’s second oldest city is located next to one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world, at the base of the majestic Mount Wellington, rising 3,600 feet from the sea. Launceston: In the heart of the city there’s the historic Waverley Woollen Mills factory outlet and also worth a visit is another retail outlet, this time the
Design Centre of Tasmania. Also worth a visit are the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery (Australia’s largest regional museum), Australian maritime college and the historic Entally House, which is a few kilometers outside Launceston.
Royal Botanical Gardens is also worth sightseeing time.
Port Arthur: Visit the Penitentiary, guard towers, Lunatic Asylum and now a museum, church and model prison and all constructed by the inmates.
Western Australia: Albany, Broome, Fremantle & Geraldton
Victoria: Melbourne & Geelong Melbourne: The capital of Victoria, very British with many Victorian buildings, grand boulevards and manicured parks and gardens. Visit the beautiful St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, the buzzy Federation Square (or Fed Square) with its restaurants, cafes, galleries and programme of events, the impressive Town Hall, and also the State Library, Old Melbourne Gaol, which is now a museum, Parliament House, and perhaps the finest building of them all – the Old Treasury Building. The | WINTER 2013 |
Geelong: A major port on Port Philip Bay with the National Wool Museum, the Geelong Naval and Maritime Museum at Osborne House and Geelong Gallery.
Broome: One of the oldest settlements in the country with good examples of colonial architecture. Cultured pearls are farmed nearby. Attractions include the Round House at Arthur's Head, which is the oldest public building in Western Australia, Maritime Museum and the spookylooking neo-Gothic Fremantle Arts Centre built by convicts as a lunatic asylum and ‘Invalid Depot’ in the 1860s.
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Culture Club
| FEATURE | Culture Cruises |
Geirangerfjord, Norway
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| WINTER 2013 |
| Culture Cruises | FEATURE|
Casablanca's Hassan 11 mosque is one of Swan Hellenic's shore excursions
There are a handful of cruise lines that allow passengers to become fully immersed in a destination. Gillian Upton has the lowdown
W
e’ve heard it all before – it’s all about the destination – but with certain cruise lines, it really is. The likes of Voyages to Antiquity, Hebridean, Swan Hellenic
and Voyages of Discovery, are all small ship cruise companies. They neatly tuck themselves into small harbours, inlets and bays that larger ships cannot fit into, include full lecture programmes on board and thereby create a different destination-rich itinerary that satisfies an increasingly large population of the cruise-going public. Not needing large parking berths, these destinationimmersive lines can choose good harbours close to the middle of town and call in when they might be the only ship in town. One company, All Leisure Group, has three such cruise lines: Hebridean
Island Cruises, Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery. “It’s all about enrichment and discovery,” stresses Sarah Weetman, Group Trade Marketing Manager. Hebridean has one ship, the Princess, which accommodates 50 passengers and they pay an all-inclusive price that includes all tours on shore, entrance fees and transport (as well as all meals, gratuities etc). The crew ratio is almost 1:1 so it provides very personal service and, not surprisingly, attracts a high level of repeat customers. It is also the only ship to be By Appointment to the Queen. Think of it as
The major players Cruise & Maritime Voyages, www.cruiseandmaritime.com Hebridean Island Cruises, www.hebridean.co.uk Paul Gauguin Cruises, www.pgcruises.com Saga Cruises by Titan, www.titantravel.co.uk Swan Hellenic, www.swanhellenic.com Voyages of Discovery, www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk Voyages to Antiquity, www.voyagestoantiquity.com
The UNESCO World Heritage site in the Orkneys is one of Hebridean's shore excursions
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| FEATURE | Culture Cruises |
Indonesia's Borobudur Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is part of a Voyages of Discovery itinerary
a country house hotel afloat. Between March and November Princess cruises the Scottish islands and highlands out of Oban. Shore excursions include visits to castles, gardens, stately homes and sometimes meetings with their owners. “We take passengers off the beaten track with one-in-a-lifetime opportunities,” says Weetman. One of the highlights is a private tour of Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum. Swan Hellenic is a larger operation, with one ship, Minerva, that accommodates 350 passengers. Its lounge is used for the lectures, from archaeologists, zoologists,
naturalists and so on that share their knowledge every day of a cruise. The ship’s library is reputedly one of the biggest at sea. Again, cruises are arranged on an all inclusive basis, including all shore excursions and gratuities. Entertainment comes in the form of light entertainment, perhaps a pianist or harpist, rather than dancing girls on a stage. Voyages of Discovery is larger still, with one ship, The Voyager, that accommodates 540 passengers. VoD’s cruises exclude excursions but do include gratuities. There are more public spaces, more entertainment and the odd
Andalusia's Alhambra palace in Grenada, a visit courtesy of Swan Hellenic
show in the evening. And if Swan Hellenic sports classical décor in teak then VoD is more contemporary. In the summer, both Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery cruise out of Portsmouth; Swan Hellenic cruises to Scandinavia, the Baltics, Iceland, the North Cape, the British Isles and the Black Sea, while VoD majors on the British Isles, North Cape and the Baltics. In the winter, VoD heads for winter sun, in the Indian Ocean, South Africa, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam and Hong Kong while Swan Hellenic winters in South America and the Caribbean. As with many long-haul cruise itineraries, pre and
post stays are popular and VoD markets a package that includes three-nights on land, including a visit to Kruger National Park and Cape Town. Long stays in port characterise all three cruise lines in order to get the most out of each destination. “The key is to differentiate ourselves as we are a niche cruise line,” says Weetman. “A lot of our customers have cruised with other cruise lines and are looking for something new and unique places, or they are just not interested in the casinos and that sort of thing.” Although Weetman says she doesn’t have a true
Art classes on board a Voyages of Discovery cruise
Voyages of Discovery in a bay at St Kitts
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| WINTER 2013 |
| Culture Cruises | FEATURE|
Arabic cemetary in Al Balid, Salalah, a UNESCO World Heritage site in southern Oman
competitor, arguably Voyages of Discovery rivals the similarly-named Voyages to Antiquity (VtA). VtA is the new kid on the block, having its first season in 2010. Privately owned by Gerry Herrod, VtA is another enrichment cruise line. “It’s more like a tour and the ship is not part of the experience itself,” explains Olly Symonds, Marketing & Communications Manager. “Cruising was becoming cruising for cruising’s sake but we’re all about the destinations and at a decent value. We’re not dancing girls and casinos.” VtAs has one ship, the Aegean Odyssey, that takes 350 passengers and always
The long-nosed or Proboscis monkeys endemic to the south-east island of Borneo, one of the attractions of a Voyages of Discovery cruise
three experts too “for a bit more meat on the bone” says Symonds. “It’s the cornerstone of our product.” The majority of VtAs shorex are included in its prices (as well as gratuities, and wine and soft drinks with dinner), and excursions are always small groups of no more than 25- 30 people maximum. The atmosphere on board is informal – “resort casual” says Symonds – and there are large common areas, a comfortable and wellstocked library, two restaurants, four bars, a small spa, gym and beauty salon. Time in port is key and VtA will try and stay overnight in ports such as
Dubrovnik to give passengers a chance to wander round town and see the city as it should be, without the crowds. Two night-stays in ports such as Istanbul and Athens are typical. Customers are those intellectually curious, aged 50-plus and relatively fit. “It’s those who want more than just to fly and flop,” says Symonds. In the summer months VtA cruises around the Mediterranean – Sicily is a particular speciality - the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Sea and for winter 2014/5 itineraries will include East Africa cruise safari tours and Asia.
One step farther… The expedition cruise lines go one step farther in terms of destination immersion. This is when passengers need to be agile and be able to get in and out of Zodiacs, climb, get up close and personal with wildlife, cope with early starts and the like. This is not a comfortable stroll in the Scottish highlands but being wrapped up against biting winds in Antarctica dressed in wellies and waterproof clothing. These expedition cruises are not for the faint-hearted but do allow passengers to explore out of the way places, such as the Galapagos islands, Kimberley, Borne, Greenland and the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Some of the big name cruise lines have expedition vessels, such as Silversea, Celebrity Cruises, Seabourn and HapagLloyd. See a full list below: Celebrity Expedition www.celebritycruises.co.uk Compagnie du Ponant www.ponant.com Hapag-Lloyd Cruises www.hl-cruises.com Hurtigruten www.hurtigruten.co.uk Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions www.expeditions.com Noble Caledonia www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Quark Expeditions www.quarkexpeditions.com Seabourn’s Seabourn Quest www.seabourn.com Silversea’s Silversea Explorer and Silver Galapagos www.silversea.com
The library on a Swan Hellenic cruise ship
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| REVIEW | Azamara Quest Culture Cruise |
Shorexellence NORTH SEA
DENMARK UK
Southampton St. Peter Port
GERMANY
Channel Islands FRANCE BAY OF BISCAY
Bordeau St. Jean-de-Luz
PORTU
GAL
Bilbao Lisbon
SPAIN
Seville
It’s all about the destinations,” Larry Pimentel, CEO and President of Azamara Cruise Club, said to me at the CLIA Convention in Southampton earlier this year. “We provide what we call a destination intensive cruise experience,” he added, suggesting that I speak to Claudius Docekal, Director of Deployment and Destinations as “Nobody
Azamara Club Cruises plans destination intensive itineraries for their programmes which reach out to ports worldwide offering a wide choice of shorex experiences. Keith Ellis reports knows more about it than him.” Days later Claudius talked to me about the global reach of Azamara Club’s two country club style ships, with itineraries that reach to Northern Europe and the North Cape, all the corners of the Mediterranean, far south to China and Singapore and across to South America. “Our shore excursions are planned to take guests
to the cultural, historic and gastronomic hearts of each call. We always include several overnights and late evening departures to give guests the maximum time ashore to experience the port town and locality of each call. “My favourite cruise for this year is our Route of the Wine Traders which gives guests an opportunity to explore vineyards in the some of the most respected
Claudius Docekal Azamara Cruise Club’s Director of Deployment and Destinations
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| WINTER 2013 |
Château Giscours, Bordeaux
vineyards in Bordeaux and to taste the wines.” A few weeks later I boarded Azamara Quest in Southampton to do just that. The 694 guest ships Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey are casual in style. There are no formal evenings and the dining experience certainly equals many of the ultraluxury lines, the accommodations comfortably furnished, although the bathrooms, while being well fitted, are on the small side. The staff are outstanding in attention and service. Evening shows featured both Broadway style musical productions and classical instrumentalists. Daytime lectures gave guests the opportunity to study the next day’s excursions. In addition to the open seating Discoveries main restaurant, the deck 9 Windows Café offers both inside and outside seating areas with a selection of buffet style dishes, a carvery and freshly prepared pastas at lunchtime and the expected breakfast choices. The two speciality dining rooms one deck above, open for dinner only, are the Aquilina, serving an international menu with several Italian dishes, and the Prime C steak and seafood restaurant. Both require prior reservation and there’s a $25 per
| Azamara Quest Culture Cruise | REVIEW |
Wine cellar tour
head charge. High quality red and white complimentary wines are served at meals and throughout the day, together with a choice of several complimentary beers. But it was the itinerary which really made the cruise shine. An extensive excursion programme was heavily, often fully subscribed at every call and although these were all at a cost, several were excellent value at well below £30 a head for a three hour trip. The first call to St Peters Port, Guernsey, offered a choice of four excursions with opportunities to see the island’s connections to WWII, the Napoleonic coastal fortifications and also visit the traditional island towns and villages, some with connections going back to Roman times. One offered the chance to travel by boat to view the coastline from the sea. The call to Bordeaux, set along the Garonne River, offered a choice of five excursions during the overnight stay. It gave guests a good opportunity to visit several classic Bordeaux vineyards, and sample the wines, and also to explore the old town centre and its long history, with walking and cycling tours. Other excursions allowed visits to outlying
villages and their ancient and unchanging centres. On each cruise there is a complimentary Azamazing Evening and for Bordeaux the event was held in the handsome 19th century Palais de la Bourse, with cocktails, traditional songs, dancing – and Can Can dancers wearing not much more than feathers! On to the small French seaside town of St Jean do Luz, another overnight, with a choice of five excursions, to Biarritz, favourite playground of the wealthy French, or to historic Bayonne with a trip to a chocolate factory. There was also a funicular railway
Flower cat in Gugghenheim Museum, Bilbao
trip to the top of La Rhune Mountain with views over France and Spain and an evening visit to San Sebastian, near the Spanish border which ended in a traditional beef dinner prepared in the local style. And so it went on. To Bilbao with visits to the wondrous Guggenheim Museum and two other excursion choices which included a trip to Guernica, immortalised by Picasso in a huge canvas depicting the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, and an overnight in Lisbon, tied up near the city centre so I could wander in to explore. Again there was a choice of five excursions,
Metallic tracery outside the Palais de la Bourse
Bordeau vines
four of which were under £40. These included visits to the astonishing architecture of Cintra, the mediaeval town of Obidos, and opportunities to explore the town of Lisbon itself. Final call to Seville was perhaps the most exciting of all, with a long journey inland along the Guardalquivir River before another overnight prior to disembarkation. Guests were offered a choice of four excursions including a visit to a flamenco school and an evening dinner with Spanish songs to the guitar and Flamenco dancing. I can’t think of a better way to end a cruise.
Flamenco in Seville
Castle of St. George, Lisbon
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| AGENT OPINION | Jos Dewing |
Cruise only? I’d rather top and tail! Agents would do well to sell pre and post cruises say Jos Dewing, MD of The Cruise Line, who shares his opinion here on why this aspect of cruising is so important
Islands would have marked the ultimate in pioneering leisure travel. Now however, a trip to the Galapagos archipelago is widely available and people who are fixed on visiting the unforgettable islands are now seeking even more from the experience. For example, there is an excellent opportunity to package a Galapagos cruise experience with a stay in Buenos Aires and a visit to the stunning Iguassu Falls.
Alaska. Alaska is an extremely popular cruise destination but once again there are many cruises available and many ‘deals’ to be had for the savvy, discerning traveller. However, an Alaska cruise is completely transformed when twinned with a tour on the Rocky Mountaineer. This world-renowned and luxurious train offers three journeys through Canada’s West and is an extraordinary way to experience
Alternatively, many would expect to be able to combine Galapagos with a journey to Cuzco, Sacred Valley of the Incas and the iconic Machu Picchu. Or for the real adventure seeker, you can add an expedition cruise up the Amazon river to your Galapagos discovery. You’re in the right part of the world, so why not make two great discoveries within the same trip? Moving north from the Galapagos and through North America we come to
the Canadian Rockies. A post cruise tour on the Rocky Mountaineer is exactly the kind of approach that differentiates a cruise in Alaska and makes for a truly memorable trip. At this point, I have no idea of taking you around the world in a celebration of the best pre and post stay opportunities for the cruise minded traveller, although the company creating the package should never consider proximity to the ocean to be a limitation of scope for such add on’s. Las
T
he key to success in selling cruising, whether you happen to be a travel agent, tour operator or the cruise line itself, is product differentiation and exclusivity. This is the only formula that will enable a company to deliver something truly eyecatching and desirable in a marketplace that can be so heavily drowned out by price-led offers and the wrong kind of noise. The world is an increasingly small place when you take it on by sea, there are few places that cruise ships cannot take you that you’d realistically wish to visit. It’s no longer about finding ‘new’ or ‘pioneering’ destinations, it’s all about what you do when you get there now and one of the best ways to differentiate a traditional cruise holiday is the addition of appealing pre and post cruise stays and tours. A great example is Galapagos. It wasn’t many years ago now that the very notion of taking a holiday or Croisieurope: Fernando de Magalhaes cruise to the Galapagos
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| WINTER 2013 |
Vegas for example is the perfect post-cruise stay for the fun loving out there, having disembarked a cruise in Los Angeles. A night or two in LA followed by a short internal flight and a stay at one of the many iconic Vegas hotels. Throw in a tour of the Grand Canyon by helicopter and what started as a cruise around North America has been transformed into a truly unique experience. I also forgot to mention that this cruise could have transited the Panama Canal too and that has to be three ticks off the Bucket list in a single go. There are so many other examples say, an afternoon tea at Raffles in Singapore (Birthplace of the Singapore sling) or sunset BBQ’s in the deserts outside of Dubai but the point is clear. The familiar phrase of ‘cruiseonly’ seems a somewhat disappointing approach to a travel experience that can deliver so much when planned well and packaged by an expert. And if passengers still don’t see anything on sale that takes their fancy, they should approach a reputable ATOL holding agency with cruise experience and ask that they create something just for them!
Who is Jos Dewing? Jos Dewing is Managing Director of leading cruise specialist The Cruise Line. Prior to his joining the company he was a Director at All Leisure Group Plc, owner of Swan Hellenic, Hebridean Island Cruises, Voyages of Discovery and Travelsphere, where he had close involvement in many aspects of planning, marketing and sales.
| Cruise Shipping Miami 2014 | PREVIEW |
Tour of duty Suppliers and buyers in the cruise industry congregate in Miami Beach every spring to catch up on what’s happening in the industry When: March 10- 13 2014 Where: Miami Beach What: Annual exhibition and conference for the cruise industry When the next Cruise Shipping Miami convenes next spring, it will be a rather special event as it will be the 30th anniversary of the industry's annual event. When agents, cruise line owners, cruise operators, ports, shorex companies and ground handlers descend on the four halls of the mammoth Miami Beach Convention Center in a few months time, they will be able to soak up a tribute to the cruise business' past, present and future to mark the anniversary. The global event offers four days of networking, education and sourcing, with an exhibition hall and
concurrent conference programme. It is relevant to every stakeholder in the cruise sector and it takes place in the cruise capital of the world. The port is only five minutes from downtown while the convention center is walking distance to the striking Art Deco architecture of South Beach. The city is an intriguing mix of American and Cuban cultures so brush up on your Spanish. South Beach is a mecca for restaurants, nightlife and shopping so the evenings need not be dull. The event attracts senior spokespeople from the industry to share industry knowledge, always kicking off with a State of the Industry opening session. The highlight of the last day is a Travel Agent Day, with the
focus on training. Next year's show will also feature an expanded Sustainable Cruising programme, where destinations and technical communities share innovative solutions, an Amusement and Entertainment Technology Pavilion and much needed new food and beverage outlets. “The show continues to evolve in terms of highlighting trends and showcasing the latest products and services for the cruise enterprise,” said Daniel Read, director of organizer UBM Live’s Cruise Portfolio. "This event will continue to be the place where all sectors of the global cruise industry gather to do business.” This year’s event attracted a record 11,000 attendees from 136 countries and more than 900 exhibitors from 123 countries – including 93 first-timers. Delegates, exhibitors and cruise executives offered enthusiastic feedback.
Check out www.cruiseshippingmiami.com, a brand new website for the event which details its 30th anniversary new features and benefits.
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| PORT FOLIO | La Rochelle |
La Roche Courbon castle
Gateway to Cognac The mediaeval city of La Rochelle lies on the coastline of the West Atlantic and has much to offer the cruise passenger coming ashore
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SWEDEN
NORTH SEA
DENMARK UK GERMANY BELGIUM FRANCE
AUSTRIA
La Rochelle BAY OF BISCAY
ITALY SPAIN
L
a Rochelle is one of the latest members of Cruise Europe and in joining is hoping to win more cruise business to its naturally sheltered bay by the islands of Re and Oleron. La Rochelle is an historic maritime port, which | WINTER 2013 |
exported wine and salt in its heyday and was the last French city to be liberated at the end of WW11. A German stronghold during the war, the U-boat pens can still be seen today but a more pleasurable sight are the yachts in its marina at Les Minimes as well as the thriving boat building industry. The city is located in the Bay of Biscay and is the capital of the rural Charente-Maritime department. It has its own airport, La Rochelle – Il de Re Airport, while
passengers can journey by train to Bordeaux, Nantes, Poitiers and Paris, among others, from Gare de La Rochelle as La Rochelle is on the main TGV line from Paris. The number of ports of call has dipped this year over previous years, to 16 from a high of 27 in 2012. Some 20,000 passengers visited against over 35,000 last year although provisional 2014 passenger figures show the port holding steady. One cruise line, TUI Cruises, will make a maiden
| La Rochelle | PORT FOLIO |
La Rochelle port
call into La Rochelle next year, with Mein Schiff 2. If passengers and number of ports of call haven’t shown growth, then what has is length of stay. For the first time this year the usual pattern of one day was broken with four calls staying for two days. Next year, the port will receive three calls doing the same.
The Port La Rochelle has two berths straddling La Pallice harbour, at 380m and 540m, and what greets passengers is a year-old cruise terminal building kitted out with tourist information desk, check-in luggage counters, luggage room, X-ray machine etc etc The port is 7km from the city centre and a bus or taxi will get passengers there in
20 minutes. A taxi rank is directly outside the terminal building and this is where the tour operators will pick up passengers too.
La Rochelle as a tourist destination Putting aside its dark history with the slave trade, this port of call has much to offer the cruise passenger. Passengers can explore the medieval city, large aquarium, small botanical garden, visit the Maritime Museum of La Rochelle and soak up the delights of Ré Island which is connected to the mainland by a 1.8-mile bridge to the north of the city. They can marvel at the three surviving seaward defence towers which protected the inner harbour: Tour de la
Lanterne, Tour de la Chaine and Tour St Nicholas. The city’s main feature is the Old Harbour or Vieux Port, which is magically lit at night and offers a pretty backdrop for a twilight promenade. Passengers can try out the fabulous seafood restaurants that pepper this area. Excursions further afield visit La Roche-Courbon castle, which is known as Sleeping Beauty’s castle with award-winning formal gardens that pre-date those at Versailles. The port of Rochefort is another worthwhile trip, with lots of military history highlighted in the Corderie Royal museum and at the old 17th century ship building and repair yards. Time allowing and there | WINTER 2013 |
are plenty of other sightseeing options: the pretty market town of Saintes peppered with Roman ruins and Romanesque churches; due South is Marennes, the capital of oyster farming; the historical town of Cognac is furthest away and this is where the grapebased spirit has been made for the last 300 years; and much closer, the miles of natural water channels and man-made canals in ‘Green Venice’ or Marais Poitevin to the north-east of La Rochelle. For further information email Mrs Marie Guegan at the port: Email: m.guegan@larrochelle.port.fr Tel: + 33 546 005361 or go to www.larochelle.port.fr or www.frenchatlanticports.com
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| PORT FOLIO | Nantes |
Chateau Nantes
Nautical Nantes Nantes is one of the French Atlantic ports busy growing its cruise business and reinforcing an historical base where grand ocean liners were once built. Gillian Upton discovers what’s there for cruise passengers to explore today on shore SWEDEN
NORTH SEA
DENMARK
passengers can board highspeed trains direct to Paris.
UK GERMANY
The Port
BELGIUM
Nantes BAY OF BISCAY
AUSTRIA
FRANCE ITALY
SPAIN
N
antes is one of the six new members of Cruise Europe. Its location in West France on the Loire River and some 50km from the Atlantic coast makes it an ideal port of call on an Atlantic coast itinerary. With close proximity to other European Western ports it offers cruise lines lower speeds and therefore fuel savings. Nantes International Airport is 70km away, plus the port is just five minutes away from the railway station, where
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The city was in a leading port in the 18th century and today, it actually has four possible berths: one in Nantes (accommodating cruise ships up to 200m), another in Montoir-deBretagne, the region’s general cargo and container terminal (up to 290m), one in the historical port of St Nazaire (up to 180m) and also Chevire (up to 200m). The cruise business here is still in its infancy with, on average, half a dozen ports of call each year but the business is building gradually. In 2011 Nantes received five calls with 2,220 passengers exploring the city; the following year that figure rose to six calls and three times the number | WINTER 2013 |
of passengers, ie 6,428 and this year there has been seven calls and marginally more passengers – 6,672. Next year, Nantes is expecting another increase, to eight ports of call and it will hit the 7,000-passenger mark. 2014 will also mark the arrival of three new cruise lines, namely P&O (Carnival UK), Holland America Line and Azamara Club Cruises. Average length of stay in port is anything between two and eight hours but in 2014 the port will enjoy its first two overnight ship stays. On disembarkation infrastructure is basic so there is no terminal but, on the plus side, there is a shuttle bus which takes ten minutes to the city centre from all three berths.
Nantes as a tourist destination Passengers disembarking at Nantes Saint Nazaire pier have only a short walk to the city centre but there is also a variety of shore excursions beyond the city’s walls. It’s pleasant enough wandering around this historical city with its castle, cathedral and mediaeval city centre. Nantes is the historical capital of the Dukes of Brittany and the city centre castle is the first of many chateaux along the Loire Valley. Shopping expeditions are well catered for, with many independent shops as well as Galeries Lafayette where shoppers can survey all sorts of merchandise under one roof. Outside the city limits, the entire Loire Valley and its many castles is a UNESCO – classed site and this is the big excursion to promote as they are in an area less than two and a half hours from the pier. In terms of other excursion opportunities,
| Nantes | PORT FOLIO |
Chambord castle is one of many UNESCO-classed sites along the Loire valley
there is plentiful wildlife and gardens to visit, not least at the Grand Blottereau Park; and for wine lovers, an abundance of locally-made wine, most notably the white slightly sparkling Muscadet vineyards, which are just outside Nantes in the village of Clisson. This village also boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant. The local specialities are crepes, cider and salmon with Beurre Blanc sauce. Passengers can explore mediaeval cities nearby, such as the Guerande where passengers can wander along the narrow paved streets peppered with antique and craft shops and marvel at the salt marshes at Briere, or languish lazily on a cruise along the River Erdre for a
few hours and take in all the castles and local flora and fauna. One unusual sight is that of the huge mechanical elephant that walks the streets of Nefs with its 50 passengers on board. The Jules Verne Museum is another family-orientated attraction, so too the Marine Worlds Carousel. Golfers won’t be disappointed either. The region has eight, 18-hole courses, including two in Nantes – Nantes Erdre and Carquefou – plus championship challenges at the 1912 Pornic Club and the Barriere International at La Baule. Shore excursions make the most of these local attractions and worth noting for 2014 is the International Floralies, a prestigious and
international floral exhibition which takes place every five years. It’s Nantes’ version of our Chelsea Flower Show with over 200 exhibitors during the 11-day event that takes place along the River Erdre. This summer the Escal’Atlantic re-opened after a major refurbishment. It is an interactive museum that tells the story of ocean liners with displays of artifacts (including a particularly elegant LouisVuitton wardrobe trunk from the 1930s), interactive features and audiovisual displays. Other distractions of a nautical kind include the Saint-Nazaire STX shipyard where QM2 and other cruiseliners were built and a visit to a former submarine base and now
A cruise along the River Erdre takes cruise passengers past many of the castles along its shores
home to Espadon, the first French submarine to have dived beneath the North Pole ice field.
For further information contact Mrs Laurence Paitel, Cruise Manager, Nantes SaintNazaire Port: Tel 332 40447141 or Email: cruises@nantes.port.fr. Information of a more general nature can be obtained from www.atlanticalliance.eu, www.fgrenchatlanticports.com and www.nantes.port.fr.
Fun for all the family in Nantes. Copyright Jean-Dominique Billard
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| PORT ASSOCIATIONS |
Strength in numbers P
orts joining forces with other likeminded ports in the same region makes much sense as they give cruise lines ready-made itineraries (often showcasing littleknown ports) and provide joined-up thinking, marketing collateral, training and fundamentally a higher profile for all concerned. In this regard the associations have been instrumental in putting new ports on the cruising map. You’ll notice from our listing below that many ports are members of multiple associations. Atlantic Alliance
A grouping of seven western European countries offering 18 ports of call and dubbed the coast of treasures. Masterminded by the Hamburg Cruise Center in 2008. The grouping stretches from Lisbon at its southernmost point, all the way up to Hamburg to the north. It also
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stretches west, to Portland and Cork. The most popular ports are Vigo, Lisbon, Dover, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Le Havre. www.atlanticalliance.eu
Asia Cruise Association Covering the Asia Pacific Region, this Association was set up in 2009 and is Singapore based. It includes as its members the ports of Shanghai, Singapore, Kai Tak and Hakata, as well as ground handlers, port agents, tourism boards and terminal operators. www.asiacruiseassociation.com
Corsica Cruise Club/Club des Croisieres A grouping of four ports around the northern part of Corsica – Bastia, Calvi, L’Ile-Rousse and Saint-Florent. Called Corsica Cruise Club. www.clubcroisiere.corse.fr
Costa Verde Cruise An association of four ports – Bilbao, Santander, Gijon and A Coruna – that have been working together for a decade to promote these ports in northern Spain. www.costaverdecruise.com
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Cruise Atlantic Canada
Cruise Baltic
The grouping of Cruise Atlantic Canada is made up of four provinces on Canada’s east coast - New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. They are six main ports – Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Corner Brook, Newfoundland & Labrador, Halifax and Sydney in Nova Scotia; and Saint John in New Brunswick. There are also a handful of associate ports, including Baddeck, Digby & Pictou in Nova Scotia, Miramichi and St Andrews in New Brunswick; and many smaller ports in Newfoundland and Labrador. www.cruiseatlanticcanada.com
An association of ‘Ten countries on a string’, as it dubs itself, and 28 destinations around the Baltic Sea region, from Aarhus to Visby. The ten Northern European countries are Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Finland, Norway, Poland, Russia, Estonia, Germany and Lithuania. The association’s major ports are Copenhagen and Stockholm. www.cruisebaltic.com
Cruise Britain A grouping of 52 ports promoting practically every UK port capable of handling either a ship turnaround or transit call. It includes six ports in Wales, 13 ports in Scotland and 12 ports in the South West. Bristol is the latest member to join. Cruise Britain also includes six service providers and the association is a joint initiative between CLIA UK & Ireland and VisitBritain. www.cruisebritain.org
Cruise Down Under Comprises 74 members made up of ports, tourist agencies, shipping agents and the like in the Australian and Pacific region. There are some 18 port members, including Brisbane, Broome, Darwin, Fremantle, Melbourne, Port Arthur, Sydney, Hobart and Launceston. www. cruisedownunder.com
Cruise Europe An association of 102 ports across Northern and Atlantic Europe, including Europe’s West Coast, the UK & Ireland, Iceland, Norway & Faroes, and the Baltic Region. Its main ports are St Petersburg,
| PORT ASSOCIATIONS |
Copenhagen and Stockholm and in 2014 membership swells with the addition of St Malo, Brest, Nantes, Bayonne , La Rochelle and Lorient. www. cruiseeurope.com
Cruise Indian Ocean An association of 20 ports, including all those in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Seychelles, Mozambique, Mauritius and Djibouti. The key ports in the grouping are Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and Richards Bay.
Cruise Norway An association of the 41 ports that span Norway’s long coastline of 1,300 nautical miles, including Bergen, Oslo, Eidfjord, Flam, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim and Alesund. www.cruise-norway.no
Cruise the Saint Lawrence Nine ports have come together to promote cruising on the mighty river . They are Montreal, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Saguenay, Baie-Comeau, Sept-Iles, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Gaspesie and Iles de la Madeleine. www.cruisesaintlawrence.com
Medcruise
The French Riviera Cruise Club
The Association of Mediterranean cruise ports, launched in 1996, comprising 72 members representing more than 100 ports around the Med, including the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the Near Atlantic. It also has 30 associate members, mainly tourist boards, ship/port agents and other associations.
The Association (FRCC) comprises the French Riviera ports of Nice/Villefranche, Golfe Juan and Cannes and the FRCC is a member of Medcruise. FRCC spans the area in the extreme south-east of France, extending westwards from Menton near the Italian border some 120km to Cannes. The destinations include Antibes, Beaulieu, Biot, Cannes, Cap D’Ail, Eze, Grasse, La Turbie, Le Cannet, Menton, Nice, St Jean Cap Ferrat, St Paul De Vence, Vallauris/Golfe-Juan and Villefranche Sur Mer. www. frenchrivieracruiseclub.com
www.medcruise.com Orkney Harbours An association of 31 piers and harbours around the Orkney archipelago of 70 islands off the North East of Scotland. In 2013, Kirkwall, Orkney’s capital city, was runner-up in the Seatrade Insider Global Awards in the Port of the Year category. www.orkneyharbours.com
Port Management Association of the Caribbean An association of a dozen ports across the Caribbean – Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, St Martin, Montserrat, Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Suriname. www.pmac-ports.com
“exploit the advantages resulting from a synergic joint promotional action as a product club”. The concept of the brand is based on quality, sustainability and accessibility.
SunCruise Andalucia Created to promote Andalucia as a destination for cruise vessels and to evaluate the needs of cruise passengers to the region, Sun Cruise Andalucia comprises seven ports: Huelva, Cadiz, Seville, Algeciras, Malaga, Motril and Almeria.
Var-Provence Cruise Club The Italian Cruise Terminal Professionals Less a port association and more a mutual support group, The Italian Cruise Terminal Professionals is a brand made up of cruise port management companies, namely Venezia Terminal Passeggeri (managing Ravenna, Catania, Cagliari and Brindisi), Ravenna Terminal Passeggeri (managing Porto Corsini), Catania Cruise terminal (managing Catania), and Cagliari Cruise Port (managing Cagliari and Brindisi) to
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An association of ten ports stretched over the southernmost point on the French Mediterranean coast, encompassing 430kms of coastline, and encompassing Provence and the French Riviera. They are, from the west, Saint Cyrsur-Mer near Marseilles, Bandol, Sanary sur Mer, Six Fours/Les Embiez, Toulon/La Seyne, Hyeres/Porquerolles, Le Lavandou, Cavalaire sur Mer, St Tropez and St Raphael near Nice. www.varprovence-cruise.com
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