Cruise Trade News September 2013 by Cruiseworthy Media

ISSUE 43 | SEPTEMBER 2013 | ÂŁ3.75

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| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 41 | JUNE 2013

WE LC O M E | CTN

National Cruise Week is almost upon us with agents in the front line pushing the benefits to encourage consumers to opt for holidays on the water – either ocean or river.

ith signs that the UK economy may finally be picking itself up off the floor, there’s hope that more disposable income will become available for holidays in general and cruises in particular. That’s why the sixth annual National Cruise Week is more important than ever with its objective of getting ‘Britain and Ireland Cruising’ through a focus on destinations and experiences both on board ship and ashore. The challenge for the cruise industry is to get prices up while still producing tempting offers to the public. The dilemma is highlighted in a poll by www.bonvoyage.co.uk (see p6). The agency found that the average fare now is £1,248, or 22% less than the £1,600 paid in 2008 – a reduction of almost a quarter. A rise in last-minute deals contributed to the dilution in prices and consumer concerns about added costs when on board ship. Yet one perceptible benefit was attracting first-time cruisers, with almost a quarter of people saying lower fares have encouraged them to book. I was surprised to find a good sprinkling of so-called cruise virgins on Queen Mary 2 when I sailed the Atlantic on the Cunard flagship in August, together with a surprisingly high number of families – mind you it was during the school holidays. Attractive pricing will have encouraged some but it seemed that

Published by Cruiseworthy Media 10 Tadorne Road, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 5TD, United Kingdom. Keith Ellis: Publisher/Managing Editor keith@cruiseworthy.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1737 812411 Mob: 07802 256275

Letter from the Editor the majority had paid top dollar for their seven-night transatlantic crossing. It was also good to hear from Princess Cruises’ UK director Paul Ludlow that business for 2014 is looking healthy, reflecting an upswing in consumer confidence. He’s been charged with driving prices up – an unenviable challenge at the best of times – yet one he believes has led to mutually profitable commercial rapport with the trade assisted by an expanded 12-strong dedicated sales force and an allimportant raising of commissions. A focus on destinations, exemplary service and quality cuisine may seem a simple enough equation but can fall down without a constancy of delivery. The task for agents is to effectively communicate that message to secure bookings at prices that result in sustainable profits for themselves and the cruise lines they choose to work with. Phil Davies Editor travjournalist@hotmail.com

Trudy Redfern: Commercial Director trudybanksr@gmail.com Mob: 07766 426627 Phil Davies: Editor travjournalist@hotmail.com Tel: +44 (0) 1747 828695 Jane Archer: News Editor janearc@aol.com Giles Ellis Creative: Design & Production Tel: +44 (0) 1444 480491 studio@gileselliscreative.com

CONTENTS

4-9 Cruise Industry News 10-11 Luxury Cruise Expo 12-15 River Cruise News 16-17 Making Waves with

Princess Cruises' Paul Ludlow 18 Royal Princess review 19 Princess Cruises 2014 programme 21-31 Cultural and Exploration Cruises 32-33 New to Cruise – Amadeus Cruise Shop 34 Independent Voice with agent Scott Anderson 35 Industry Opinion with CLIA’s Christine Duffy 36 Marie Celeste Material in this publication is the copyright of the title publisher and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. Annual subscription (six issues) £22.50, including UK postage. Single issue £3.75 post free. Details from the publisher’s office above.

SEPTEMBER 2013 | ISSUE 43 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

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Columbus Day hits Mersey shores Around 250 agents and 150 suppliers will be arriving in Liverpool this week for the second Columbus Day cruise conference aimed at the industry’s senior executives. The event, organised by Clia UK & Ireland, features an impressive line up of speakers and business leaders to talk about the cruise industry and also give insights into retailing and consumer dynamics. They include Celebrity Cruises president and chief executive officer Michael Bayley (pictured), Fred Olsen managing director Nathan Philpot, entrepreneur Jo Malone and MSC Cruises’ corporate operating officer Neil Palomba. Clia UK & Ireland director Andy Harmer said the Lord Mayor of Liverpool will be adding his welcome to the city, Clia president Christine Duffy will be talking about her vision for a global cruise association and there will be some ‘surprise’ speakers. “It’s a fantastic line-up of business speakers who will give delegates plenty of insights into sales opportunities, trends and strategy,” he said. Harmer said numbers are slightly up on the 380 who attended the first Columbus Day last year, which was held in Birmingham. “I think Liverpool is a good selling point. It shows we are not just southern-orientated

and strengthens talk about the importance of cruising from regional port cities,” he added. The one-day conference, on September 19, will be followed by a gala dinner and Clia UK & Ireland’s agent achievement awards, in Liverpool’s ornate St George’s Hall.

›› See p35 for Christine Duffy column.

National Cruise Week kicks off A book of culinary cruise experiences to whet customers’ appetites is being distributed to agents for National Cruise Week. Produced by Clia UK & Ireland, the book, ‘Come Cruise With Us’, highlights dining options from 26 cruise lines such as Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ afternoon tea and Carnival Cruise Lines’ Guy Fieri burgers. The aim is to give agents ammunition to talk cruise to clients, especially those who have not tried a holiday at sea. Clia UK & Ireland director Andy Harmer said it could be the first of several books produced to get agents ‘engaging’ with clients, with entertainment, enrichment and ports among other possible ‘talking points’. “Agents can use the stories or pictures in the book to help overcome misconceptions and bring the cruise experience to life,” he said.

Clia UK & Ireland is also repeating its call for agents to host cupcake-orientated afternoon tea events for National Cruise Week, which is now in its sixth year and happens to start as National Cupcake Week ends. Harmer said: “We need to make it easy for agents to engage with their customers. We had record demands for promotional packs last year and expect the same this year. For the first time we also have National Cruise Week bunting for agents to hang in their shops.” He added: “National Cruise Week is really about changing attitudes, raising awareness and getting first-timers interested in taking a cruise. There is a commercial side, and if cruise lines want to promote it as well that’s great, but realistically it will take people longer than a week to decide.” National Cruise Week runs until September 29.

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Life of Riley The last few months have been a busy time for the cruise industry, with significant growth through ship launches and plenty of sales opportunities through new initiatives. Agents continue to be at the heart of cruise distribution and helping agents to sell effectively remains key. Research clearly points to destination rather than price as the most important factor when customers are picking a cruise, so knowing as much about a destination as possible can go a long way in closing the sale. Under Norwegian’s Partners First initiative we have launched our destination focus campaign. Each month we will focus on a different destination, providing fact sheets, links to destination websites and chances to win great prizes. This will aim to provide facts and information to help you sell cruise to existing and new customers. Visit the website at www.ncl.co.uk/agents/destinations. With the end of the summer and the kids back to school, customers are going to start thinking now about their winter holidays. There are many reasons to choose a cruise in winter, including new destinations on offer. For families, couples and “empty nesters” wanting a winter getaway, a cruise to Europe is an appealing option. Cruising Europe in the winter offers many advantages in terms of less crowded destinations and more time seeing the sites and when looking for some short-haul winter sun, cruises to the Canaries and Morocco are a fantastic option. Taking stock of this, Norwegian has introduced the 9-night Canary Islands from Barcelona on board Norwegian Spirit and 10 and 11-night cruise options from Rome on Norwegian Jade during the winter months. Cruisers can visit a multitude of destinations with a short flight from the UK. With destinations in mind, I can’t let my column end without mentioning the upcoming launch of Norwegian Getaway which will take the best of Miami to sea. Sailing Eastern Caribbean itineraries from February 2014, the new ship will feature exciting innovations such as the Illusionarium and the Grammy Experience. Watch this space for more announcements coming soon! Until next time, Francis Riley Vice President and General Manager International Norwegian Cruise Line

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Silversea expands exploration fleet Ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea has expanded its exploration fleet with the longterm charter of a third ship. The 128-passenger Clipper Odyssey will be renamed Silver Discoverer and join the fleet next March after a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. It will be based in the Pacific in summer and South East Asia in winter for at least three years, sailing around remote islands in the Russian Far East and to the New Zealand SubAntarctic, as well as spending six weeks in the Kimberley in Australia. Silver Discoverer will carry 12 inflatable Zodiacs and a glass-bottomed boat; and have an 11-strong expedition team. The ship, built in Japan in 1989, has latterly been operating for Zegrahm Expeditions. It has 64 suites, ranging from rooms with portholes to eight Veranda and one Medallion suite, all with balconies. Silversea is adding a gym, pool grill and small spa, refreshing the lounges and dining areas to bring them up to its six-star standards, and updating the bathrooms.

Silver Explorer, which joined the fleet in 2008, sails the polar regions and the company starts seven-night island-hopping cruises on the Silver Galapagos this month. Silversea director of expedition cruises Conrad Combrink said: “We are two distinct brands. Silversea Cruises, which offers the classical cruise experience, and Silversea Expeditions, which is driven by the destinations and the expedition team on board. It is for people who want to see remote places in comfort. They are not necessarily younger than passengers on our classic ships but they are active.” Silversea UK general manager Mike Bonner said exploration passengers are not looking for a cruise, but they do want to visit unusual destinations. “Agents should not be looking just to their cruise database to sell this product,” he added. Prices start at £5,950 per person cruiseonly for a cruise in the Kimberley. In 2015, it will also be cruising the South Pacific. See Cultural and exploration cruise feature, page 21.

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Norwegian axes Getaway inaugural Norwegian Cruise Lines has cancelled the February 1 inaugural Caribbean cruise from Miami on new ship Norwegian Getaway because the vessel has been chartered to provide accommodation for the Super Bowl. The ship should have been sailing a 16day cruise from Rotterdam to Miami on January 16, with a stop in Southampton to embark passengers. Instead, it will be sailing a 10-day cruise from Southampton to New York. Norwegian hasn’t confirmed details of the charter, which runs from January 29 to February 5, but it gave massive hints - and the dates happen to coincide with the lead up to the 2014 Super Bowl at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on February 2. The ship’s inaugural Eastern Caribbean cruise will now depart Miami on February 8. The 4,000-passenger Norwegian Getaway will be similar to sister ship Norwegian Breakaway, which launched this year, but with different entertainment and hull art to reflect its Miami base. Norwegian has also bumped passengers off Norwegian Jade’s sailings from February 525 because the ship has been chartered by TUI Travel to be a floating hotel during the Winter Olympics in Sochi, in Russia. Seven ships have been chartered to provide accommodation.

Call centre jobs cut in Royal Caribbean consolidation Up to 100 jobs are to go at Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Surrey offices under plans to consolidate its 11 call centres worldwide into three locations - in Guatemala, Romania and Holland. All three will be operated by call centre specialist Xerox. Guatemala will handle bookings for Royal Caribbean and Azamara Club Cruises, but a separate team dedicated to Celebrity UK and Ireland will be set up in the UK. The world’s second largest cruise company also announced it will be developing Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises as three separate brands in the UK and Ireland. Jo Rzymowska, currently associate vicepresident and general manager for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, becomes managing director UK and Ireland for Celebrity

Cruises in January 2014. The company is currently recruiting heads for Royal Caribbean International and Azamara. Dominic Paul continues as vice-president for Europe, Middle East and Africa across all three brands. In a statement, Royal Caribbean said the changes are a result of the brands’ growth in the UK and will “best position each cruise line for future development through the creation of brand-specific sales, revenue and marketing functions”. It is the first time outside the US that its brands have been given “such commitment, focus and investment,” the company added. Royal Caribbean has begun consultations with employees who are set to lose their jobs under the changes. NEWS | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | N EWS I N B R I E F Carnival Cruise Lines’ next new ship will be called Carnival Vista. The 4,000-passenger vessel, the company’s 25th ‘fun ship’, will be built by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy and is due to launch in 2016. Compagnie du Ponant has introduced a new online booking system for the trade. The portal, at en.ponant.com/travel-agent-centre, gives agents live access to Ponant’s cruises and availability, as well as latest fares and promotions. Holland America Line has launched a 12-day cruise to mark the 70th anniversary of the DDay landings in World War Two. The voyage, from Civitavecchia to Copenhagen, departs April 29 and calls at Cherbourg on May 8. The actual landings took place on June 6, 1944.

Cruise prices tumble The cost of a cruise has fallen by 22% over the past five years, research by online cruise agency Bonvoyage.co.uk has shown. The findings come from a survey of its own site statistics from the past three years as well as a poll of 1,274 people who cruised five years ago and booked a cruise for this year or in 2014. The results show the average price of a cruise in 2008 was £1,600 per person, while now it is £1,248, or 22% less, with the biggest drop – 19% – occurring since 2011, when the site was launched. Bonvoyage said cruise lines were trying to lure bookings with lower fares but making up for the shortfall in revenue by charging more on-

board for spa treatments, speciality dining and drinks. However, it added that 46% of those polled said they would be a lot more wary of added costs on board a cruise, as well as the perceived value of amenities, compared to this time five years ago. Almost one-third (31%) said they had noticed improvements in food and entertainment quality despite the lower fares, while 22% said service levels had risen over the past five years. Almost one-quarter (24%) of respondents said they were encouraged to book a cruise because of the lower prices.

Hurtigruten is offering two new Arctic Wilderness Adventure cruises in Greenland in June and July 2014. The voyages are roundtrip from Kangerlussuaq and include visits to small settlements and a chance to visit the Ilulissat icefjord. Prices start at £4,900 per person excluding international flights. MSC Cruises is to run four autumn cruises from Southampton on MSC Magnifica in 2014. The seven-night sailings will visit Zeebrugge (for Bruges), Amsterdam, Hamburg and Le Havre. Prices lead in at £429 per person including free port car parking or a National Express coach transfer to Southampton. Premier Holidays has added a tailor-made cruising section to its 2014 Faraway brochure. The section features selected ocean voyages in Asia with Celebrity Cruises and Orient Express Hotels’ river cruises on the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar. Premier’s USA and Canada brochure has added cruises with Norwegian Cruise Lines and Holland America Line. Cruise & Maritime Voyages has launched its 2014/15 brochure featuring cruises on Marco Polo - which is 50 years old in 2015 - and Discovery from eight regional ports including Tilbury, Edinburgh and Greenock. Discounts of up to 45% are available for early bookings until October 31. The keel for Royal Caribbean International’s new ship Quantum of the Seas was laid in a ceremony at the Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg last month. At the same time, the first steel for sister ship Anthem of the Seas was cut. The ships are due to launch in autumn 2014 and spring 2015 respectively.

SeaDream back to the Baltic SeaDream Yacht Club will be sailing a debut no-fly cruise from the UK next year as part of a new programme of cruises in the Baltic and Norwegian fjords. The 112-passenger SeaDream I will be sailing a 14-night cruise round-trip from Dover departing August 16 that transits the Kiel Canal and stays three days in St Petersburg. The ship will also be visiting Bornholm and Faaborg in Denmark, Visby in Gotland, Tallinn and Ruegen Island in Germany. Prices start at £5,832 per person cruise-only. SeaDream sailed a debut season in Northern Europe in 2011 but has not been back after a repeat summer selection of cruises in 2012 was cancelled. In all, SeaDream I will be operating five cruises in the Baltic and three voyages to the Norwegian fjords, sailing from Copenhagen to Bergen and vice-versa on July 16 and 26, and from Copenhagen to Dover via Bergen on August 6. Prices start at £3,349 per person for a seven-night voyage round-trip from Stockholm on June 21 that visits Helsinki, Tallinn and the Mariehamn, and spend three days in St Petersburg.

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That’s what we want you to ask your customers. Because with Norwegian Cruise Line holidays there’s just so much included, like superb accommodation, 24-hour dining with lots of complimentary choices, star-studded entertainment and a new destination to explore almost every day. Plus with an up to $400 per stateroom on board spend your customers can find out exactly what type of Norwegian they are by splashing out on those indulgent little extras.

DISCOVER MORE AT: www.ncl.co.uk/agents

PARTNERS FIRST: www.ncl.co.uk/agents/partners-first EXPLORE: www.ncl.co.uk/agents LEARN: www.nclu.co.uk BOOK: 0845 201 8900 NCL_UK

Norwegian Cruise Line UK

*On board spend per stateroom is applicable to new bookings only made between 02 September and 30 September 2013. On board spend is applicable to selected sailings from Jan 14 - April 15. On board spend for applicable sailings of 3-5 nts is $50 per stateroom for Studios, $50 per stateroom for Insides & Oceanviews, $75 per stateroom for Balcony & Mini Suites, $100 per stateroom for Suites. On board spend for applicable sailings of 6-13 nts is $100 per stateroom for Studios, $125 per stateroom for Insides & Oceanviews, $150 per stateroom for Balcony & Mini Suites, $200 per stateroom for Suites. On board spend for applicable sailings of 14 nts & longer is $150 per stateroom for Studios, $150 per stateroom for Insides & Oceanviews, $200 per stateroom for Balcony & Mini Suites, $400 per stateroom for Suites. On board spend has no monetary value, is non-transferable and some on board activities may incur a surcharge. It may not EH XVHG WRZDUG RQ ERDUG VHUYLFH FKDUJHV RU SUH SXUFKDVHG DFWLYLWLHV )DUHV DQG RIIHUV VKRZQ DUH DSSOLFDEOH RQO\ WR ERRNLQJV PDGH WKURXJK WKH 1RUZHJLDQ &UXLVH /LQH /RQGRQ RI¿FH DQG DUH VXEMHFW WR DYDLODELOLW\ DQG FKDQJH )XOO WHUPV conditions &Norwegian Cruise Line Booking Conditions apply – please see www.ncl.co.uk/agents. ©2013 NCL Corporation LTD Ship’s Registry: Bahamas and United States of America. 4413.08.13

MARIE CELESTE | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

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Voyages to Antiquity returns to Asia Destination-focused cruise line Voyages to Antiquity is offering new cruise-and-safari holidays at the start of a winter programme in Asia in 2014/15. Passengers will visit both Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks in Kenya on all three itineraries, either at the start or end of their cruises, with game drives and overnight stays in the parks included in the cost. UK managing director David Yellow said: “You cannot go to India and not see the Taj Mahal or to Bangkok and not go to Angkor Wat, so we include trips to both in our itineraries. It is the same with Kenya. You cannot go there and not go on safari. “We are known for cultural cruises that visit ancient civilisations in the Mediterranean; now we are also offering the natural wonders of East Africa.” The line’s ship, Aegean Odyssey, heads east on November 20, 2014, offering a 25-day

cruise from Piraeus (for Athens) to Mombasa. There is also an Indian Ocean cruise roundtrip from Mombasa and a 22-day Christmas and New Year voyage from Mombasa to Colombo in Sri Lanka. Other programme highlights include a return to Myanmar, a 21-day voyage through Indonesia with a day in Komodo, and a 20day cruise tour from Bangkok to Singapore with three nights in the Thai capital, two nights in Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat and two nights in Singapore. Prices start at £3,695 per person including flights and transfers for a 16-day voyage round-trip from Singapore that visits Malaysia and Thailand, and spends three days in Yangon. The price also includes most sightseeing, wine, beer or soft drinks with dinner and gratuities. Yellow said: “It’s not expensive when you look at what is included. Others charge extra

for land-based sightseeing. We include it and charge at cost rather than use it as a profit base.”

Egypt calls cancelled Voyages to Antiquity has been forced to cancel calls in Egypt as the crisis in the country deepens. The line was due to be in Alexandria overnight, for a visit to the pyramids, on its March 22 cruise next year. Instead there will be a three-day visit to Haifa, in Israel, with an overnight trip to Jerusalem. Israel will also replace Egypt on a Crusades-themed cruise next October and on the Aegean Odyssey’s voyage from the Mediterranean to East Africa in November 2014.

›› See p30/31

Thomson cancels Red Sea in Egypt crisis

Adventurer signs to make cruising cool Adventurer Ben Fogle has been castaway on a Scottish island, raced across the Antarctic and trekked the Sahara, and now he has taken on a new challenge – to make cruising look cool. In his new role as Celebrity Cruises’ Destination Expert, he has filmed a selection of destination guides and next year will be launching a series of Ben Fogle inspired shore excursions.

Thomson Cruises has finally bowed to the inevitable and cancelled its winter cruises in the Red Sea on Thomson Majesty as the crisis in Egypt worsens. The line initially only shortened Majesty’s Red Sea season, replacing its cruises from Sharm el Sheikh with new voyages from Malaga in February and March 2014. However, in a statement the TUI Travel line said it had now “regretfully” decided to pull out of the region altogether. The company said: “The safety of our customers is always our number one priority, but as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all but essential travel to Cairo and Luxor we are also not able to offer an excursion programme to the Pyramids and Valley of the Kings, which we know our passengers would want to experience.” MSC Cruises pulled its Red Sea season on MSC Armonia in July, replacing it with two new seven-night itineraries in the Canary Islands, while Costa Cruises cancelled its voyages in the region in early August, as well as dropping Port Said and Alexandria from its Mediterranean itineraries this autumn. Costa has replaced its Red Sea cruises with seven-night voyages in the United Arab Emirates sailing round-trip from Dubai. In the Med, the line has replaced its Egypt calls with longer stays in Ashdod and Haifa, in Israel.

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Redfern takes role at Cruiseworthy Former Silversea UK boss Trudy Redfern has joined Cruiseworthy Media Group, which publishes Cruise Trade News, as commercial director. She is responsible for building a business strategy for the company’s three publications, CTN, Cruise Ports and Destinations and Stowaway. Redfern has more than 30 years’ experience in the travel industry, having held senior positions at Gold Medal Travel Group, Emirates Tours and Worldchoice. She was Silversea managing director UK, Ireland, Middle East and Nordic between 2004 and 2011. Since leaving Silversea, she has been working as a consultant to the Port of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and Cruise Wales. Redfern said her initial focus will be to review and expand the magazines’ distribution channels and partnership opportunities, as well as developing an e-marketing and social media strategy for Cruiseworthy Media.

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Short cruises scheduled for Europa 2 New Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ ship Europa 2 will be sailing four ‘taster’ cruises in the North Sea and Baltic in June 2014 for firsttimers who do not want to commit too much time and money to a debut holiday at sea. The new short cruises, priced from £1,560 per person cruise-only, take the ship from Hamburg to Kiel, stopping at Oslo and Copenhagen, on June 7, on two voyages round-trip from Kiel, and then back to Hamburg, calling at Copenhagen and Gothenburg. The ship’s 2014-15 programme, which went on sale this month, also includes five seven-night cruises between Barcelona and Civitavecchia (for Rome) in July and August with different itineraries in each direction so they can be combined into a two-week voyage.

There are also two sailings between Valletta and Venice and late-summer cruises between Piraeus (for Athens) and Istanbul, and Piraeus and Beirut. A one-week cruise round-trip from Istanbul on October 4 takes Europa 2 into the Black Sea for the first time, with calls at Sochi in Russia, and Yalta, Sevastopol and Odessa in the Ukraine. The ship makes its debut transatlantic crossing in November sailing to New York and then Miami, from where it will be setting off on a counter-clockwise voyage around South America. The trip is available as a 76-day cruise priced or in sectors of up to 19 days. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises launched Europa 2 in May to offer a casual ‘modern luxury’ alternative to the company’s more formal Europa. Every departure on Europa 2 is bilingual German-English, and there are multiple restaurants, all open seating. A small kids’ club for children aged two to 10 years old and a teen area for 11-15 year olds are in operation during school holidays.

Cunard unveils 2015 world cruises Cunard is marking its 175th anniversary in 2015 with three world cruises that will take ships more than 100,000 nautical miles. They will,call at 83 ports in 46 countries and end with all three ships arriving into Southampton together for celebrations on May 3, 2015. Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth will be setting off on their global circumnavigations together on January 10, 2015 while Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will be in Sydney together on March 12, 2015. Prices start at £10,499 per person sailing on Queen Victoria. Queen Mary 2 is sailing a 113-night voyage that includes a circumnavigation of New Zealand and will be in Sanya in China - one of four maiden ports of call - for the Chinese New Year. Queen Elizabeth is offering a 112-night round the world voyage that includes three overnight stays in San Francisco and Hong Kong, and a sail past Gallipoli on Anzac Day on April 24, to mark 100 years since the end of the ill-fated campaign there during the World War One. Queen Victoria will be away for 103 nights and visit five maiden ports including Bora Bora in French Polynesia, Puerto Limon in Costa Rica and San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua.

Competition

Be a winner with Holland America Line

Holland America Line is giving away 50 packs of Signature white tulips, bred by the worldfamous Keukenhof Gardens in Holland, to celebrate its 140th anniversary, in an exclusive competition in partnership with CTN. To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is answer this simple question: In which year did Holland America Line start operating as the Netherlands-America Steamship company? Email your answer, along with your full postal address, to: carly.perkins@hollandamerica.co.uk The packs of seven bulbs will be sent to the first 50 agents with the correct answer. Closing date for entries is September 30, 2013.

P E O P LE O N TH E M OVE

Ex-Costa Cruises president Gianni Onorato has joined Italian rival MSC Cruises as chief executive officer. Former chief executive Pierfrancesco Vago has stepped up to become executive chairman. Vago will continue to lead the privatelyowned cruise company, while “scaling up the scope” of his duties, MSC said. MSC confirmed in July that former Carnival UK sales and customer delivery director Giles Hawke would join as UK managing director on November 13. The chief operating officer of All Leisure Group’s Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery cruise brands left the company last month (August) after less than four months. Former Royal Caribbean and Island Cruises UK boss Patrick Ryan resigned, cited personal reasons. Ryan joined All Leisure in May, reporting to group chief executive Ian Smith. Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery fleet operations director Stuart Horne assumed the majority of Ryan’s responsibilities on an interim basis, with the exception of itinerary planning and pricing which report to Smith. Lisa Clarkson has taken up the the newlycreated role of national account manager at Oceania Cruises as the line seeks to establish a nationwide high street presence for the brand. She moved from Royal Caribbean International. UK and Europe managing director for Bernard Carter said: “In this, the year of our tenth anniversary we are entering a new era, not only for the UK but globally. The appointment of the national account manager role shows our particular commitment to the UK – a market that has shown great support for Oceania Cruises since our very early days.”

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Agents on a Sea of Luxury Enjoying the sun, from left: Norman Hay, GoCruise; Gary Jenkins, GoCruise; Emma Taylor, Crystal Cruises; Peter Ruck, Baldwins Travel.

Clia UK & Ireland’s first Luxury Cruise Expo was held in Dover. It was a lucky coincidence that both the Crystal Cruises ships – Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony – were in Dover together for the first time this month, providing the ideal venue for Clia UK & Ireland to hold its debut Luxury Cruise Expo. Around 100 agents turned out for the twoday event, which included tours of both Crystal ships and an afternoon of conference sessions on Crystal Serenity. On day two, some 20 cruise lines and local luxury suppliers held a workshop in Dover’s Terminal Two, and agents also had a chance to visit Seabourn Sojourn and went on a virtual tour of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Voyager, which had hosted a ship visit in Southampton the previous day. Clia director Andy Harmer said many the agents were new faces, attending their first Cruise Lines International event because they specialise in luxury rather than cruise.

Three’s company, from left: Philip Ordever, Crystal Cruises; Stuart Perl, Luxus Travel, Mick Dupont, Crystal Cruises.

Relaxing by the pool, from left: Margaret Furlonge, Relaxing Travel; Bob Moore, Crystal Cruises; Kevin Shelly, Relaxing Travel.

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Taking a break, from left: Alan Hubbard, Can Am Travel; Joanne Imeson, Crystal Cruises; Gwendoline Hubbard, Can Am Travel.

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First class service is key Agents must understand that customers are individuals with varying needs and requirements if they are to deliver a first-class service, a senior vice-president from Crystal Cruises told the conference. Thomas Mazloum, in charge of operations at Crystal, said ‘new luxury’ is not about lavishing attention on people but understanding what customers want, for instance recognising the couple who want to be ‘invisible’ or the family that wants to be looked after. He said: “Crystal is all about providing personalised service, about getting to know passengers and treating them according to their wishes. We hire crew based on attitude and train them for their skills. Attitude is everything and cannot be copied.” Mazloum offered agents a checklist of good practice for providing good service, including: Answer your phone. Listen to your customers. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Deal with complaints immediately. Be helpful even if there is no immediate profit. He said the future is all about managing the whole service rather than dealing with different product features – in the case of Crystal, the booking experience, the emergency drill, the disembarkation – in isolation. Mazioum urged agents to create crossfunctional departments and processes to support the entire customer experience. “It’s something we are working on because the future has to be a collaboration across all departments. It’s the entire customer cruise experience that matters.”

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Thomas Mazloum

Cruises face image problem Andy Harmer

Style can be informal The type of people who sail with SeaDream Yacht Club don’t consider themselves cruisers, according to UK managing director Andy Magowan. He told agents: “It’s yachting not cruising. You all have these clients. That is the type of person you should be targeting. They don’t consider themselves cruisers but they will sail with us. We have a 61% repeat factor.” Magowan said SeaDream passengers typically are affluent and well travelled, they are discerning people, cultured and seeking soft adventure, and attracted to SeaDream for its informality. They want the all-inclusive product for the relaxed atmosphere it creates on board. They do not want to be told to wear jackets or what time to dine. “Don’t send guests to SeaDream if they want to dress in the evening or worry what to pack. You do not have to tell a SeaDream passenger what to wear.” The biggest market for SeaDream is the US at 48%, with Scandinavia at 20% and the UK at 15%. “That should be 20% to 25% – or at least that’s what my boss tell me.” he said.

Andrew Magowan

“Cruising has an image problem and needs help in the way it presents itself,” the managing director and co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith hotels told agents. Admitting he had never been on a cruise, James Lohan said he felt cruising was coming of age but is still seen as a holiday choice for old people. And to prove the point, he said that the average age of a Crystal passenger is 58 years old, while for Mr & Mrs Smith it is 40. Lohan told the conference that disastrous attempts a decade ago to find an upmarket romantic hotel in the UK that delivered what it said in the brochure led him to set up Mr & Mrs Smith, which specialises in selling boutique properties that pay attention to detail and deliver what they promise. Applying this principle to his audience, he said agents must understand what luxury means – ‘less flash, more barefoot’ - and be able to talk enthusiastically about it but never over-promise. He added: “Never apologise for the price, but highlight what it buys. Put yourself in your clients’ shoes. It might sound a lot of money to you, but they can afford it.” Lohan said it is important to keep in touch with clients, either once they have returned from a holiday or if they have not booked for a while. “Know their birthdays and anniversaries. Be thoughtful and attentive. Go above and beyond the service levels offered by other agents.”

James Lohan

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switched on as soon as movement was detected and stayed on for 15 minutes or more. On the lower deck, there are 17 smaller cabins with windows that are high up and therefore no view.

AmaPrima

AmaWaterways newest ship, AmaPrima, was named in Vilshofen, Germany, in August by Valerie Wilson, chairman and chief executive officer of New York-based Valerie Wilson Travel. Jane Archer joined the celebrations.

Quick facts

Length: 443 feet, Width: 38 feet Passengers: 164, Crew: 49

maPrima launched in Holland in April, but had to wait until August to be officially named because in 2012 AmaWaterways president Rudi Schreiner promised the town of Vilshofen the ceremony would be held there. The company then not only had to wait until the ship moved to the Danube, but also find a week when there were cabins available for godmother Valerie Wilson and her family, the owners and other dignitaries. The vessel is the fourth in its class of ship, and boast cabins with balconies that are half inside and half outside and a pool with a swim-up bar.

Accommodation

More than half the cabins on AmaPrima have split balconies, half outside, half in, which are AmaWaterways’ solution to providing a private outside sitting area for passengers without taking too much space from the cabin. Mine was a category BB cabin on the middle deck with a split balcony and I found it worked very well and made the room, although one of the smallest on the vessel at 210 square feet, feel quite spacious. The bathroom felt smaller than on some of other new river cruise boats, but was an ample size. A window from the bedroom gave the bathroom some natural light, and thoughtfully it could be turned opaque for privacy. Annoyingly though, it didn’t block out the bathroom’s bright night light, which

The style

AmaPrima falls somewhere between the chintzy and Scandinavian minimalist looks appearing on new river cruise vessels these days. The décor is modern and youthful but comfortable as well, and will appeal to older clients (who make up the bulk of the passengers). 12

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Dining

The dining room is open for buffet breakfast and lunch (the latter with served options) and waiter-service dinner. Wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner are included in the price. There is also a speciality restaurant, Erlebnis, which is free, but you can only book a table once so everyone gets a chance to try it (but if there is space I guess you will be allowed back a second time). It’s a fixed menu, which is presented by the chef at the start of the meal (and the sommelier presents the wine), but I was impressed that the galley was able to provide alternative dishes to cater for special diets, even at short notice.

At leisure

The swimming pool is a brilliant feature – obviously quite small, but it was good to be able to a cool off when the thermometer soared to 40 degrees – and the swim-up bar was a cute idea but it was rarely attended. If you get fed up watching the scenery as you sail, there are films on the cabin TVs, free wifi and talks in the lounge. Entertainment is provided each evening, either by the resident pianist or a group of local musicians.

Itineraries

AmaPrima starts the 2014 season in April with seven-night tulip-themed cruises in Holland. It relocates to the Danube in May, where it will be sailing seven and 14-night itineraries between Rousse in Bulgaria and Vilshofen in Germany, and Budapest and Vilshofen. A one-week Romantic Danube cruise costs from £1,903 per person cruiseonly including excursions departing May 22, 2014. www.amawaterways.co.uk

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CTN | N EWS I N B R I E F European Waterways has added the eightpassenger hotel barge Absoluut 2 to its 2014 portfolio. The vessel is available for full-ship charters only with prices starting at £22,000 for six nights including all meals, drinks and excursions. The vessel is sailing in Burgundy, between Dijon and Vendenesse. Pandaw Expedition Cruises is loaning all passengers on the new Mekong Pandaw a free pre-programmed iPad so they can Skype, surf the internet and watch movies while cruising. Daily programmes, dining and spa menus, weather forecasts and in-room dining options are also available.

It’s all in here in black and white: Wendy Wu Tours managing director Lawrence Hicks and friend launch the new 2014-15 China brochure.

Asia rivers expansion for Wendy Wu China specialist Wendy Wu Tours will be offering river cruising on the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar for the first time next year in a rebranded selection of holidays in South East Asia. The company will feature three cruises on the Ayeyarwady in a separate section of the programme to be introduced in December, as well as a new eight-night voyage on the Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam. Both itineraries will be on vessels operated by Pandaw Rover Expeditions. In Myanmar, there could also be cruises on Orient Express Hotels’ vessel Road to Mandalay. Wendy Wu product and commercial executive Rowan Goldthorp said the cruises will be sold as private rather than group tours. She added: “There is a shortage of hotels in Myanmar and a lot of demand so a cruise is a good way to see the country.” Wendy Wu has also expanded the river

cruise options in its 2014-15 China brochure, offering a new 10-day Simply Yangtze tour including three nights on the Yangtze sandwiched between time in Beijing and Shanghai, with prices starting at £2,390 per person including flights. A new 15-day Yangtze Splendour holiday with three nights in Beijing, two nights in Shanghai and eight nights’ cruising, leads in at £2,990pp including flights. Product executive Mike Priest said it is the first time the operator have had a tour that includes more time on the river than on land. “Most clients like to do a river cruise as part of a wider tour of China as it’s a good way to have a break from the busy city sightseeing,” he said. Priest said a quarter of tours in the new programme, which is on sale now, include a Yangtze river cruise.

Extra itineraries from Travel Indochina Travel Indochina has expanded its Asia river cruise programme with the addition of 13 new itineraries and two new vessels on the Mekong and Ayeyarwady rivers. They include Orient Express’ 50-passenger Orcaella, which launched in July and cruises between Bagan and Yangon in Myanmar, as well as along the remote Chindwin River. New cruise-and-stay packages combine a three-day cruise on the 28-passenger Mekong Sun, sailing on the upper Mekong in Laos, with two nights’ in Luang Prabang. Prices start at £3,270 and £1,260 per person cruise-only respectively. New itineraries include a 16-day Enchanting Rivers of Indochina voyage that combines a cruise on the Mekong from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap with two nights on the Mekong Sun sailing round-trip from Luang Prabang, as well as two nights each at Siem Reap, Ho Chi Minh City and Luang Prabang. A new 15-day Emperor’s China and Yangtze River itinerary combines time in Beijing, Xian, to see the Terracotta Warriors and Shanghai with a six-night river cruise on the Victoria Sophia.

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All-inclusive shift by Uniworld Uniworld, sold in the UK through Titan Travel, has added three river cruise itineraries in its 2014 brochure, which also includes details of the line’s new all-inclusive offering. All alcoholic and soft drinks on board will be included in the price from January, as well as gratuities. The river cruise line already includes flights, transfers, shore excursions and free wifi. The 2014 brochure, which is in landscape format for the first time, also features the new SS Catherine, which will be sailing on the Rhône and Saône in France between Lyon and Avignon. The vessel replaces the River Royale, which moves to Bordeaux, to sail a new eightday vineyards and chateaux cruise on the Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne rivers, including excursions to the St Emilion and Médoc wine regions. A new 15-night Portrait of Majestic France itinerary combines the Bordeaux cruise with a one-week cruise in the Seine, sailing round-trip from Paris on the River Baroness. Prices start at £3,999 per person including flights, transfers, all drinks on board, shore excursions and gratuities. In addition, two nights in Prague have been added to the end of the Rhine Discovery and Danube Discovery cruises, making the trips into a 10-day itinerary. Prices lead in at £2,699pp all-inclusive. The brochure features a total of 24 itineraries including cruises on the Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam and on the Yangtze in China.

R IVE RVI EW N EWS | C TN

New Christmas river cruises

Viking breaks new record Viking River Cruises, awarded a place in the Guinness Book of Records this year for christening eight ships on one day, is breaking its own record and launching 14 new river cruise vessels in 2014. Twelve will be sisters of the 14 newgeneration Longships already launched, while two are smaller versions, scaled down to sail on the Douro River in Portugal, which was new for Viking this year. The original Longships hold 192 passengers, the Duoro vessels will have a capacity for 128. They are being built by Portuguese company Douro Azul, which owns most of the vessels sailing the river. Viking UK head of sales Neil Barclay said the Douro had been popular and the company was expanding on the Rhone in France, where it will have three Longships in 2014.

But he added that most people still want to cruise the Rhine and Danube. Most of the new vessels are based on these rivers but the company still claims not to have enough capacity to meet demand. Barclay said the Longships are sold out on selected key dates on both rivers, with the high-end Explorer and Veranda suites always the first to be booked. Elsewhere, Viking has acquired another vessel to sail on the waterways between Moscow and St Petersburg next year. The company will also be cruising the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar from January but the whole year is already sold out. Chairman Torstein Hagen confirmed that Viking will be launching a vessel similar to the Longship style on the Mississippi in the US in late 2015.

Shearings has introduced an eight-day Christmas river cruise on the Rhine sailing from Cologne. The festive trip departs on December 21 and visits Königswinter, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Mainz and Bonn. Prices start at £799 per person, which includes ferry and coach travel from the UK, the five-night full-board cruise and two-nights’ half-board accommodation en route. The coach company also has a new five-day ‘New Year on the Rhine’ break, with four nights on a cruise round-trip from Koblenz. The holiday departs on December 29 and costs from £629 per person including ferry and coach travel. The River Cruise Line has also expanded its festive season breaks, with a selection of new cruises. They include a four-night Rhine Valley Christmas Markets cruise on December 6 from £429 per person and a seven-day voyage on the Belgian and Dutch waterways on December 23 from £669 per person. Prices are based on travel by coach and ferry from the UK.

RIVER VIEW NEWS | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | MAK I N G WAVE S immense pride; pride not only in what it means for Princess but for all the people who worked on the project. There were so many who worked behind the scenes who didn’t get any publicity for the work they did but if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have achieved what we did achieve. “The publicity we saw in the UK and globally was nothing like I’d ever seen; we were getting reports from every corner of the world flying into us just moments after the ceremony had concluded. It was pretty overwhelming to say the least.”

How do you top a Royal naming?

Making Waves

Driving prices up for Princess Cruises is a key strategy for UK director Paul Ludlow as he builds business with the trade. PHIL DAVIES REPORTS

lot of water has gone under the ship's bridge since Paul Ludlow was plucked from relative anonymity within the Carnival UK organisation to become the face of Princess Cruises in the UK. He has since shaken hands with our future Queen, overseen a boost in agent commissions, created a dedicated sales team and played a central role in the launch of the company's largest ship just down the road from his office in Southampton. Not a bad record for someone promoted to the UK director role by the US cruise line just two and a half years ago. Ludlow’s step up led to a split from the Complete Cruise Solution umbrella sales organisation for sister lines P&O Cruises and Cunard and, crucially, an increase in commission from five to ten per cent for 2014 cruise bookings from the programme launch back in April. The Princess sales force has recently been bolstered by two new members of staff, bringing the number up to 12 under UK head of sales Alex White as part of a concerted commitment to building sales through the trade. Ludlow reports directly to the company’s US-based sales and marketing executive vie president Jan Swartz while 16

maintaining a dotted line to Carnival UK chief executive David Dingle. However, Ludlow is one step removed from the group’s main UK brands and has gained greater freedom to forge an individual path for Princess, which accounts for around 100,000 UK passengers a year.

Duchess delights

Reflecting on the decision to approach the Duchess of Cambridge to name Royal Princess – the company’s first new vessel in a number of years - in Southampton in June, Ludlow says: “I quickly found out a few months into the role that it was our

“Our agent relationships are top of our list, they are crucial to our continued success in the UK” aspiration to have her name our ship and I quickly got involved in the process including meeting the Palace officials for the first time all the way through to accompanying her close protection officers on the day and everything in between. “It was a fascinating experience and one in which you look back on with

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“It’s not about how we top it, it’s about how we elongate it and move on from it,” says Ludlow. “Princess Cruises has always been a very large player in the UK cruise market but that event really did catapault us into the consciousness for people who may not have considered Princess or even thought of taking a cruise before. “The number of enquiries coming through to us and travel agents were enormous. It’s now about how we follow up with those people, keep talking to them and ensuring the Princess brand is front of mind both with consumers and agents. “We will always have this association with the Duchess, we will always have this moment in history and now we need to build on it. “Firstly, our relationship with the trade is very important. We’ve demonstrated our commitment to the trade this year; we’ve tangibly given a reason why our relationship with them is important.

Commission change

“We re-visited our commercial terms with our trade partners, we looked at the way in which we trade with them and became easier to do business with and created our dedicated sales team which was recently expanded with two new individuals,” says Ludlow. “We’ve seen real positivity from the trade following our changes, not only through those large agent partners we’ve always had a relationship with but with new people too. We’ve had a lot of agents coming to us saying that they want to sell us because their customers are proactively asking them about Princess Cruises. We’ve demonstrated to those people that we have an easy to do business approach. “Our agent relationships are top of our list, they are crucial to our continued success in the UK but I also think as a brand we have a job to do to ensure consumers and agents understand the

MAK I N G WAVE S | CTN difference offered by Princess Cruises, so brand differentiation is very important. “Customers need to understand within the cruise market which brand is right for them, so when they choose Princess they choose us for a number of our signature features, whether it be our itineraries, the quality of our food on board, the superb customer service and the cosmopolitan, slightly less formal feel we have on the ships which really allows people to do what they want when they choose to do it. “Educating customers to understanding what Princess means will really help us differentiate us against our competitors in what is a very busy market.” He says the enhanced commission remains under constant review but stresses: “It wasn’t just a commission move by us; it was a listening exercise. We heard from our agents what was making it difficult for them to book. We had a number of incentive schemes people told us were complicated so we simplified things. Not only did we change commission but we looked at some of our booking processes.”

Rebound in confidence

“It’s relatively early days as it’s not yet been six months since the change but so far people have been telling us we’ve got it right. We’ve spent a long time listening to agents to really understand what it takes to make them have a profitable business relationship with us. They have access to enormous customer databases and we have a superb product for them to sell, so that we see as a partnership, a coming together for mutual gain. “What we have in place at the moment is a scheme that works for both parties. Bookings for 2014 are looking healthy. It looks as if there’s a greater degree of confidence in the market. It feels like the tide is turning after having been through a challenging few years with consumer confidence dipping, but it

feels like it’s coming back. “Our early bookings are up year on year so it feels like we have a great foundation for success; as we move through 2014, time will tell.” He adds: “One of the strategic things I’ve been working on since joining the brand has been about managing our ticket prices up. We are a large brand sourced in many markets around the world so it’s important that customers from the UK are

“Strides are also being made to boost UK numbers on cruises in Caribbean, Far East, Australasia, Alaska and Hawaii as stepping stones towards future growth” paying a premium price for our product. “We have been really working with our agents to educate them about the differences of Princess and we have seen some success in driving prices upwards and encouraging customers to book ever earlier for their holiday. “We are now moving into a phase where we are seeing volume bookings for 2014. We wrapped up the 2013 Euro-Med season very nicely and we are now seeing agents putting a lot of passengers on for next year.”

Regal Princess

The identical sister ship to Royal Princess will make its debut on June 2, 2014 sailing from Venice to Barcelona – the popular Grand Mediterranean itinerary operated by the new vessel this summer. Royal Princess will return to the region to run Baltic cruises from Copenhagen as the line demonstrates the importance of enhancing its presence in European waters at a time when it is also expanding in Asia with dedicated departures from China, Japan and Singapore. “The feedback from Royal has been tremendous, the satisfaction scores for a

2014 CRUISE EXTRA CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF Princess Cruises’ first post-brochure launch sales campaign for 2014 has been initiated to coincide with National Cruise Week. The two-month Cruise Extra promotion runs until the end of October offering a range of incentives on ex-UK departures plus Regal and Royal Princess fly-cruises. Free port car parking, coach transfers or onboard credit are offered as options on Southampton and Dover sailings together with balcony cabin upgrades and half price deals for third and fourth passengers on selected cruises. Agents will be able to run an additional cruise sales week with

new ship have been way above our expectations. That tells us that we don’t need to make big changes for Regal Princess because Royal is working so well,” Ludlow says. “There are no major changes planned on Regal. Consistency is one of our themes, so we want people to choose a destination rather than the ship. That’s what we want people to do, so they understand that the quality is consistent irrespective or when they choose to sail.” He adds: “We will have two royal class Princess ships in Europe, and for our market in particular that it very exciting,” says Ludlow. “We attract tens of thousands of guests on those cruises very year so to have our newest hardware in Europe is a real commitment to this market.”

Global reach

Ludlow declines to discuss specific targets but points to the deployment of newer ship Emerald Princess from Southampton in 2014 in place of Crown Princess and small ship Ocean Princess sailing from Dover as part of the rich destination-focused programme supplemented by British Isles itineraries by Ruby Princess. Strides are also being made to boost UK numbers on cruises in Caribbean, Far East, Australasia, Alaska and Hawaii as stepping stones towards future growth. “At the moment the UK accounts for just a small proportion of customers on those ships so the limits are unbounded,” says Ludlow. “One of our aspirations is to continue to ensure our home-ported ships are well occupied with British customers but also we have this opportunity to send people further afield as well.” The line – described by Ludlow as a “quiet innovator” - sails to more than 330 ports around the world, claimed to be more than any other cruise line. “Now we’ve established a fantastic base we’ll look to continue grow the overall passenger numbers over the next five years,” says Ludlow.

reduced deposits and vouchers towards on board discounts for clients. “This is our first big push for 2014,” explains UK director Paul Ludlow. “Effective brand marketing campaigns are crucial so customers know which brand is right for them. “The trade is top of our list in terms of importance as they are crucial in terms of us finding new to cruise customers. We will support the trade with brand marketing activity above or below the line that’s complementary to what the trade is doing. “We have always ensured that the trade call to action is on all of our activity and we will continue to do that.”

MAKING WAVES | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | MAK I N G WAVE S

Royal Princess review

With its glamorous décor and signature features, there is no doubting the provenance of the new Royal Princess, says Jane Archer.

Factfile

Tonnage: 141,000 Passengers: 3,560, Crew: 1,346

t’s easy to get carried away by all that’s new when talking about a just-launched cruise ship, and Royal Princess has its share of first-at-sea features, but to concentrate on these is to miss the point about this vessel. Royal Princess might be the biggest in the Princess Cruises’ fleet, but rather than create a whole new class of vessel, the cruise line’s bosses decided to go for evolution rather than revolution by building on what is popular on its existing ships, just making them bigger and better. Much-loved signature features such as the adult-only Sanctuary and Movies under the Stars poolside screen are back – and bigger; likewise the Crown Grill steakhouse, Italian Sabatini’s restaurant, Horizon Court buffet and piazza-style atrium surrounded by cafés and bars, and used for ‘street’ entertainment acts throughout the day. The difference on Royal Princess is that there are more places to eat and drink in the atrium. Move up to the top deck and you find new cabanas and spa villas in the adult-

only Sanctuary as well as a redesigned buffet area with new speciality dining in the evening and the first pastry shop at sea (which actually served anything sweet, pastry wrapped or otherwise). There is a new broadcast studio for live game shows and entertainment and, of course, the much-hyped glass-bottomed SeaWalk on the top deck. It extends more than 28 feet over the side of the vessel, has views of the ocean 128 feet below. The spa has been moved to a location by the atrium (traditionally it has always been forward, near the top of Princess ships) where there is more footfall and therefore more potential for passing trade. I ate in the dining room and both speciality restaurants (Crown Grill for steaks and seafood and Sabatini’s for Italian cuisine) and was impressed with the standard of the food in all. I was also impressed that in Alfredo’s, a new pizza restaurant overlooking the atrium, the chefs were happy to go off menu and create a pizza to my specifications. The Horizon Court served standard buffet fare but is more userfriendly than on other Princess ships. I also managed to do the rounds of most of the bars, including Bellini’s, a new venue that overlooks the atrium and serves the eponymous drink made famous in Harry’s Bar in Venice; and Crooners, which becomes a piano bar in the evenings. Vines is a perennial favourite with Princess passengers who love wine and the top deck SeaView Bar is bound to be a hit for the views down to the ocean (except with those who suffer from vertigo).

Accommodation

All the outside accommodation on Royal Princess has a balcony, with a choice of suites and mini-suites, a standard balcony cabin or a new deluxe category. 18

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I was in the latter, which is slightly larger than a standard cabin but with a small balcony, a two-seater sofa bed and bath robe (provided on request). Nice touches include the panel TV with built-in (and free to view) movies, a remote control you don’t need a degree to use (there are just nine buttons including the on/off switch and volume controls). The mini-suites are more spacious and have a curtain to divide the sleeping and sitting areas, so they are good for families. Suites are not only more roomy, but come with a concierge lounge, a new feature on Royal Princess, where drinks and snacks are served through the day.

Dining

One of the three dining rooms on Royal Princess (Allegro) offers fixed-sitting dining in the evening, with a table and time to dine allocated for the duration of the cruise, the other two (Concerto and Symphony) are open seating, allowing passengers to eat when and with whom they wish. There’s a Chef’s Table for up to 12 people dine in Allegro and two private dining rooms in Concerto and Symphony, also for up to 12 people. The redesigned Horizon Court and Horizon Bistro self-service, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, have food stations as well as a new Pastry Shop. A section of the Horizon Court becomes either the Crab Shack or Fondues on selected evenings. Both cost an extra $20 per person. New dining venues in the atrium include Alfredo’s sit-down pizza restaurant (no charge) and the Ocean Terrace seafood bar (from $4.50 for sushi and cured salmon

PRINCESS CRUISES 2014 HIGHLIGHTS Europe Princess Cruises will have the two newest and largest ships in the fleet sailing in Europe, in addition to Emerald Princess cruising from Southampton dedicated to the UK market. The programme features 94 departures on 48 itineraries to more than 120 destinations with maiden calls including Alta in Norway; Salerno, Italy and Jersey. • Emerald Princess replaces Crown Princess sailing to the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Northern Europe and Canary Islands on a series of 14 cruises from Southampton. • Ocean Princess will run a split season between Northern Europe and Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean • Regal Princess makes its debut on June 2, 2014, sailing first on two new itineraries; a sevennight maiden Western Mediterranean from Venice to Barcelona and a 10-night Mediterranean Aegean itinerary departing June 9 featuring a call in Santorini and an overnight in Venice. • Regal Princess will then run 12-night Grand Mediterranean itineraries including an overnight in Venice plus Rome, Florence/Pisa, Provence,

Naples (for Capri & Pompeii), Athens, Mykonos and Kusadasi (for Ephesus). Two itinerary options offer the choice of including either Istanbul or Dubrovnik. • Ocean Princess will sail seven-night cruises from Venice, Athens or Rome that can be combined into 14 or 21-night voyages as well as two 11-night departures covering the Holy Land and the Black Sea.

Northern Europe • Royal Princess will sail its first season in Northern Europe on an 11-night Scandinavia & Russia itinerary featuring two full days in St Petersburg. • Ruby Princess will sail on nine British Isles cruises from Southampton, and Ocean Princess will offer three departures. Five of these cruises will offer the opportunity to see the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. • Ruby Princess offers one North Cape & Summer Solstice departure in June during the peak midnight sun period around the summer solstice. • Three unique itineraries on Emerald, Ocean and Royal Princess will be offered to cruise to the

Baltic Sea; all departures include our 2-day/1night experience in St Petersburg. • Ruby Princess will also be based in Southampton on an expanded series of nine British Isles cruises as well as a North Cape and Summer Solstice cruise in June.

Caribbean Summer Caribbean cruising is being offered for the first time in four years with Caribbean Princess sailing from Florida. The Caribbean will also feature new ship Royal Princess (January to April 2014) and Regal Princess (November 2014 to April 2015) sailing an Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

Asia Shanghai will be the home port for Sapphire Princess during a four-month season from May 2014 featuring four different itineraries ranging from three to seven days in duration. Sapphire Princess will sail from Singapore on a four-month autumn 2014 to spring 2015 season featuring 15 departures. A substantially expanded summer 2014 cruise programme from Japan sees Diamond Princess join Sun Princess for cruises from three homeports – Tokyo (Yokohama), Kobe, and Otaru near Sapporo. The ships will offer 42 departures visiting more than 20 ports in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Russia.

Alaska • Crown Princess will run the Voyage of the Glaciers route through the scenic Gulf of Alaska, joined by Coral Princess and Island Princess. • Pacific Princess, which last sailed in Alaska in 2009, will bring its intimate cruise experience to Inside Passage cruises from Vancouver. • Golden Princess and Grand Princess will offer Inside Passage cruises from Seattle, and Star Princess will depart on 11-day Inside Passage journeys from San Francisco.

to $70 for the caviar) and a gelato bar serving crêpes, sundaes, fruit smoothies and ice cream from $2.75 for three scoops.

Facilities

The adult-only Retreat pool is new and free to visit but there is a $50 (half-day) or $80 (full-day) charge to rent one of the poolside cabanas. There are also cabanas to rent for the first time in the adult-only Sanctuary; these have a sofa, minibar and TV and cost $80 and $130 respectively for a half or full day, which includes a selection of soft or alcoholic drinks and fruit. The Sanctuary itself costs from $15 per person for a half day. Picnic baskets, priced from $40 for two, with cheese, cured meats, salads, water and wine, can be delivered to the cabanas.

More space has been allocated to the children’s clubs - Princess Pelicans for the three to sevens and Shockwaves for the eight to 12s, while teenagers (13-17s) get an indoor and outdoor space, with a shallow pool, to hang-out in. Each evening fountains on the top deck are used for a water and light show and films on the Movies under the Stars screen.

Itineraries

Royal Princess leaves the Mediterranean on October 29, sailing to Fort Lauderdale for a winter in the Caribbean. When the ship returns to Europe in April 2014, it will be based in Copenhagen for a summer season in the Baltic. From £1,099 per person cruise-only for an 11-day Scandinavia and Russia cruise departing May 12.

Regal Princess Regal Princess, a sister to Royal Princess, launches in June 2014 and will have the same features as its sibling. “There will be no changes bar the colours and fabrics,” Princess president and chief executive officer Alan Buckelew said. Regal Princess will set off on its maiden cruise from Venice on June 2 The ship stays in the Mediterranean until October 17, when it sets sail on a 17day cruise to Fort Lauderdale. Prices for the maiden voyage start from £2,047 per person cruise-only. The inaugural is also available as a seven-day voyage from £1,372 per person cruise-only for a balcony cabin.

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| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 41 | JUNE 2013

C U LTU R AL & E X P LO R ATI O N C R U I S E S | CTN

Cultural and exploration cruising Cruising is not all about large resort-style ships, CTN reports.

way from the conventional cruise market, where companies have big ships with multiple restaurants and lavish entertainment or small vessels that compete for the high-spending luxury client, there is a whole other world of holidays at sea. It’s called cultural and exploration cruising and targets people who want to see more than the A-list sights frequented by the mass-market crowds. Some are seeking high adventure in the icy polar regions or in remote corners of the world; others get their kicks experiencing different cultures and seeing where history was made. Whichever category they fit in to, these people are not bothered about dress codes, formal nights or watching a troupe of singers and dancers, but they do want to hear biologists, geologists, historians and other such experts talk on subjects related to the places they are visiting.

It could be whales and penguins on a cruise to Antarctica, polar bears in Spitsbergen, reefs and tides on a voyage around the Kimberley in Australia, Roman history in Sicily, and rainforests cruising around Borneo. Although cultural and exploration cruises tend to be lumped together, and do have a lot in common, not least that they are always on small ships and do not come cheap, they are very different. Cultural cruise lines – the likes of Swan Hellenic, Voyages of Discovery and Voyages to Antiquity - tend to attract older, well-travelled people who enjoy cruising and want to continue to see the world but have reached an age when they want someone there to hold their hand. These cruises go to popular ports in the Mediterranean and Black Sea – it’s impossible to miss such places as Pompeii and Athens, after all - but they also visit lesser-known places such as Monamvesia and Syros in Greece, Batumi in Georgia and Sibenik in Croatia. The exploration cruise lines - the likes of Hurtigruten, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and

Silversea (which all have a nonexploration side as well) - are more adventurous. We’re talking about cruises that go to the ends of the earth and remote regions in between, about sailing close up to icebergs, going ashore in inflatable Zodiacs and often having to land on beaches or rocks. Clients on these ships are also likely to be well travelled but they see the cruise ship as a means to an end rather than a preferred choice of travel. They like the fact they are treated as adults and get to mix with like-minded people who might be on the wrong side of 50 but are not going to let that stop them from seeing the world. While not an obvious choice for families – and indeed a bad idea for young children – exploration cruises are also brilliant for teenagers who do not need constant entertaining. It’s expensive, but an experience they will never forget. Read on to find out more about cultural and exploration cruising and how you can increase sales in this lucrative market

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CULTURAL & EXPLORATION CRUISES | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | C U LTU R AL & E X P LO R ATI O N C R U I S E S

Cultural cruises C

ultural voyages are a good choice for older clients who like to cruise but are not comfortable with big ships, fear the luxury lines will be rather pretentious and do not want the challenges that go hand-in-hand with exploration cruising (for instance getting in and out of inflatable Zodiacs, landing on rocks and scrabbling up cliffs). These will likely be clients who were well travelled in their younger days but now feel happier with a group of people, but who nevertheless want to learn more about the places that they are visiting than they would on a conventional cruise ship. To quote one Swan Hellenic regular, ‘we come on holiday to learn and go home for a rest’. Rather than production shows, these cruise lines usually have guest speakers on board to lecture about the history and culture of the places being visit, for instance giving talks about the Spanish Civil War on a cruise down the coast of Iberia or the history and culture of Myanmar (Burma) on a cruise to Yangon. A few include excursions in the cost of the cruise on the grounds that their passengers come on board to see places so they don’t want to have to miss sights because they are worrying about the budget.

Although they do visit some of the popular ports frequented by the big ships, companies offering cultural cruises like to find new or lesser-known or exotic places to take passengers.

Cruise and Maritime Voyages What to know: CMV offers no-fly British-style cruises year-round on Marco Polo, which sails mainly from Tilbury, and seasonally on Discovery, with departures from a range of UK ports. New this year, the line launched a speaker programme, with on-board lecturers covering astronomy, Russian history and the gardens of the British Isles. This continues into 2014, with subjects including military history (on Marco Polo’s D-Day anniversary cruise on June 2). A third ship, Astor, is cruising to Australia and South Africa from November. USP: British cruise line with prices that appeal to older clients on a budget. Sample price: From £1,289 per person cruise-only for a 14-night cruise from Newcastle to the North Cape and Murmansk departing July 4, 2014. www.cruiseandmaritime.com miss our exclusive ››Q&ADon’t with CMV commercial director Chris Coates, p29.

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 43 | SEPTEMBER 2013

Hebridean Island Cruises What to know: Hebridean’s 50-passenger Hebridean Princess, the only ship to be By Appointment to the Queen, boasts a friendly country-house feel, quality dining and excellent service. The ship mostly cruises around the Scottish isles (but is visiting Norway in 2014 for the first time in several years); a few Footloose cruises each year have guides on board to take passengers on walks or strolls, entertaining them with talks about the local history and culture. For a full review see page 24. USP: Small and friendly ship, and all-inclusive prices. Sample price: From £4,370 per person cruiseonly for a seven-night Footloose over the Western Isles cruise departing June 24, 2014 including transfers, all drinks, excursions and gratuities. www.hebridean.co.uk

Saga Cruises by Titan

Voyages of Discovery

What to know: Saga’s Quest for Adventure will be reverting to classic cruising from the UK under the name Saga Pearl II at the end of the year but the company (for people aged over 50 only and sold through the trade by Titan Travel) is retaining three adventure-branded departures. For a full review see page 28. USP: UK port transfers included in the cruise fare. Sample price: From £2,736 per person for a 16-day Arctic Explorer round-trip from Dover on June 22, 2014. www.titantravel.co.uk

What to know: This cruise line has one ship, the 540-passenger Voyager, and offers discovery-style cruises in Northern Europe, round the Mediterranean and, in winter 2013/14, in Asia also, visiting both popular ports and little-known harbours in search of history, culture and excitement as well. All departures have guest lecturers on board, from naval experts and military historians to architects and garden experts. USP: Stylish ship, recently refurbished, offering exciting cruises around the world and gratuities included in the price. Sample price: From £3,069 per person for a 17-day cruise around Japan from Tokyo to Manila in the Philippines on January 18, 2014 including flights and transfers. www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk

Paul Gauguin Cruises What to know: The cruise line has two ships – the 90-passenger Tere Moana, which sails the Mediterranean and Caribbean, and the 332-passenger Paul Gauguin, which is based in the South Pacific, cruising mainly from Papeete in Tahiti around Polynesia but also visiting the Cook Islands, Australia and, new for 2014, Southeast Asia. Most cruises have guest speakers to talk about the history, culture, geography and marine life in the region. On selected cruises in 2014, oceanographer and environmentalist JeanMichel Cousteau will be hosting lectures and leading dive expeditions. USP: Luxury in the South Pacific, with three PADI dive instructors to host scuba diving expeditions, and drinks and gratuities included in the fare. Sample price: From £4,622 including flights for a seven-night Tahiti and Society Islands cruise roundtrip from Papeete on April 5, 2014. www.pgcruises.com

Voyages to Antiquity

Swan Hellenic What to know: Swan Hellenic is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2014 with an itinerary that calls at some of the Greek Islands visited on its first cruise back in 1954. The line has one ship, the 350passenger Minerva, and itineraries in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia that visit well-known ports and unknown harbours such as Kythera in Greece and Kas in Turkey, in search of history and culture. Most departures have three or more guest speakers on board, ranging from historians and archaeologists to classics professors and naturalists. USP: It’s all about the destinations so shore excursions are included in the cruise fare, likewise gratuities in line with the British preference. Sample price: From £2,565 per person for Swan’s 15-night 60th anniversary cruise from Naples to Piraeus (for Athens) departing August 13, 2014 including flights and transfers. www.swanhellenic.com

What to know: This is the new kid on the block when it comes to cultural cruising, but in just three years the line has gained a loyal following of passengers from the US, UK and Australia who are looking to sail on a small ship with cultural itineraries visiting unusual destinations. The line has one ship, the 350passenger Aegean Odyssey, which spends summers in the Eastern Mediterranean, digging into Greek and Roman history in Sicily, Greece, Turkey and Venice, and will be sailing in Asia in winter 2014/15. Each cruise has erudite lectures from experts in everything from history and the classics to archaeology. Precruise hotel stays in key cities (and sometimes post-cruise stays as well) ensure passengers don’t miss sights in the embarkation ports. USP: Excursions are included in the price, as are selected special events, wine with dinner and gratuities. Sample price: From £2,495 per person for a 17-day cruise tour around Greece and Turkey from Piraeus (for Athens) to Istanbul on April 26 including flights and transfers, and two nights in Athens at the start and two in Istanbul at the end. www.voyagestoantiquity.com

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Cruise to the ancient world with Voyages to Antiquity, p30-31.

CULTURAL & EXPLORATION CRUISES | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | R EVI EW Accommodation

Hebridean Island Cruises Quick facts Tonnage: 2,112 Passengers: 50, Crew: 80

A cruise dedicated to walking sounds a contradiction in terms, but it’s proved a winning combination for the Queen’s favourite cruise line. Jane Archer ventured to Scotland to find out why.

he end of the cruise and there’s only one subject on everyone’s minds. An Sgurr. A huge rock that not only has an unpronounceable name but is the ultimate challenge of my Footloose walking cruise with Hebridean Island Cruises. This is the walk that sorts the men out from the boys, the walkers from the strollers. No pressure, but as one of the youngest passengers on Hebridean Princess, I really didn’t have any choice but to be on the first boat ashore, hale and hearty and raring to hike. “You’ll be fine,” Ralph reassured me at dinner the previous night. He was one of three walking guides on this Footloose in the Isles cruise (the other two were Pat and Ted) and had garnered a reputation among the passengers for being akin to a mountain goat. I’m sure that as the rest of us puffed our way to the top of the rock the following day, he had barely drawn breath. Most Hebridean cruises depart from 24

Oban, a two-hour drive from Glasgow. You have to make your own way to the city’s railway station or airport, but Hebridean provides a coach transfer to the port. Alternatively, passengers can drive to Oban. But travel is the only extra, because once on board everything is included in the price, from the drinks and gratuities to the tours and help-yourself snacks on the reception desk. We set sail during dinner, cruising through the islands, which were a picture in the late evening sun, to our overnight mooring (because Princess is so small – it holds just 50 passengers – it is too noisy to sail at night). Next morning we had an early start to get to the Isle of Ulva for our first walk, a 5.5-mile hike that passed the croft where Dr Livingston’s family used to live. At each port, there are guided hikes for those who want to stride out and strolls for those who prefer to take it easy. As we walked, Ralph, Pat and Ted, who kept us entertained with his guitar playing on several evenings, threw in nuggets of information about the islands’ history, flora and industry. I learnt about the Scottish clearances, when islanders were forced off the land to make way for sheep, and fish and oyster farming. I toured Kinloch Castle on Rum, which was built by the son of a Lancashire industrialist and is proof positive that money does not mean taste, and saw a Flybe plane land on the sand on Barra. And I did manage to get to climb to the top of An Sgurr, which was well worth the scramble for the fabulous views. Back on the quay, a piper was waiting to pipe us on to the small boats that Hebridean uses to ferry passengers ashore. It was a fitting farewell for our last full day in Scotland.

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 43 | SEPTEMBER 2013

There are 30 cabins and suites on Hebridean Princess, of which four have a balcony and 10 are singles. All are individually decorated and more country house than Malmaison. I was in the Isle of Coll, a lovely big room with picture windows over the front of the ship, a comfy king-size bed and large bathroom. Hebridean refuses to say which cabin the Queen slept in (she has chartered the ship twice) but I like to think it was mine.

Dining

The meals on Hebridean Princess were some of the best I have had on a cruise, which is even more impressive when you see the tiny galley the chef and his team have to work in. The food was tasty and well presented. Tables in the dining room are pre-allocated and as I was travelling on my own I had chosen to share with other passengers, but couples usually opt to dine alone (although I noticed the shared tables were always more fun).

Service

Nothing was too much trouble for Erlandas, my waiter, and the bar staff were excellent. The icing on the cake was when Charles, the chief purser, found out the ship had run out of my favourite (and very rare) tipple and set himself the challenge of buying a bottle when we were in Tobermory. Amazingly, he succeeded.

Itineraries

Hebridean Princess is sailing five Footloose cruises next year, including one in Norway in August. From £2,390 per person for a seven-night Footloose to the Lochs and Isles cruise departing March 18 including meals, drinks, excursions and gratuities. www.hebridean.co.uk

C U LTU R AL & E X P LO R ATI O N C R U I S E S | CTN

Exploration cruises

he world really is your oyster when it comes to choosing an expedition cruise, with voyages to the end of the earth and numerous points in between. Antarctica, known as the most remote spot on the planet, is the ultimate icy adventure with plenty of penguins thrown in, but Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, is snapping at its heels. It has polar bears and whales, and is more accessible, and therefore less expensive, than the White Continent. For those who prefer warmer climes, there are cruises around the Galapagos islands, where you can get up close to dancing booby birds, iguanas and sea lions, and in the Sea of Cortez, between Baha California and the Mexican mainland, known as the Galapagos of Mexico, where whales and dolphins gather to breed. There are cruises around the Kimberley – the vast, mainly uninhabited area of Northern Australia - to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, around Borneo and to Greenland.

Celebrity Cruises

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

What to know: Celebrity is best known for big ships with multiple restaurants and grass lawns, but in the Galapagos there is the Celebrity Xpedition, a yacht-like ship in a class of its own. It holds 92 passengers and sails two alternating seven-night island-hopping cruises year-round. There are two or three expeditions a day on Zodiacs, either ashore to see the wildlife, or around rocky outcrops to see the local birdlife. USP: A comfortable small ship with drinks and gratuities included in the price. Sample price: From £2,441 per person cruiseonly for a seven-night cruise round-trip from Baltra in the Galapagos departing August 17, 2014. www.celebritycruises.co.uk

What to know: German cruise line with two exploration ships – Bremen and Hanseatic – offering nine bi-lingual German/English cruises to remote spots including Antarctica, the Amazon, Siberia, Greenland and Alaska. USP: Exploration cruising at its most adventurous. Sample price: From £6,170 per person cruise-only for a 19-day voyage to Antarctica on Bremen round-trip from Ushuaia departing December 5, 2014. www.hl-cruises.com

Compagnie du Ponant What to know: French cruise line with three 264-passenger sister ships – Le Boréal, L’Austral and Le Soléal - (and a fourth on order) with ice-strengthened hulls for polar sailing. Two ships are based in Antarctica in winter and Ponant will have two in the Arctic in summer 2014, sailing to the Russian White Sea, around Spitsbergen, from Greenland to Canada and through the North-West Passage, from Greenland to Alaska. USP: Small ships which are very French, very relaxed and very chic. Sample price: From £5,395 per person including return flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia (international flights extra) for a 10night cruise from Ushuaia to Antarctica and back departing February 10, 2014. www.ponant.com

Hurtigruten What to know: Norwegian cruise line with one exploration ship, Fram, which sails in Antarctica in winter and Spitsbergen and Greenland in summer. Highlights in 2014 include a 15-day National Park Expedition voyage from Longyearbyen in Spitsbergen to Reykjavik in Iceland via Greenland, and a new cruise circumnavigating Iceland. USP: Scandinavian style combined with a selection of unusual cruises. Sample price: From £4,296 per person including return flights from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq (international flights extra) for a nine-day Heart of Greenland cruise departing June 14, 2014. www.hurtigruten.co.uk

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Don’t miss our exclusive Q&A with Hurtigruten’s UK managing director Kathryn Beadle, p29.

CULTURAL & EXPLORATION CRUISES | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | C U LTU R AL & E X P LO R ATI O N C R U I S E S

Top tips for exploration cruisers 1.

Leave dinner jackets at home. But windproof coats, warm jumpers, scarves, gloves and waterproof trousers are a must for visiting cold climates.

2. Wellies are needed for wet landings.

Check if the cruise line has any for hire to save packing them.

Remember that wildlife is wild. Sightings of polar bears, whales and other animals is not guaranteed, except in the Galapagos.

Be flexible. Itineraries often have to change due to weather conditions or because a bear or whales have been spotted.

Take the teens. But only if they are inquisitive kids, interested in seeing new places rather than just following friends on Facebook.

6. Getting in and out of Zodiacs requires

mobility. Be realistic about your abilities or you will find you might be unable to leave the ship.

Don’t book an expedition cruise if you want a relaxing holiday. These are all about early mornings and getting out and discovering new things.

Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions What to know: This US cruise line, run in partnership with National Geographic, bought Australian’s Orion Expedition Cruises earlier this year. Orion’s ship becomes National Geographic Orion in March 2014. The line sails in Antarctica and the Arctic, the Sea of Cortez and Galapagos. The renamed National Geographic Orion will continue to cruise in the Kimberley as well as Micronesia and around Borneo. USP: Ships carry kayaks for people who want to go paddling among the icebergs, and remote cameras that explore the sea beds. Sample price: From $5,830 (£3,762) per person cruise-only for an eight-day Baja California and the Sea of Cortez cruise from San Carlos to La Paz departing March 8, 2014. www.expeditions.com

Noble Caledonia What to know: A small ship specialist that operates two ships – the 114-passenger Island Sky and Caledonian Sky – that visit exotic places such as Cuba, Russia’s White Sea and the Kamchatka Peninsula with either guest speakers or an expedition team on board. USP: Exciting itineraries and all-inclusive pricing. Sample price: From £4,595 per person for a 12-night Epic Iceland cruise from Leith to Reykjavik on June 3, 2014 including flights, transfers, drinks, gratuities and shore excursions. www.noble-caledonia.co.uk

Quark Expeditions

Silversea

What to know: A TUI-owned company that specialises in cruising the polar regions. The line has three ships in the White Continent and three in the Arctic including the nuclearpowered icebreaker 50 Years of Victory, which is the only passenger ship that can get to the North Pole. New for 2014 is a 25-day voyage to the Scotia Sea in Antarctica. USP: The ultimate in expedition cruising. Sample price: From £11,900 per person for a 23-day Epic Antarctica voyage round-trip from Ushuaia departing December 19, 2014 that spends two days in the Falkland Islands, four days in South Georgia and crosses the Antarctic Circle into explorer territory. www.quarkexpeditions.com

What to know: Luxury cruise line with two exploration vessels. The 132-passenger Silver Explorer sails in Antarctica in winter and the Arctic in summer, with new cruises next year also from Greenland to Alaska and south through Japan and the South Pacific. The 100-passenger Silver Galapagos, which joins the fleet in September, is based year-round in the Galapagos. USP: Luxury meets exploration, with drinks and gratuities included in the price. Sample price: From £6,450 per person cruise-only for a 12-day voyage from Reykjavik in Iceland to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland on Silver Explorer on July 28, 2014. www.silversea.com

Seabourn What to know: Seabourn entered the exploration cruise market this year after retrofitting an ice-strengthened hull to Seabourn Quest so it could cruise to Antarctica. There are three 21-night departures and one 24night voyage this winter, and the ship is back with the same programme between November 2014 and February 2015. USP: Luxury cruising to the White Continent, with drinks and gratuities included in the price. Sample price: From £10,512 per person cruise-only for a 21-day Ultimate Antarctica and Patagonia cruise from Valparaiso in Chile to Buenos Aires departing January 25. www.seabourn.com

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 43 | SEPTEMBER 2013

Welcome to Princess Cruises Your customers can be confident when booking their cruise with Princess as we are a Which? Recommended Provider. As the Consummate Host we provide a warm and welcoming service onboard a relaxed and rejuvenating retreat at sea. With sailings from Southampton and Dover as well as fly-cruises, Princess Cruises makes it easy for your customers to discover the best of the Mediterranean and Scandinavia.

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FREE FREE car car p parking arking or FREE co coach ach ttransfers ransfers – booking details Free c ar p arking is a vailable on all all stateroom stateroom categories categories on Emerald Emerald Prince ss, Ocean Prince ss and R uby Prince ss cruis es s ailing rroundtrip oundtrip fr om Free car parking available Princess, Princess Ruby Princess cruises sailing from Southampton or Do ver. Free Free coach coach transfers transfers are are available available on all Southampton Dover. sailing all stateroom stateroom categories categories on cruise cruise s ailing roundtrip roundtrip UK on Emerald Emerald Princess, Princess, plus plus Ruby Ruby Princess Nor th C ape & S ummer S olstice. P arking and ttransfers ransfers m ust be rrequested equested at the time of the cruis e booking, quoting quoting R DB ((car car p arking) and RDC RDC Princess North Cape Summer Solstice. Parking must cruise RDB parking) (coach ttransfers). ransfers). Once their cruis e booking is con firmed, p (coach cruise confirmed, passengers must contact Cruise Passenger Services parking Southampton assengers m ust con tact Cruis e and P assenger S ervices tto o book p arking in S outhampton ((tel: tel: 0845 0 713939; w ww ww.candps.com), or Do ver Cruis eP ort tto o book p arking in Do ver (tel: ((ttel: 0 844 5041771; 5041771; www.doverport.co.uk), www.doverport.co.uk), quoting quoting RDB RDB and their six-digit sixx--digit cruise cruise 0845 0713939; www.candps.com), Dover Cruise Port parking Dover 0844 Contact Interline 0843 374 2246, www.intercruises.com/cruiseconnect quoting RDC coach Car booking rreference. eferenc ce C ontact In terline on 0 843 3 74 22 46 or visit w ww intercruises com/cruisec connect q uoting rreference eference R DC tto o book ook a co ach ttransfer. ransfer C ar parking and coach transfers can only be booked from 72 hours after the cruise booking is confirmed, and up to 35 days prior to the cruise departure.

MARIE CELESTE | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | C U LTU R AL & E X P LO R ATI O N C R U I S E S CHRIS COATES

Commercial director Cruise & Maritime Voyages

ASK THE EXPERTS healthy, going online and travelling. Some 70% of our passengers have cruised before and 45% have cruised before with us. That’s why for 2014 we are expanding our Additions Onboard programme. How many CMV cruises a year are accompanied by guest speakers? All of our sailings of six nights or more duration are accompanied by guest speakers.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages runs no-fly cruises year-round from the UK on 800passenger Marco Polo, which is for adults only, and seasonally on the 700-passenger Discovery. CMV will have voyages to Australia and South Africa on the 600passenger Astor from November. How would you describe Cruise and Maritime’s style of small ship cultural cruising? An exceptional value scenic cruise experience to wonderful off-the-beatentrack places aboard traditional smaller ships that offer a British home-from-home country-house style of cruising with the emphasis on good old-fashioned personal service. The Isles of Scilly, Akureyri in Iceland and Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, to name but a few, are cruise favourites.

How do you decide which cruises will have guest speakers? We take into account the itinerary and cruise region and any special occasions or anniversaries. For example, on our Marco Polo 12-night Baltic Cities & St Petersburg cruise in September 2014, we have a guest speaker talking about the history of Russian culture. Do you expect your small ship/cultural cruising sector of the market to continue to grow? Not in our traditional/classic small ship ‘value’ sector simply because of availability. However, as this market segment continues to mature and grow in popularity in line with population trends, we envisage mid to longer-term interest in smaller ship new builds.

318 passengers and cruises to Antarctica in winter and around the high Arctic in summer. Why do people want to cruise to the North and South Poles? For most people it is about getting closer to nature and wildlife and having new, unique experiences. Where else can you get up close to penguins or watch polar bears as they go about their daily business? Who is a typical Fram passenger? How many per cruise are likely to be from the UK? The age group is perhaps slightly younger than our other voyages, but that isn’t as relevant as their sense of adventure, with most having a real interest in wildlife. Some have tried conventional cruises and are looking for something different. Others would definitely not term themselves cruisers, but see the ship as the best way to get the experiences they are after. There can be anything from 20 to 100 UK passengers on any one trip, depending on the destination. Which of Fram’s exploration cruises are the most popular? The incredible experience of camping in Antarctica is not something many people get to try on their annual holiday, but the chance to follow in the footsteps of well-known explorers makes it one of our most popular destinations. Many of our customers yearn to see polar bears in their natural habitat, so Spitsbergen is also one of the most soughtafter destinations.

What’s the appeal of cruising on a small ship? The special ambience that can be created and a sense of camaraderie that cannot be matched by the glitzy and more impersonal larger resort-style vessels. Being smaller, our ships can also access more interesting and diverse ports of call, enriching the itinerary and cruising experience.

Is an exploration cruise a once-in-alifetime booking, or do passengers graduate from one adventure to another? Passengers on MS Fram are very loyal and a high proportion of them come back time and time again. Many people start with a shorter itinerary and then either return to the same destination for longer, or try something else. We often see customers booking a trip to Antarctica, then booking a second longer voyage that includes the Falkland Islands as well.

Who, typically, is a CMV passenger? Mainly retired couples and single travellers in their mid 50s to 60s from a professional/semi-professional background who enjoy a fine-dining experience, big show entertainment, meeting new friends, learning about the places being visited and broadening their horizons. They’ll be interested in gardening, walking and the countryside, current affairs, staying fit and

How many lecturers typically are on a Fram cruise and what is their role on board? We have an expedition team of four or five people who are experts in their field. They are not just lecturers though. Their role is more like that of a tour leader. They are on hand far more than a lecturer would be and really get to know individual customers and what their interests are.

KATHRYN BEADLE UK managing director Hurtigruten

As well as operating working ships up and down the Norwegian coast, Hurtigruten has one exploration ship, Fram, which holds

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R EVI EW | CTN

Quest for Adventure

Over-50’s favourite Saga Cruises is reaching out to the trade through Titan Travel. Jane Archer went on Quest for Adventure to see first-hand what a Saga ship is really like.

he first thing to know about a Saga cruise is that it’s not what you expect. The company might specialise in holidays for the over 50s (but partners aged over 40 are allowed) but the 449-passenger Quest for Adventure, to be renamed Saga Pearl II in November, is certainly not like an old folks’ home at sea. By day my fellow passengers were out exploring ports, either alone or on an excursion, taking part in quizzes, attending watercolour classes or lectures, or having a go at Wii archery. Come evening, they were in the bars, having dinner, at the shows. Admittedly by 11pm things were getting on the quiet side but there were always a few stalwarts listening to Adam on the piano in Shackleton Bar.

Accommodation

Quest for Adventure, like all Saga ships, has a good supply of single cabins and although they are charged at a premium, they are snapped up fast. Lone travellers, like couples, can choose from a variety of cabin types – insides, outsides, rooms with balconies and suites. Junior suites on Bridge Deck are unusual, with a French door that opens to a terrace – a bit like a shared balcony. Cabins are decked out in stylish blueand-white and equipped with TVs, DVDs and safes. Bathrooms have showers or bath

tubs and come with a huge supply of toiletries. Trade up to a suite and you get butler service, a free mini-bar and predinner canapés delivered to the room in the afternoon. You are asked to select which you would like on a day-to-day basis, which is a nice touch and avoids wastage. I was in Grand Suite, at the front of the ship, with a small balcony but next to a large area of open deck reserved for suite passengers.

Dining

Saga ditched set dining in the evening when it launched its adventure brand, instead operating an open dining system where you are seated at random with other passengers each evening. It’s a great way to meet people (and means you are not stuck with on a table with others you don’t get on with) but couples can opt to have a table to themselves if they prefer. This system was a great success (it was adopted on Saga Sapphire, when that entered service last year) and will remain when Quest is renamed Saga Pearl II. I ate in the dining room each evening, hopping around different tables and meeting different people, but preferred the Verandah for a buffet breakfast and the al fresco grill (salads, fish and meats) outside the Sundowner Bar for lunch.

Service

The service might not be as polished as you get at the Ritz, but I found the crew to be charming and friendly, which is much better in my opinion. My cabin steward and butler kept my room clean and tidy; in the bar (the Sundowner before dinner and Shackleton in the evening) the waiters quickly remembered my name and favourite drinks.

Itineraries

Once it is renamed Saga Pearl II, Quest for Adventure will be based full time in the UK, sailing to the Baltic, Norwegian fjords, Caribbean and Mediterranean. However, Saga has created three adventure-branded departures to appeal to past passengers who preferred the Quest style of cruising. The 15-night Arctic Explorer, from Dover on June 22, 2014, spends three days in Spitsbergen, the 15-night Icelandic Explorer, from Dover on July 7, 2014, spends six days in Iceland, and the seven-night On the trail of the Vikings cruise, from Dover on September 5, includes calls at Molde, Bergen and Haugesund.

The lectures

Just as Quest for Adventure has lecturers on board, the adventurethemed cruises on Saga Pearl II will have guest speakers on board. So far the only one confirmed is Viking expert James Hodge, who will be joining the seven-night On the trail of the Vikings cruise in September 2014.

Sample price

From £2,736 per person for a 16-day Arctic Explorer round-trip from Dover on June 22. 2014.www.titantravel.co.uk

CULTURAL & EXPLORATION CRUISES | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | R EVI EW

Voyages to Antiquity Keith Ellis experiences a cruise on a small ship that combines on-board comforts with calls at lesser-visited ports filled with unexplored delights.

here are big ships and there are small ships, and there is Voyages to Antiquity, a cultural cruise line with one ship that visits lesser known ports that have much to offer in the way of history, architecture and other cultural attractions and attracts cruisers keen to exercise their

intellect – and their legs - on a wide choice of shore excursions, most of which are included in the fare. As Voyages to Antiquity puts it, the 11,500-ton, 350-passenger ship Aegean Odyssey sails itineraries dedicated to visiting ports that offer ‘the history, art

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 43 | SEPTEMBER 2013

and cultures of the ancient world’. To get you in the mood, the brochure has a section on Mediterranean history and the many civilisations that developed, prospered and ultimately disappeared. Passengers receive two guides on boarding – details of shore excursions and a list of recommended reading featuring authors knowledgeable in Mediterranean culture and history. Aegean Odyssey sailed a debut Asian season last winter, and will be back there

Coming up in 2014

in 2014/15, but the vessel operates mostly in the eastern Mediterranean, a region where more civilisations and cultures have left their mark than any other. There is more of the same in 2014, but also more cruises to the ever-popular Black Sea where there is also a lot of history and culture. Cruises are never less than 13 days, and often much longer, up to 19 days, and can be combined into extended voyages to allow passengers time for greater immersion in the contrasting cultures they explore. On my cruise in May from Venice to Civitavecchia (for Rome), visited Split, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Syracuse, Palermo and Sorrento, passengers, mostly from the UK, US and Australia, filled every lecture on board provided by three leading authorities on their chosen topic before joining the included shore excursions. Cultural cruising doesn’t mean Voyages to Antiquity neglects life on board. Cabins, from simple insides to more spacious balcony suites, are comfortably furnished, with reasonable-sized bathrooms and storage space. Not surprisingly, a well-stocked library carries a wide selection of books relevant to the cruise programme. Although the ship doesn’t offer multiple dining venues – which was of no

concern to the passengers I met - there is a choice between the Marco Polo dining room and the informal self-service Terrace Café, which opens onto a spacious aft deck open air dining area. The same menu is offered in both dining options, at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with freshly-cooked pasta also available outside at the Terrace. That was perfect for me and I ate the majority of my meals there. Wines, drawn from the locality where the ship is sailing when possible, are provided free with dinner. A decent-sized, centrally-located pool, well used by a number of passengers, is overlooked by the Lido Bar, from where the less brave (that’ll be me), could snooze in the afternoon sun. Entertainment was small ship style, with a string trio playing light classics to accompany afternoon tea in the Charleston Lounge and smooth jazz and classic Broadway songs from a vocalist and piano trio in the same location in the evening. The Ambassador Lounge, leading from this room acts as a lecture and concert area. During the day I joined excursions to experience everything from beautiful chapels, cathedrals and other ecclesiastical buildings to stunning private residences and remarkably-preserved archaeological sites.

Aegean Odyssey will be back in the eastern Med from Match to October 2014, starting the season with a 28-day cruise from Piraeus (the port for Athens) to Istanbul that visits Sicily, Malta, Greece and Turkey, and includes an extended stay in Israel and an overnight in a hotel in Jerusalem plus two nights in a hotel in Athens pre-cruise and two in Istanbul at the end of the voyage. From £3,895 per person including flights, transfers, shore excursions and gratuities. The season continues with cruises between Istanbul, Piraeus, Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Venice, ticking off ports in Greece, Turkey, Sicily, Italy and Croatia that have a close associations with ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Aegean Odyssey is visiting Bodrum for the first time next year, where there will be excursions to the remains of the tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus (it’s the origin of the word mausoleum and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), as well as the Greek Islands of Syros and Kos. There are also four Black Sea cruises, three 14-day voyages sailing round-trip from Istanbul (on July 17, August 31 and October 5), the fourth visiting Sevastopol and Odessa within a 17-day itinerary from Piraeus to Istanbul departing August 19. From £2,395 per person for the October 5 departure.

There was also time to explore on my own – the old walled town and palace in Split; the beautifully-preserved Korcula, with 14th-century walls and streets in a fishbone pattern, built we are told, to benefit from cooling winds; Dubrovnik, always packed with tourists is but still a remarkable town; the old seaport towns of Palermo and Syracuse which gave way to Greek and Roman sites inland; Sorrento for a visit to Pompeii or simply a stroll through the town itself with its endless boutiques and lunch in a trattoria. Many of the passengers were repeat clients and several were booked for extended cruises of two months or more to enjoy more of this laid back but stimulating cultural journey. Voyages to Antiquity is repeating this 15-day cruise on October 4 this year. Prices from £2,595 per person including flights, transfers, shore excursions, wine and soft drinks with dinner and gratuities, plus two nights in Venice on the ship pre-cruise and two in a Rome hotel at the end of the cruise.

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REVIEW | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | N EW TO C R U I S E

A helping hand for agents trying to convert clients to cruise.

THIS ISSUE

tools of the trade

A new online booking system that allows agents to search through thousands of cruises and find an itinerary that matches exactly what their client wants is being unveiled at Clia UK & Ireland’s Columbus Day in Liverpool.

eveloped by technology giant Amadeus, Cruise Shop is a dream come true for agents who are new to selling cruise and struggling to get to grips with Freestyle dining, Flowriders and fixed seating, but will also help cruise experts looking to provide their customers with better, and faster, service. “Booking systems have always been technology driven; Cruise Shop takes a customer-driven approach,” said Amadeus director of marketing, UK & Ireland Rob Sinclair-Barnes. “It is vital that agents get people on the right cruise; this system allows them to do that.” The company entered the cruise market in 2001 with Amadeus Cruise, but that was just about the booking. The new system, which took just six 32

months to develop, allows agents to shop for cruises for their clients using criteria such as the departure date, ship, length of cruise, itinerary, even the Caribbean islands the customer wants to visit. The cost to the agent is £1 per booking. Enhancements coming at the end of the month include lifestyle criteria, and the ability go amend and cancel bookings, book multiple cabins and make back-toback bookings. Systems will be upgraded automatically so agents will never be left behind. Amadeus aims to add functionality next year that allows agents to unpackage a cruise and add their own elements to a booking, such as separate flights, hotels and tours. Sinclair-Barnes said the power behind

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the system is ‘phenomenal’ with responses to billions of criteria delivered in a nanosecond. As it is much faster and more efficient than an individual, it shifts agents from being simple order-takers and allows them to add value to the transaction. Cruise Shop has two search levels, one that allows agents to dig deep into what their clients want, the other a ‘fast track’ so they can make a quick booking – Amadeus claims it can be done in 90 seconds – for customers who know what they want. Once agents have completed a search and narrowed down the choices, they can email or print the results, with prices that both include and exclude service charges, for their customers. These will be filed on the system under the client’s name, which saves going through the whole process again at a later date and means they can also be accessed by anyone in the office. When the client decides to book, the price will automatically be updated, but if their chosen cruise is no longer available, the other options will still be in the system, which again means agents do not have to start from scratch.

TOP TIPS

All Leisure Group group sales director Colin Wilson offers five top tips to help you sell more cultural cruises.

Keep up to date with current cultural trends, such as popular TV series, significant anniversaries or new books. Use this knowledge when selling cultural cruises, highlighting aspects of the itinerary that tap into this trend. Do your research and seek out cruise operators that specialise in providing culturally enriching experiences for their passengers. Destination is key, along with interesting shore excursions and stimulating lecture programmes. Join forces with local arts clubs, walking clubs and other specialist-interest groups to run events or joint promotions. Cross-sell cultural cruises to your existing escorted tour customer database. These customers might be new to cruise, so highlight that a cruise holiday offers the same (if not more!) cultural experiences as an escorted holiday. Highlight the benefits of choosing a small ship for this type of cruise, enabling customers to explore smaller ports and off the beaten track destinations.

A to Z OF FAVOURITE CRUISE PORTS CTN’s A-Z of cruise ports continues with M-O M is for Montréal: Montréal is a safe,

Sinclair-Barnes said: “People are not going to make a quick decision about buying a cruise so it’s important that agents have that feature. It’s all about providing good service and continuity for the customer.” Work on Cruise Shop started last December and a showcase was held in June to get feedback from agents and cruise lines before the final launch. Sinclair-Barnes said there were very few tweaks, with the main demand being that the system is launched immediately. So far 13 cruise lines are signed up to use Cruise Shop, including Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Silversea, with Hurtigruten joining at the end of February. The most notable names missing are the Carnival UK brands P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess Cruises. SinclairBarnes said Amadeus is in talks with all three. The company, which has about 5,000 cruise agents, is also looking to sign noncruise agents to use the new system.

friendly city with Parisian-style boulevards and a charming old town with lots of restaurants and shops that’s in easy walking distance from the port. You can learn about the city’s history (the city dates back to the first settlers in 1642, when it was called Ville-Marie) at the Point Calliere Museum and during a great sound-and-light show in the Notre Dame Basilica. Other top spots include the Biodome, which recreates four ecosystems, Jean Tolon Market and Parc du Mont-Royal. There are tours of the Olympic Stadium and you can shop till you drop in the underground malls. More at: www.tourisme-montreal.org.com

N is for Nice: This French port, between

the Alps and the Mediterranean, was part of Sardinia until 1860 and put on the holiday map by the English (the Promenade des Anglais, which sweeps alongside the Baie des Anges, was built by an Englishman in 1822) and is now regularly voted the place where most French people would like to live. Small ships dock in Nice, larger ones anchor off Villefranche, in the next bay. Highlights include the Old Town, a maze of narrow streets full of cafes, squares and markets, which is lively by day and night, the Musee Matisse, a collection of the lifework of Henri Matisse, the buildings of the belle époque that line the Promenade des Anglais and a lovely long sandy beach. More at: www.nicetourism.com

O is for Odessa: The port was founded

in 1794 by Catherine the Great to provide a warm weather port for the Russian Empire and is an unexpected treasure, very European with wide tree-lined boulevards and elegant buildings in Classic, Renaissance and Asian style. Highlights include the ornate opera house, the Potemkin Steps, which lead from the port to the city, made famous in the Eisenstein film Battleship Potemkin about a mutiny in 1905 by sailors on the eponymous ship. In a village outside the city you can tour a network of tunnels where resistance fighters lived during the Second World War. More at: www.odessatourism.in.ua

NEW TO CRUISE | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | I N D E P E N D E NT VO I C E

Small ship and expedition cruising – a great niche sector For those agents that specialise in niche markets, the world of small ships and expedition cruising is a great one to be in – as long as you know your products and the differentials between the brands.

BY SCOTT ANDERSON General manager of The Luxury Cruise Company

cruise specialist that takes the time to really learn about the different cruise brands can reap the benefits with their knowledge. Expedition cruising has really taken off in the last few years – no longer do your clients have to sail on large Russian ice breakers in cramped conditions; nowadays you can cruise in ultra-luxury on much more refined vessels. A real pioneer for luxury expedition cruising has to be Silversea with its Silver Explorer expedition ship. Refurbished to the company’s high standards, and with handpicked expedition staff on board, this small vessel sails to Antarctica in the

Austral Summer and the Arctic Circle from June to August. Silver Explorer sails from Ushuaia to the Antarctic – and with just 100 passengers on board, they are all guaranteed to get off and get on the ice. Due to the recent climate change and global warming, the fabled Northwest Passage has become navigable. There are a few companies now offering this trip, usually departing from Kangerlussuaq in Greenland to Nome in Alaska. The aforementioned Silver Explorer operates this route, as does Hapag Lloyd Cruises and Compagnie du Ponant. For your clients that have “been there done that” – this is a great itinerary to offer them. Expedition cruising is not limited to cold destinations – look at Orion Expedition Cruises and its fantastic itineraries around South East Asia, Australia, Polynesia, New Zealand and beyond. For your wildlife loving clients the Borneo itineraries offer close encounters with Orang-utans, birds mammals and insects galore – all in the presence of wildlife experts. Orion has recently been acquired by Lindblad Expeditions, the US-based small ship expedition company which partners with the National Geographic Society for expedition cruising. Other destinations that you can

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mention to your clients include the Russian Far East, Japan, Iceland, Norway, Spitsbergen and Greenland Of course, small ship and expedition cruising is not limited to the ocean. River cruising is still seeing continued growth, with new river boats being launched every year. Suggest to your clients a cruise along the Amazon – but the Peruvian side as opposed to entering from the Brazilian east coast side. The cruise tour includes Lima, Cusco, Machu Pichu, Iquitos, and three days on the Peruvian Amazon, all in the company of naturalist guides. You can even tempt your clients with a flight over the famed Nazca Lines. Now that surely has to be on a few people’s bucket list! The Mekong is another very popular river, with a number of excellent river cruise lines offering extended cruise-tours to this fascinating part of the world. Talking of Asia, the Irrawaddy in Burma has seen a surge of interest too. The Mississippi is another river that’s going to be popular in 2014 - look at APT and Avalon for packages and cruise tours and of course the Yangtze in China. Small ships offer a friendlier atmosphere than large vessels, where you are a person and not a number, ideal for those clients that enjoy smaller hotels rather than the cookie-cutter big chains. They can also navigate shallower waters and visit those smaller ports of call that the mass market 3,000-passenger ships cannot access. So next time you have a client looking for something off the beaten track, don’t forget to look at the smaller ships and expedition style vessels – they will thank you for it I’m sure.

I N D U STRY O P I N I O N | C TN

Cruise is Big Business

CLIA’s Columbus Day in Liverpool highlights how the growing UK cruise market can be big business for the travel industry, says Christine Duffy

ore than 1.7 million Britons took a cruise in 2012 – almost double the figure of a decade ago - and that number is set to grow. A fundamental part of the holiday booking process for many consumers is the travel agent – not only do they organise the booking, but their product knowledge and insight help consumers make an informed choice. We were delighted earlier this year to launch the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in the UK and Ireland. An important part of its remit is to ensure that our partners in the travel agent community are equipped with the tools to sell cruise holidays effectively. With the ever-increasing growth in the number of people taking cruise holidays, this is also a major revenue growth opportunity for travel agents. CLIA UK & Ireland offers a number of services to the travel agent community including training, shared marketing and promotional activities, greater support and networking opportunities. The team delivers learning online, at seminars, specialist expo events, evening showcases and at larger cruise conferences. Following the launch of a brand new training website (www.cruiseexperts.org) with new courses and learning platforms,

we’re delighted that CLIA UK & Ireland has become the first organisation to be recognised for the excellent standard of travel agent cruise training by the UK’s leading awards company in vocational training – City & Guilds. A key milestone in CLIA’s UK & Ireland calendar is Columbus Day – which takes place in Liverpool this month. The event is designed to help delegates realise their full business potential and increase their cruise sales, and will be attended by travel agent owners, directors and senior managers. More than 400 delegates are expected to attend and will hear topics from a top line of business experts ranging from global changes within cruising to how retailing is adapting to reflect a rapidly changing customer. I will be addressing attendees, along with Michael Bayley, president & CEO of Celebrity Cruises, Neil Palomba, MSC Cruises’ corporate operating officer, and Nathan Philpott, sales & marketing director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. We will be joined by Jo Malone, whose fragrances are one of the world’s bestselling luxury lines, and Mike Southon, best-selling author and business ambassador and mentor for the City of Liverpool.

Group managing director of Mail Newspapers, Guy Zitter, whose career has included running his own restaurant and nightclubs, also joins our distinguished line up. The event will conclude with the CLIA UK & Ireland Cruise Excellence Awards which recognise the extensive contributions made by members of the travel agent community within the cruise sector. As we look forward to 2014 with confidence and optimism, Columbus Day provides CLIA with a valuable opportunity to update our travel agent partners, and acknowledge the vital contribution they make to the cruise industry. Christine Duffy is chief executive of Cruise Lines International Association

SEPTEMBER 2013 | ISSUE 43 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | MAR I E C E LE STE

From fly-cruis e to cruis ing Smur fs

I wrote in May how lovely it was to see Patrick Ryan back in the industry as chief operating officer for All Leisure Group’s Voyages of Discovery and Swan Hellenic cruise brands. I even managed to catch up with him for a lunch on board Minerva in Portsmouth. So I am sad to report that he has resigned after less than four months. All Leisure cites personal reasons for his departure. I wish him well.

Am I the only one who remembers that Carnival UK axed Ocean Village in 2010 because fly-cruising in the Mediterranean didn’t make any money? And that Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines dropped its Caribbean fly-cruises on Braemar in March 2012 for just the same reason? And am I the only one wondering why, therefore, P&O Cruises (also part of Carnival, remember) is launching fly-cruises in the Med on Ventura next year? And why Fred. Olsen has introduced four fly-cruises in the Caribbean on Braemar for 2015? Clearly the government disease of U-turns is as contagious as norovirus.

Now the one thing you might think you need on a walking holiday, even if the bits in between the walks are on a luxurious cruise ship, are hiking boots. But not, it would seem, if you are CTN’s intrepid cruiser Jane Archer. Apparently she thought about taking them on her Footloose cruise with Hebridean Island Cruises (see page 24) but decided she would be more comfortable in trainers. She was, and she loved the cruise. Problem is, and I quote, ‘the Scottish islands are covered in bogs, even at the top of the hills, and I spent much of my time in them!’ Hebridean’s chief operating officer Ken Charleson wasn’t commenting but he did point out that the company advises Footloose passengers to pack proper walking boots and trousers. I gather the trainers, wrecked by the end

of the cruise, never made it home. What is it about solar eclipses? Demand has been so great that Fred. Olsen now has three ships lined up to be positioned off the Faroe Islands on March 20 so passengers can see the moon pass over the sun, turning day into night. Don’t these people get enough night time in the UK in winter? This amazing astrological happening will last for all of two minutes 47 seconds. I just hope it’s not a cloudy day! Are we about to see Ian Buckeridge, ex of SeaDream Yacht Club, turn up at Windstar? The company bought Seabourn’s three 212passenger yachts earlier this year, taking its fleet from three to six, so it badly needs representation in the UK to help fill the craft. Remember you read it hear first. Is America ready for some Smurf-tastic fun? I hope so because those pesky little blue-andwhite mini-folk, led by the imaginativelynamed Papa Smurf, have found their way onto MSC Divina and they are staying put as the MSC Cruises’ ship heads to Miami, where it will be based year-round from November. There’ll be Smurf-themed family discos, a Smurf Live talent show, a Smurf parade and Smurf cookery sessions for the kids; best of all, trailers from the new Smurf 2 film will be shown in the bars and lounges during family activities (see pictures). You have been warned.

And finally…

My heart skipped a beat when I saw that David Essex has been signed up to perform on P&O Cruises’ Azura as it sails from Southampton to Barbados on November 1. I still can’t watch the end of Stardust without shedding a tear. Me, an old softy?.. That’ll be the day!

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 43 | SEPTEMBER 2013