Cruise Trade News January 2014 by Cruiseworthy Media

ISSUE 45 | January 2014 | ÂŁ3.75

Celebrity Cruises Jo Rzymowska is

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DISCOVER MORE BY LAND & SEA 2

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

WE LC O M E | CTN

It would be naive to expect 2014 to suddenly become a boom year for cruise sales. But everyone I speak to is crossing fingers for an improvement over the heavy discounting seen in the past 12 months.

autious optimism appears to be the phrase being bandied around as we enter the new year and this appears to accurately reflect the mood across the industry. No-one is getting carried away quite yet but there is a sense of improved economic confidence and an upturn in consumers’ spending power. Christmas outlay hit record levels in many retail sectors which suggests there is more disposable income around as we enter the crucial so-called ‘wave’ turn of year booking period. The cruise sector must now ensure it attracts its share of January/February holiday spend and there are no shortage of offers being made available to tempt consumers. New style TV advertising from P&O Cruises, an innovative moneyback scheme from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and a range of tempting incentives from the likes of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises are helping push cruise to the front of mind. Yet competition from land-based holiday companies has never been fiercer as they also sense an upswing in

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 consumer optimism. Now is the time for cruise to punch above its weight in terms of positive PR and promotional activity. This month’s new cruise show from The Telegraph in London will help raise the profile of cruise holidays as will the arrival of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway in Southampton en-route to its home port of Miami. Agents must play their part to secure early bookings in order to avoid the kind of cut-price deals which were so damaging in 2013, as CTN’s new industry and agent columnists point out in this issue (see pages 46-47). With the absence of negatives such as Costa Concordia and ship breakdowns to contend with, the industry is entering 2014 with a renewed sense of optimism. Long may that continue. 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

4-10 Cruise Industry News 12-17 River Cruise News 18-19 Making Waves

with Jo Rzymowska, Celebrity Cruises 20-21 Celebrity Cruises 2014 update 23-36 Mediterranean Cruising feature 40-41 New to Cruise – Excursions 42-43 Agent Training 44 Technology News 46 Industry Opinion with David Selby 47 Agent Opinion with Claire Brighton 48 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.

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

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Agent Brit Awards promotion by Royal Caribbean Royal Caribbean International has launched a new incentive giving agents the chance to win one of 16 places at the 2014 Brit Awards. Created as part of the line’s turn-of-year campaign and inspired by news that Anthem of the Seas will be based in the UK from April 2015, the B.R.I.T.S Awards requires agents to nominate their colleagues in one of six musiclinked categories. They are: Best breakthrough act (for the best new-to-selling cruise agent); Best producer (for the best booker); Best solo female (for the best female travel agent); Best solo male (for the best male travel agent); Special recognition (for commitment, dedication and enthusiasm); and Critic’s choice (for the best overall agent).

Nominations, in the form of a photo and 150 words explaining why the candidate should win, must be made on Royal Caribbean’s agents’ Facebook page before February 12. Winners, who will also be treated to a night in London, dinner and drinks before the awards and VIP seats during the evening, will be announced on February 13. Another 10 agents can win a place at the Brit Awards by booking and conﬁrming a 2014 Royal Caribbean cruise. Clients booking one of Royal Caribbean’s cruises departing from the UK before February 12 gain beneﬁts including up to £500 onboard credit, free port car parking and a complimentary kids soda package.

P&O Cruises splashes cash P&O Cruises is offering up to £900 per person onboard spending money with cruises booked before the end of February, with double the cash for solo passengers paying a single supplement. Calling the deal the line’s “most powerful promotion”, marketing director Christopher Edgington said: “I think this is our best and most tailor-made deal yet. Passengers have the freedom to choose exactly how and where they want to spend their credit – from drinks on board to pampering spa and beauty treatments.” The offer forms part of a high-proﬁle turnof-year campaign that started on Boxing Day and includes new style TV advertising that portrays the cruise line as a fun-loving holiday choice for empty nesters.

The credit can be combined with P&O Cruises’ Select Fare benefits, which include either more onboard spending money, car parking in Southampton for no-fly cruises of seven-night or more, return coach travel to Southampton or airport parking for fly-cruises. The top £900 payout is for passengers who book a suite on Aurora’s 2015 South America & Pacific Adventure or Arcadia’s 2015 full world cruise. Passengers booking a suite on Ventura’s 17-night transatlantic cruise from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean departing October 22 will get up to £500 spending money, while those taking one of Ventura’s new Mediterranean fly-cruises between April and October will receive up to £400 per person.

Low deposits from Princess Princess Cruises is offering free upgrades to balcony cabins as part of a ‘Make new memories’ turn-of-year campaign that also includes shore excursion credit and a complimentary framed formal portrait photo. The campaign, which runs until February 28, also includes low deposits of £99 per person and lead-in prices from £99 for a third and fourth person sharing a cabin with two other people. Offers apply to voyages around the world, from the Mediterranean to the Canary Islands and Hawaii. UK director Paul Ludlow said: “Cruising has always offered excellent value for money, but with the new lower deposit holidaymakers can now secure their 2014 cruise ensuring they get the sailing they want.” To help boost bookings, Princess is offering agents the chance to win Red Letter Day-style experiences by sending the booking reference to competitions@princesscruises.co.uk.

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Life of Riley Firstly, I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year, the very best for 2014. It heralds what I hope will be a very prosperous and profitable year for us all in the cruise sector. As an industry we’re always striving to find new and innovative ways to boost cruise figures and with CLIA UK’s new structures in place a change in tide is certainly on its way. In December I attended a meeting with the members of the new consumer, PR and trade working groups; a structure that that will aim to push the profile of the cruise industry on a national scale to get customers cruising. And, with the opening of new CLIA offices in mainland Europe, industry information sharing is set to become more global. My main New Year’s resolution around the business in general is to make efforts in communicating to customers about how great a cruise holiday is by focusing on three key elements: destination, service and holiday memories. These will make it easier to match the right customer to the right cruise line and ship, having a beneficial impact on how you sell cruise to your customers, and bring to life the holiday of a lifetime. With these thoughts in mind, now is a great time to take advantage of new selling techniques. This year’s Wave season offers are a great chance to secure early bookings for summer 2014, so don’t miss the opportunity to add an extra string to you bow by talking up the destination variety, service on board, and the overall cruise holiday experience. The launch of Norwegian Getaway in Southampton has been fantastic to plan and I couldn’t be prouder of our ‘Try Before You Buy’ scheme which is allowing many travel partners to bring their top clients on board. There really isn’t a better closing tool than giving customers first-hand experience of the products on offer, and we believe this, our latest Partners First initiative, is a big step forward for the industry. I wish you every success in 2014, and I look forward to introducing Norwegian Getaway to you very soon. Until next time, Francis Riley Vice President and General Manager International Norwegian Cruise Line

WAVE N EWS | C TN

Money back pledge a ‘first’ for Fred Olsen Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is breaking new ground with a money-back guarantee to persuade new customers to take their first holiday at sea. Under the Enjoyment Promise, valid for bookings until February 28, clients who have never cruised with Fred Olsen who do not enjoy their holiday can ask to be ﬂown home at the cruise line’s expense and have their fare refunded in full. The offer applies to cruises of between seven and 35 nights departing more than 14 weeks ahead of the booking date. The ﬂight home must be requested within 48 hours of stepping on board the ship. Sales and marketing director Nathan Philpot said the promise was in response to Mintel research that showed more than 12 million adults are considering taking a cruise. He said: “Typically, the barriers or misconceptions for the 'yet to cruise' are fear of seasickness, the thought that cruise ships are cramped, the high cost of drinks and

inﬂexible dress codes. We need to get more people on board to show them that these barriers are not real.” The money-back promise is part of a fourpronged turn-of-year campaign, which also includes no-single supplements on selected 2014/15 cruises, free UK transfers with 21 long voyages for passengers who live within 250 miles of the departure port and up to 30% off for multiple cruise bookings. The sale, valid on all 2014/15 departures of six nights or more, includes 10% off for passengers who book one cruise, 20% off for those who book two and 30% for those who book three. To qualify, bookings must be made in the same transaction for cruises departing within 12 months. Clients who have already booked a cruise in 2014/15 will receive 25% off if they book a second cruise, or 30% off if they book a third. Members of the company’s Oceans loyalty club can save an extra 5% off the cost of cruises when booked in advance.

N EWS I N B R I E F Celebrity Cruises’ 123Go campaign offers a free classic drinks package worth up to $1,400, up to $300 on-board credit or free gratuities on selected voyages booked by February 28. Customers booking a cruise in Europe can choose two of the benefits, while those opting for a voyage in Alaska, Bermuda or the Caribbean can pick one. Celebrity’s managing director Jo Rzymowska is Making Waves, p18-19.

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Hurtigruten is offering 50% off selected voyages along the coast of Norway in January, February and March. The two-for-the-price-of-one offer runs throughout January. Prices start from £472 per person cruise-only departing March 15. 10% discount on shore excursions and fares from £89 per person for the third and fourth person sharing a cabin are on offer in Holland America Line’s Above and Beyond Wave promotion in Europe. Clients booking cruises from the UK on Ryndam can also claim free port parking at Dover. The offer runs until February 28. Cruise & Maritime Voyages is offering discounts of up to 40% on cruises on Marco Polo, Discovery and Astor departing before May 2015. Sample no-fly prices include a four-night cruise to Amsterdam on May 2 from £319 per person and a 14-night Northern Lights voyage on March 16 from £969pp. Bookings must be made by March 14. Seabourn’s Signature Savings offer free balcony upgrades, up to 15% off combination cruises and $1,000 on-board credit for passengers booking penthouse and premium suites. The offer runs until February 28. Titan Travel is offering up to £100 per person on-board credit on selected 2014 Saga cruises. Prices start at £393 per person and include Titan’s port transfer service.

Discounts lead Norwegian push Norwegian Cruise Line is offering discounts of up to £500 per cabin for bookings made before February 17. The savings are available on sailings of three nights or more in Europe, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii and the Panama Canal that depart between April 18, 2014 and April 19, 2015. Sample savings include a seven-night Western Mediterranean ﬂy-cruise on Norwegian Epic from £873 per person departing September 14 and a nine-night Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Getaway from £1,234 per person including ﬂights departing March 15.

A nine-night cruise to the Bahamas and Florida from New York on Norwegian Breakaway starts at £1,288 per person departing December 7, 2014. Director of business development UK, Ireland and Scandinavia Nick Wilkinson said the savings provide agents with the tools to secure early bookings. “In 2014, for instance, the Panama Canal celebrates its 100th anniversary and with up to £500 savings per stateroom, we are giving customers the perfect excuse to book the voyage of a lifetime,” he said.

MSC offers upgrades MSC Cruises is offering free or low-cost cabin upgrades to clients booking a cruise before February 28. Under the deal, customers booking an inside cabin on a Mediterranean or Caribbean cruise, or a no-ﬂy voyage from the UK, will be upgraded to a balcony cabin. Bookings must be made by February 28 and prices start at £499 cruise-only or £699 including ﬂights. NEWS | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

Orchestra heads to Australia MSC Cruises is going Down Under for the first time in 2015,

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offering a 33-night Grand Voyage from Dubai to Fremantle on MSC Orchestra. The voyage departs the United Arab Emirates on February 21 and visits India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Bali, before arriving in Cairns, Australia. The ship will then visit Brisbane, Sydney (overnight), Melbourne and Adelaide, arriving in Fremantle on March 26, 2015.

2014 D IARY DATE S January 14 Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway arrives in Southampton for two nights ahead of inaugural transatlantic crossing to New York.

March 22 Avalon Waterways dual christening of Avalon Poetry II and Avalon Impression in Dordrecht, Holland.

April 6 Uniworld River Cruises launches new seven-night Bordeaux, Vineyards and Chateaux cruises on the Gironde, Garonne and Dordogne in France.

May 22-23 Clia UK & Ireland Selling Cruise convention in Southampton. An optional day of ship visits is available on May 24.

June 6 70th anniversary of D-Day.

June 11 Oceania Cruises’ Insignia to be rechristened in Istanbul.

July 28 100 years since the outbreak of World War One.

August 13 Happy birthday Minerva. Swan Hellenic is 60 years old this month.

Hawke pledges to support agents The new UK boss of MSC Cruises has promised agents that they can trust him not reduce their commission. Giles Hawke, who was widely held responsible by the trade for reducing Carnival UK’s commission to 5% in 2012, said that was a reaction to the business models at P&O Cruises and Cunard, and MSC Cruises was different. Hawke took over as managing director at the Italian cruise line at the beginning of November and said his task is to increase per berth profitability. He said: “MSC Cruises has seen massive growth in the past seven or eight years but lost track of revenue. We were going for market share as we needed to fill beds. Now we need the profit.” Hawke said he wants to build on existing trade relations and sign new agent partners. “At Carnival there were issues over discounting and agents giving away commission. That is not a problem for MSC. We pay agents 10%-12% and there are no plans to change that.” Hawke said he wants to revamp the company’s online training and move it away from being known for its Italian heritage, positioning it instead as a Mediterranean product. Hawke said: “Some 52% of Britons take their holidays in the Mediterranean. We need to

Centenary of the Panama Canal.

Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas picks up passengers in Southampton for a transatlantic cruise to its Fort Lauderdale homeport.

November 2 Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas picks up passengers in Southampton for a maiden transatlantic cruise to New Jersey.

Lirica ships to be stretched All four of MSC Cruises’ Lirica-class ships are to be ‘stretched’ over the next two years as part of a €200 million ‘renaissance’ that will add 193 more cabins per vessel as well as new water parks, shops and entertainment venues. The work will be carried out at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy starting with 2004-built MSC Armonia, which goes into dry-dock from August 31 to November 17 2014. MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera and MSC Lirica will follow, with the work to be completed between January and November 2015. A 24-metre section will be inserted into each ship, taking their total length to 275 metres and passenger count from 2,069 to 2,680. Most of the new rooms will have balconies. An extra 59 cabins for crew will also be added.

Makeover for Crystal Serenity

August 15

October 15

convey MSC’s Med values – the food, the mix of nationalities, the entertainment – and make it more tangible to the British.” He added: “We need to build the brand so people want to buy it and agents understand it is a high-value product. It comes down to education and training.” Britains currently make up 5% of MSC’s total business and Hawke wants to see this double in two years.

The Lido pool on Crystal Serenity has been removed as part of a $17 million refurbishment. The work carried out on the Crystal Cruises’ ship at the Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz has also seen the top Penthouse suites and the self-service buffet remodelled. Removing the pool has allowed Crystal to completely refurbish the Lido. The former galleys and eating areas have been stripped out and replaced with new dining and lounge

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

areas that are divided up with living walls of plants, herbs and olive trees. A new Tastes restaurant has a bar and open kitchen, and is open for late breakfasts and light lunches. In the evening it becomes a casual evening eatery. There is also a grill and ice-cream bar. The previous self-service area was demolished and rebuilt with individual food islands to replace long counters, more tables for two and an open kitchen with a bakery. The four Crystal Penthouses were gutted and rebuilt in the style of an upscale Manhattan apartment. Key changes include moving the dining area closer to the ﬂoor-to-ceiling windows and the private outdoor deck and a new den/library/media room in the former dining space. The area also has a sofa bed and closet, so it can be used as a second bedroom.

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*Savings are applicable to new bookings only made from 5 Dec 2013 to 17 Feb 2014. Savings are applicable to selected sailings from April 2014 to April 2015 excluding all Norwegian Sky sailings. Saving amount is dependent on cruise duration, destination and stateroom meta category - please see grid above. Single occupancy in twin bed staterooms receive the same per stateroom saving as double occupancy except for single occupancy in Studios which only receive the per person discount. Savings are against HWNN DTQEJWTG RTKEKPI XCNKF FC[U DGHQTG VJG UVCTV QH VJKU QHHGT 1HHGTU CTG UWDLGEV VQ CXCKNCDKNKV[ EJCPIG CV CP[ VKOG CRRNKECDNG QPN[ VQ DQQMKPIU OCFG VJTQWIJ VJG 0QTYGIKCP %TWKUG .KPG .QPFQP QHƂ EG (WNN VGTOU CPF EQPFKVKQPU CPF 0QTYGIKCP %TWKUG .KPG Booking Conditions apply – please see www.ncl.co.uk/agents. ©2013 NCL Corporation LTD. Ships’ Registry: Bahamas & United States of America 4998.12.2013. JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS | 7

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Anthem on song for Southampton

bring the new ship to the UK, announced after news that the company’s three brands were being divided into separate teams, underlined the line’s belief in the importance of the UK market. He said: “One-third of all British cruisers now sail with Royal Caribbean. We believe in the UK market and felt it was time to take our commitment to the next level.” Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises are now being run as separate businesses, headed respectively by Stuart Leven, Jo Rzymowska and Richard

Royal Caribbean International will have capacity for an additional 500 passengers per cruise when Anthem of the Seas starts sailing from Southampton in April 2015. The 4,180-passenger ship will be arriving in Southampton straight from Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg in Germany where it is being built, replacing Independence of the Seas, which has been based in the UK every summer since being launched in 2008. Royal Caribbean vice-president international Dominic Paul said the decision to

Twynam. Leven and Twynam have moved across from airline, hotel and tour operating backgrounds, while Rzymowska was previously UK general manager and associate vicepresident for all three brands. Paul said Anthem will work well in Southampton as it has a lot of indoor areas where passengers can retreat in case of wet or cold weather, especially Two70º, a large aft lounge with ﬂoor-to-ceiling windows and a three-storey bar that transforms into an entertainment venue after dark. Also indoors, the ship will have dodgem cars, a roller-skating rink and Music Hall, a live music venue, while outside there is a skydiving simulator, the North Star London Eye-like viewing pod (pictured), a FlowRider wave simulator and Royal Caribbean’s trademark climbing wall. Anthem will be based in Southampton alongside Adventure of the Seas, which is returning in 2015 for a third season of no-ﬂy cruises. Itineraries go on sale early this year and are expected to include sailings to Northern Europe as well as the Mediterranean.

Cabins added in Arcadia refit A new Asian restaurant has opened on P&O Cruises’ Arcadia as part of a major refurbishment that has also added 24 more cabins and extended the shopping area. The new East restaurant, designed by Michelin-star chef Atul Kochhar, has replaced Orchid on deck 11. Like Kochhar’s eponymous restaurant on Ventura, it is serving a mix of Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese cuisine. Arcadia’s new cabins include six singles, two of them with a balcony, which is a first for the line. There are also 14 new balcony cabins, three additional inside rooms and one mini-suite. All cabins have new carpets, curtains and flat-screen TVs, and the Crow’s Nest has also been refurbished, with new flooring, furniture and lighting. Additionally, the circular Globe lounge has been closed off and encased to improve sound-proofing and provide a late-night dancing venue that is designed not to disturb other passengers. Freedom dining, allowing passengers to dine when and with whom they want, is now available in the upper level of the Meridian dining room. The lower level continues to offer fixed dining.

Cuba Cruise makes debut After four years of planning, Cuba Cruise departed Havana in December for its first voyage circumnavigating Cuba. The Calgary-based company has chartered Louis Cruises’ 1,200-passenger Louis Cristal for the seven-night cruises, which are so far scheduled until the end of March and also visit Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos and Punta Frances, all in Cuba, and spend a day in Montego Bay in Jamaica, which is an alternative embarkation port. Prices start at $586 per person in February for seven nights cruise-only. An upgrade to an allinclusive drinks package costs $294pp.

Hughes tributes Tributes have been paid to former P&O Cruises managing director Gwyn Hughes who died before Christmas at the age of 65. Hughes struck the ﬁrst contract with Thomas Cook to sell cruises in the early 1980s as part of his almost 20 years with the line. He went on to become chief executive of easyCruise for a year from 2005. He also held a number of positions in the travel sector.

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David Dingle, chief executive ofﬁcer of P&O Cruises parent company Carnival UK, said: “I had the honour of working for Gwyn for 14 years. He was a wonderful mentor and guide, and a truly great man. I, like so many others, owe him much, and he will be missed by so very many.” Former ABTA chairman John McEwan, who was appointed managing director of Thomas Cook UK in 1984, said: “We enjoyed a very successful business and personal relationship.”

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Thomson doubles up in Caribbean Thomson Cruises is basing a ship in Jamaica for the first time in winter 2014-15, when it will have two vessels in the Caribbean. Thomson Dream, which traditionally sails from Barbados, will instead be based in Montego Bay between December 2014 and April 2015, while Thomson Celebration will be in the Caribbean for the ﬁrst time, homeporting in Bridgetown, Barbados. Each ship will be offering a selection of seven-night cruises that can be combined to form a two-week holiday or bolted on to a week in a hotel on Barbados or Jamaica. Thomson Dream is sailing ﬁve new itineraries including Cuban Fusion, which calls at Playa del Carmen in Mexico and has an overnight stay in Havana. Mayan Treasures visits Roatan in Honduras, Belize City and Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, while Pride of Panama ticks off Cartagena in Columbia, San Blas and Colon in Panama, and Puerto Limon in Costa Rica.

A new selection of excursions is offered to go with the cruises including cave-tubing in Belize, zip-wiring in Playa del Carmen, climbing the waterfall at Dunns River Falls in Jamaica and visiting the rainforest in Costa Rica. Thomson Celebration is sailing three itineraries from Bridgetown – Caribbean Treasures, which includes port calls at St Barths, Antigua and St Maarten; Tropical Delights, which makes a maiden call at Pointeà-Pitre in Guadeloupe; and Latin Gems which ticks off the Dutch ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. Prices start from £999 per person including ﬂights, transfers and gratuities. Clients can ﬂy to Jamaica and Barbados on Thomson’s new 787 Dreamliner from Gatwick and Birmingham, and also from Manchester for those heading to Jamaica. Cruise-and-stay passengers sailing from Jamaica will also be able to add a week at the Sensatori Jamaica, which opens in May 2104.

Balconies added in two ship revamp Twenty-six balconies are being added to Thomson Celebration as part of a fleet-wide investment by Thomson Cruises. Another 28 are being added to Thomson Majesty, with 19 to be fitted to Thomson Spirit. All will be available to book for sailings from November 2014. Thomson Dream already has six balcony suites. TUI UK customer operations director Fraser Ellacott said: “A private outside space is important to many and the investment we are putting into our fleet is clear from this enhancement.”

Insignia to be rechristened Oceania Cruises’ Insignia is to be rechristened by its original godmother when it rejoins the fleet after a two-year stint sailing for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as Columbus 2. The 684-passenger vessel will be returning to Oceania in May 8 after a multi-million-dollar refurbishment that will freshen all the furnishings and décor in the public rooms and cabins, and add a Baristas coffee bar. Sister ships Nautica and Regatta will get similar makeovers in May and June respectively.

Insignia will be rechristened in Istanbul on June 11 at the start of a 10-day voyage to Piraeus by Virginia Watters, wife of Oceania’s founding chairman Joseph Watters. She ﬁrst christened the ship in Monte Carlo in March 2004. The vessel will spend the rest of the year in the Mediterranean and sailing the Caribbean, before setting off on two 180-day voyages, The ﬁrst departs Miami on January 10, 2015 and sold out so fast that a second was added, departing Miami on July 8 next year.

Port Points agent rewards Cruisingexcursions.com business development manager Graham Chuter and travel trade sales executive Michelle Burge launch Port Points, an agent reward scheme that gives retailers two points for every £1 spent on excursions. These can then be redeemed for wine, sweets, restaurant vouchers, theatre tickets and spa breaks.

P E O P LE O N TH E M OVE

The head of TUI UK and Ireland’s Irish business Helen Caron has taken the helm of Thomson Cruises. She reports to former cruise managing director Fraser Ellacott, now TUI UK customer operations director. Ellacott said: “We have an extremely successful and popular cruise business in the UK and as the third largest operator, it continues to play an extremely important part in our overall strategy. “We have been focused on driving a programme of innovation and modernisation forward in the past few years and have developed a successful brand strategy. “I am delighted that I can hand the baton over to Helen who will continue to strengthen this approach and has done a fantastic job of transforming our Irish business.” Former Virgin Holidays Cruises boss Richard Twynam is taking over as the ﬁrst UK managing director of Azamara Club Cruises. He will lead a new 10-strong team dedicated to the two-ship destination-focused cruise line. Twynam’s appointment follows parent company RCL Cruises Ltd splitting its UK and Ireland business into three from this month. He will work in partnership with Royal Caribbean International managing director Stuart Leven and Celebrity Cruises counterpart Jo Rzymowska. Former RCL Cruises commercial planning and analysis chief David Duff becomes commercial director for Azamara in the UK while the brand also gains a business analyst and an air and inventory team member. Twynam will also oversee a three-strong sales team and a marketing communications and PR manager. The sales and marketing team will be supported by a trade marketing executive.

NEWS | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | N EWS I N B R I E F Compagnie du Ponant’s next new ship is to be called Le Lyrial. The vessel, the fourth in a line-up of 264-passenger ships, will be built in Italy and is due for delivery in the first quarter of 2015. SeaDream Yacht Club will be offering its first no-fly cruise from the UK on August 16. The 14-night Baltic Capitals voyage sails round-trip from Dover and spends three days in St Petersburg. Prices start from £4,812 per person cruise-only. On the other side of the world, the cruise line will also be visiting Papua New Guinea for the first time on a cruise from Cairns to Bali in February 2014. Travel agents booking groups with Holland America Line in 2014 have an increased selection of incentives to offer their clients including wine packages or tastings, free internet and shipboard credits. Agents earn points to ‘buy’ the incentives based on the per person value of their group bookings. A new $250 million port for cruise ships and yachts is being built in Jounieh in the Lebanon, about 10 miles outside Beirut. Due to open in 2020, the facility will have one berth for cruise ship and is part of a strategy to encourage more cruise lines to visit the country. Celebrity Century is being transferred to Paris-based Croisières de France, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean, in spring 2015. The ship’s Asia season has been cut short, with two new cruises announced to bring the vessel back to Europe in time for the handover. The transfer was announced by CDF and has not been confirmed by Celebrity.

Fred Olsen makes bid to woo families Over-60’s specialist Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is looking to woo families with a new sevennight half-term city-break cruise to the Continent in 2015. The voyage, on Balmoral, departs Southampton on May 24 and visits Hamburg, Amsterdam and Antwerp, staying overnight in the latter two cities. Prices start at £539 per person cruise-only. The sailing is one of several new voyages from Southampton on Balmoral in summer 2015. The vessel will also be running four eight-night cruises to the Norwegian fjords (one in May, two in July and one in August) that visit Stavanger, Bergen, Flåm and Olden, from where there are excursions to glaciers and a helicopter sightseeing trip. A nine-night cruise on May 31 takes the ship around the UK, while an 11-night Scandinavian city-break voyage departing June 9 has overnights in Oslo and Copenhagen, and also visits Gothenburg and Helsingborg in Sweden, Skagen in Denmark and Kristiansand in Norway. Prices for both itineraries start from £899 per person cruise-only. A six-night France and Spain cruise departing August 2 takes Balmoral to Getxo (for Bilbao) in Spain, and Hendaye and La Pallice (for La Rochelle) in France, from £539 per person. A 13-night cruise to the Canary Islands on August 8 to coincide with the Perseid Meteor Shower, which is forecast to be at its best during the night of August 12, costs from £899 per person. Fred Olsen marketing director Nathan Philpot said the company is trying to create

Britain’s Andrew Fairlie is among a lineup of top-rated chefs making guest appearances on Seabourn Sojourn’s world cruise. Fairlie, who runs the only two Michelin-starred restaurant in Scotland, will be on board from March 14-25. Yoga teacher Christel Vollmer will be giving yoga and meditation classes on Royal Clipper’s transatlantic cruise from Barbados to Malaga departing April 2014 and again on an autumn sailing from Lisbon to Barbados. The two daily classes, one in the morning and one in the evening, will be held on the open deck and are complimentary.

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new itineraries for passengers because destination rather than brand and ship is the key selling point for cruisers. He added: “We are working closer with the destinations to give our guests the best experience when ashore.”

Boudicca refit A coffee shop was installed on Boudicca during a reﬁt at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven at the end of last year. The ﬁrst venue of its kind on a Fred Olsen ship, it serves speciality coffees, teas and chocolates for an extra charge. A grill restaurant alternative to eating in the dining rooms or self-service will be added this year.

Fred Olsen has published a new brochure aimed at the new-to-cruise market that strips out nautical jargon and features selected cruises with drinks-inclusive prices. Prices start at £510 per person.

Hurtigruten to sail from Dover Hurtigruten is offering a one-off cruise to the Norwegian fjords from Dover in 2015. Departing May 1, the ship Fram will visit Lysefjord and Stavanger, spend two days in Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord, and also call at the small town of Skudeneshavn. Prices for the 10-day ‘Fjords Highlights’ cruise start at £1,949 per person cruise-only. The line’s 2015 preview programme also features a new eight-day Arctic Explorer cruise from Bodø to Kirkenes and back to Svolvær, the capital of the Lofoten Islands, where passengers spend two nights before returning to Bodø by ferry for the flight back to the UK. Four departure dates in February and March 2015 are offered with prices starting at £1,579pp, including flights from Gatwick or Manchester, two nights in a hotel in Svolvær, a full day sightseeing tour in the Lofoten Islands and entrance into the Bodø Air Force Museum. For clients who want to experience the company’s core Norwegian coastal cruise, there are new charter flights from East Midlands, Cardiff, Newcastle, Dublin and Jersey in addition to existing departures from Bournemouth, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Gatwick and Manchester. Fly-cruise prices start at £999 per person for a five-day Arctic Highlights cruise round-trip from Tromsø to Kirkenes on March 16, 2015 and £1,415pp for a 12-day Classic Round Voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back departing between January and March 2015.

SAVE TO 30 UP

, IN FRED. OLSEN S CRUISE SALE T he more you book, the more you save* Book with Fred. Olsen now and you can save with our Cruise Sale offers. Enjoy 10% off your next Fred. Olsen cruise, with our compliments. Book two cruises at the same time and save 20% off both. Book three cruises at the same time and get 30% off all three – it’s as easy as that! All cruises must be over six days in duration; Anchor Fares and Suites are not included.

Plus cruise wit h confidence wit h Fred.’s Enjoyment Promise, for new cus tomers only* We’re not the sort of company to boast about the great feedback we receive; we believe actions speak louder than words. That’s why we are proud that this year more than half our guests had cruised with us before. Our boutique yet spacious cruise ships make you feel at home the world over. We’re so confident that a holiday with us will be a great experience that we’ll make you our Enjoyment Promise. If you haven’t cruised with Fred. Olsen before, you’ll benefit from our Enjoyment Promise when you book before 28th Feb and at least 14 weeks in advance on cruises of seven nights or more (and less than 36 nights). If you find that it’s not for you within a day or two of stepping on board, just let us know and we promise to arrange and pay for your flight back to the UK and repay the cost of your cruise (please read the terms below). So what’s stopping you?

7 to 28 night sumpt uous Mediterranean sailings

For details see a travel agent, call 0800 0355 207 or search for ‘Fred. Olsen’ online

* These terms and conditions are in addition to Fred. Olsen’s standard Terms and Conditions that apply to all bookings. Fred. Olsen’s full set of Terms and Conditions are available on our website, www.fredolsencruises.com and on request. All offers are subject to availability, cannot be applied retrospectively and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. The Enjoyment Promise is only applicable to guests who have not cruised on a Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines (“FOCL”) ship before and for those booked on Freedom/Brochure Fares. It excludes cruises of 6 nights or less and cruises with a duration greater than 35 nights. Only applies to bookings made between 1st December 2013 and 28th February 2014, for departures more than 14 weeks ahead. You will need to inform Guest Relations within 48 hours of embarkation that you wish to leave the ship based on the Enjoyment Promise. FOCL will arrange and pay for a scheduled flight and transport back to the UK, as soon as practical and reasonable, subject to the vessel’s itinerary, with baggage allowance of 20kg. This promise is for first time guests in the unlikely event that you do not enjoy the cruise and wish to return to the UK. If you do not return to the UK on the flight organised by FOCL and/or inform Guest Relations within 48 hours of embarkation, then we reserve the right not to refund you the cost of the cruise. Your return flight may be to any UK airport. FOCL is not responsible for any further onward costs to your home or originating port. Those unwilling or unable to fly will not receive any refund and FOCL is not liable to find alternative transport. The Enjoyment Promise only applies to guests who are contracted with FOCL and excludes bookings with 3rd party operators. FOCL will refund the cruise cost only (and flight costs if booked via FOCL only), but will not refund other costs including but not limited to transfers, insurance, car parking, on board expenditure and any other costs related to your holiday. Cruise Sale discounts available on Brochure and Freedom Fares only and not available on Suites. All cruises must be booked in the same transaction; if any of the cruises are cancelled, discount may revert to a lower level. E&OE.

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | N EWS I N B R I E F Olympic gold medallist Dr Katherine Grainger will christen Avalon Waterways new Avalon Poetry II in a dual naming ceremony with Avalon Impression in Dordrecht, Holland, on March 22. The naming will be part of a four-day river cruise for both vessels sailing from Cologne to Amsterdam on March 20-23. Hamburg-based Sea Cloud has sold the River Cloud II to allow it to focus on its two ocean-going sailing ships. The company said increased competition in river cruising had made marketing River Cloud II “increasingly difficult”. The vessel will be handed over to new and as yet unnamed owners at the end of the 2014 season.

CMV makes rivers splash Cruise & Maritime Voyages is taking to the rivers in 2014 with a programme of summer sailings on the Rhine and Danube. The company, which specialises in lowcost no-ﬂy ocean cruising from the UK, has chartered the river cruise boat Vienna I for the programme, which starts with a seven-night voyage from Nuremburg to Amsterdam on May 19. CMV commercial director Chris Coates said the move into river cruising was on the back of questionnaires suggesting 80% of the company’s past customers would consider a river-based option. He said: “Our ocean-cruise programme includes many European ports situated on rivers. It is therefore a natural progression for CMV to add river cruises to our portfolio.” Coates described Vienna I, which holds 164 passengers, as a premium plus vessel offering a high level of comfort and décor.

Some 85% of cabins have French balconies. Head of marketing Mike Hall added: “The formula of travelling in a floating hotel through some of Europe’s most beautiful and interesting places is bound to appeal to our customers who enjoy scenic cruising.” CMV is starting with just five departure dates between May 19 and June 16. From Amsterdam, Vienna I will be sailing a 14-night voyage to Budapest departing May 26, with a reverse itinerary on June 9. Both two-week cruises are also available as seven-night voyages to and from Nuremberg. Clients can also add pre and post-cruise city stays in Amsterdam, Prague and Budapest. Seven-night cruise prices start at £1,199 including flights, transfers, house wine and beer with lunch and dinner, and a range of half-day excursions, while 14-night itineraries cost from £1,999.

More move into Myanmar China specialist Wendy Wu has joined the growing line-up of companies with new cruises on the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar in 2014. The company’s 11-day Spirit of Burma holiday includes a day in Yangon and a seven-night voyage between Bagan and Mandalay with excursions to local villages, monasteries and temples. Prices start at £2,690 per person including ﬂights. Meanwhile, AmaWaterways is offering two itineraries on the new 56-passenger AmaPura, which launches on the Ayeyarwady in November. A 13-day Golden Treasures of Myanmar cruise combines a 10-night sailing from Pyay to Mandalay with three nights in Yangon, while the 15-night Hidden Wonders of Myanmar cruises from Yangon to Mandalay. Prices start at £2,936 per person cruise-only including hotel accommodation in Yangon, a transfer from Yangon to Pyay and local drinks with lunch and dinner. An optional four-night post-cruise land extension is available on both itineraries, featuring three nights in Inle Lake and one further night in Yangon. Sanctuary Retreats is launching the new 40-passenger river cruise boat Ananda on the Ayeyarwady in December, offering eight itineraries ranging from a three-night break to 10-night voyages on the Chindwin River. Prices start at £1,368 per person cruise-only for three nights departing December 3, 10 or 17, including soft drinks and local beer.

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American Cruise Lines has started building two more river cruise ships to sail the Mississippi River system and the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The first is due to enter service in spring 2015, with another two on order for launch by 2017. The company launched the Queen of the Mississippi in 2012.

Return to Nile cruising Tour companies have re-started Nile cruises are now Egypt is no longer branded a no-go area by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Discover Egypt has been one of the first companies to relaunch operations after the FCO lifted its advisory against travel in November. More than 50 British passengers had booked the first departure, on December 2. Managing director Philip Breckner said: “This time of year is peak season for winter sun seekers and our popular Nile cruise have been competitively priced to help kick-start interest.” Prices start at £899 per person for seven nights including flights, transfers and 10 guided excursions. There are no single supplements throughout January and February. Breckner added: “Although it will take time to rebuild consumer confidence, we’ve already finalised travel arrangements for those who had been impatiently waiting for the FCO advice to be lifted.” To help encourage tourism, Luxor governor Tarek Saad El din has promised a raft of measures that include installing new security cameras and private docking stations for cruise ships.

R IVE RVI EW N EWS | C TN

Sterling rates introduced in Lüftner brochure Amadeus by Lüftner Cruises has ‘taken a huge step forward’ by launching its first-ever brochure featuring sterling prices. Stuart Perl, whose Perl River Cruises company represents Austrianbased Lüftner in the UK, said the move was better for consumers and makes it easier to work with the trade. He said: “There is a psychological barrier when pricing is in euros. People have to estimate the price and they don’t know what the exchange rate will be at the time of final payment.” Perl claimed the sterling prices would enable Lüftner to work with the UK trade to build bookings from individual travellers. The company already has a solid following with groups’ organisers who are happy to work in euros. He added: “We are offering an exchange rate of 1.20 euros to the pound, which makes prices look very attractive.” Cruise-only fares start at £799 per person for seven nights sailing from Amsterdam to Basle on October 30, 2014, while a 14-night voyage from Budapest to Amsterdam on June 21 costs from £2,497pp. Perl said: “Flight-inclusive prices will be helpful and that I think needs to be the next stage of development, once volumes increase sufficiently. Lüftner is very serious about wanting to increase its share in the UK market.” He declined to reveal figures but said Lüftner saw a 107% increase in UK passengers in 2013 against 2012, while revenues were up by a larger percentage, and more growth is forecast for 2014. Perl said: “The Lüftner product works well for the UK. The price point versus the service is good, and drinks (other than at dinner) and gratuities are not included so passengers are only paying for the things they want.”

The World’s Best River Cruises EUROPE | RU

S S I A | C H I NA | V I E T N A M & CA M B OD I A

Saddle up for 2014 Eight-day bike-and-cruise holidays on the Rhine have been added to Lüftner’s 2014 brochure, which also features new voyages on the Mekong and Ayeyarwady. The cycling holidays, available on ﬁve departure dates, are created by bolting a bike excursion package on to a cruise from Basle to Amsterdam. The package is priced from £579, which includes the hire of the bike (e-bikes are available at extra cost) and for six guided tours of between 24km and 54km. Cruise prices start at £945 per person cruise-only departing April 18. In Asia, a new eight-day Mekong Discovery cruise from Siem Reap in Cambodia to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam includes two full days in Phnom Penh and starts at £1,753 per person departing September 21. A 10-day Mysterious Myanmar voyage from Pyay to Mandalay costs from £2,504 per person, also departing September 21. Lüftner will be cruising on the Seine for the ﬁrst time in 2015.

NEW 3RD EDITION BROCHURE OUT NOW!

UNIWORLD AGENT INCENTIVE £20 Love2shop vouchers for every UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISE booking thr oughout January* throughout Mekong Pandaw returns to service Pandaw River Expeditions’ Mekong Pandaw is back in service on the Mekong after a $1 million refit that reduced the cabin count from 32 to 24. The vessel’s cabins, which are now all outside, also have new bathrooms, air conditioning and sliding French windows onto the promenade deck. Where the eight extra cabins used to be, there is a larger spa, new gym, lecture and movie theatre, and library.

For more information, call FREE on 0800 988 5867 or visit www.titanagents.co.uk *T Terms and conditions apply. Agents are responsible for any tax implications regarding vouchers. See website for full details www.titanagents.co.uk To claim email agentincentives@titantravel.co.uk within 7 days with agent name, booking reference and ABT TA T A RIVER VIEW NEWS | CRUISE TRADE NEWS | 13

C TN | C L IA R IVE R C R U I S E E X P O

Rivers of opportunity Around 120 agents attended the third Clia UK & Ireland River Cruise Expo, held in Cologne for the first time.

JANE ARCHER REPORTS

Clia UK & Ireland director Andy Harmer.

Agents need to learn to communicate with baby boomers because these people have time and money, and are fuelling the current high demand for river cruising, according to the head of Clia in the UK & Ireland. Andy Harmer told agents attending the Expo that the generation born between 1946

Agent delegates visiting the Cologne Tourist Board stand manned by Daniel Letocha and Gregor Gosciniak.

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and 1964 was the ﬁrst to enjoy their youth, to experience a boom in retailing, to travel to new destinations and have index-linked pensions. “They are important because they are the river cruise customers of today and tomorrow and you have to communicate effectively to them if you want to win their business,” he said. Some 14% more British holidaymakers took a river cruise in 2012 than in 2011, to a total of 130,000, making it the fastest-growing sector of the cruise industry. Some 90,000 took a river cruise in Europe, where the Rhine and its tributaries were the number one destination, attracting almost one-third of all passengers. Harmer said baby boomers are

Bernadette Edwards, Langley Travel, Angela Waite, APT, Patricia Waterton, Langley Travel.

R IVE RVI EW N EWS | C TN

Deborah Gee, Gillian Mogg and Susan Tooke, all from Emsworth Travel, with Joseph Grimley, Riviera Travel.

responsible for half of all consumer spending in the UK and buy 80% of cruises. Each year, 600,000 of them retire, so they also have the time to travel. “They see travel as a necessity, not a luxury, and seek off-the-beaten-track destinations, which is why the Mekong, Ayeyarwady and Yangtze in China are doing so well.” He added: “They also need travel experts, so become an expert in river cruising. Take an interest in the sector, add value with hotels and transfers, and understand the differences between the rivers.” Clia UK & Ireland is launching two new destination-focused river cruise training

Daniela Wagner and Soren Langelund, eWaterways, with Adele Fitzpatrick-Foster, Clia UK & Ireland.

modules at the end of January, one each for European and worldwide rivers. A dedicated river cruise event is being planned in the UK in the spring. The River Cruise Line sales manager Paul Sharp attributed the high demand for river cruising to Viking’s multi-million TV advertising, “which has raised the sector’s proﬁle”, and the fact that people can only “do Civitavecchia so many times” and are therefore looking for something new. He said agents need to learn each river cruise company’s USPs so they can pitch the correct brand at the right clients, but added that demand is primarily destination-driven. “Sell the fact that more time is spent ashore, learn about the shore excursions, and

create a sense of urgency to encourage clients to book early. There are a lot of new ships coming but capacity is still limited,” said Sharp. eWaterways chief executive Daniela Wagner, who also heads the Clia river section committee, said the Brahmaputra in India was one to watch in 2014, and predicted that more cruise companies would offer itineraries that combine rivers, for instance the Rhine and Rhône or Rhône and Gironde. She also forecast more river cruise companies would become allinclusive, offer themed departures and alterative included excursions. Germany’s A’Rosa and the American Queen Steamboat Company were new exhibitors at the expo, having just joined Clia UK & Ireland. They take the number of river cruise members to 14.

Sarah Vince, Travelux, with the Titan team: Ashley Rushman, Suzanne Lucking and Louise Sword.

Gaynor Harrison and Caroline Brown, Shearings.

CLIA RIVER CRUISE EXPO | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | R IVE R C R U I S E R EVI EW

Panache Jane Archer discovers the attractions of a canal cruise through Alsace on one of European Waterways’ luxury hotel barges.

am standing outside the Meet and Go café in Strasbourg railway station playing ‘spot the fellow passengers’. It should be easy. I’m looking for people with suitcases rather than shopping bags, who look slightly lost and seem likely candidates for a canal cruise. A bit like me then. As it turns out, an Australian couple have been playing the same game. By the time Alan, our guide, arrives to transfer us to Panache, the European Waterways’ barge that will be home for the next six nights (all of 10 minutes later) we are firm friends. Such is the nature of barge holidays. The vessels are small – Panache holds just 12 passengers, Anjodi, which I cruised on the Canal du Midi a couple of years ago, holds eight – and everyone soon gets to know each other and the crew, who might be there to look after you but are more like friends. Panache was built in 1959 as a commercial barge, converted into a floating hotel in 1998 and joined the European Waterways fleet in January 2012, spending spring in the Low Countries before moving to Alsace and Lorraine, in eastern France, for the summer. 16

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It’s one of the company’s biggest barges, with room for a spacious dining room and lounge (the latter with free wifi, which was much appreciated by all) and also a large open deck, where I loved to sit as we cruised, watching the world go by and Charlie, the deck hand, hard at work with the ropes as we navigated numerous locks (there were 40 between Savenne and Lutzelbourg alone). Like all European Waterways’ barges, Panache also carries a fleet of bikes, which you can use to explore the tow paths that run alongside the canals (the barges sail very slowly so there is not chance of getting left behind). I borrowed them several times, getting off at one lock and rejoining the boat at another further down the canal. Another couple, these two from the US, preferred to soak in the spa pool – a feature on most of the barges. My cruise should have been from Strasbourg to Xouaxange in France, with a boat lift (literally an elevator for boats) to take Panache up the mountain at Arzviller. The lift is an amazing piece of engineering, built in 1961 to replace 17 locks and nine hours of navigation, but an accident a few

weeks before had put the lift out of action so Panache couldn’t make the last stretch of the cruise. It was a shame but European Waterways’ alternative itinerary (which included a visit to the boat lift, a major tourist attraction in its own right, netting 140,000 visitors a year) was so good, with daily tours led by Alan, there were no complaints. We saw a stunning water-and-light show during an overnight stop in Strasbourg and toured Haut Königsbourg Castle, which was built in 1147, destroyed by the Swedes during the Thirty Years War in the 1600s, and bought and restored by German Emperor William II in the early 1900s. We went wine-tasting in Dahlenheim and tried local Meteor beer with a shot of orange liqueur and tartes flambées (thin dough topped with cheese) in a local winstub in Waltenheim-zur-Zorn (Alsace and parts of Lorraine changed hands between Germany and France six times between mid-1600s and the end of the Second World War, hence the region has a unique Franco-German culture and towns have very Germanic names). We also visited Haut Barr Castle, known as the ‘Eye of Alsace’ for a view over the Rhine Valley and Vosges Mountains and in Sarrebourg saw the largest stained-glass window in Europe, a stunning piece of work designed by Marc Chagall and made with 1,300 pieces of glass.

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Also with European Waterways Founded in 1982 with one vessel, Anjodi, European Waterways now claims to be Europe’s largest luxury river barge holiday operator, owning seven vessels and marketing and representing another 11. Between them they sail on a variety of canals across France and in Germany, Luxembourg, Holland, Italy, Scotland, England and Ireland. Anjodi, built in 1929 and refurbished with hardwoods and brass, is still the company’s ﬂagship and hugely popular, especially with Australians and New Zealanders, partly because it sails the sunny Canal du Midi in Southern France but also for its starring role in Rick Stein’s French Odyssey, shown

on the BBC in 2005 and regularly repeated Down Under. Across the ﬂeet, about 60% of business comes from the US, with the UK at just 10%. The barges hold anything from six to 20 passengers (Clair de Lune, also on the Canal du Midi, is one of the smallest, La Bella Vita, which sails the Po River in Italy, the largest), which makes them ideal for group charters, which account for half of all bookings. The holidays are not cheap – an average £3,000 per person for six nights - but they are very inclusive, with travel from the UK the only extra expense on top of the fare. Some 70% of the business comes through the trade (agents and tour operators), with commission from 10%.

Service

It’s not silver service or dining at the Ritz, but the service was efficient and friendly as befits this type of holiday. Our ‘hosts’, Tina and Karima, took it in turns to serve meals and present and pour the wines (soft and alcoholic drinks are included in the price and you can help yourself from the ‘bar’ at any time), as well as making up cabins and keeping the barge look spick and span.

Accommodation

All but one of the cabins on Panache are identical and surprisingly spacious (the odd one out is about 5 square metres larger than the other five). Ours was at the water line (some mornings we were woken by swans tapping on the window, which was very cute) with a double bed, ensuite bathroom with toilet, basin and shower. The décor was a bit old-fashioned but it suited the style of the barge. The only downside was a corner wardrobe with such awkwardly-designed doors that I had to give up putting clothes away.

Food and drink

This was a highpoint. Christophe, the French chef, produced one amazing meal after another from a galley barely big enough to swing a cat. We had threecourse meals for lunch and dinner, including plenty of local dishes

Itinerary

(choucroute, tarte Alsacienne, Lorraine pate), each served with specially-chosen red and white wines from the region. It’s a set menu for each meal, but Christophe also produced variations for vegetarians and those with special diets. Breakfast was always fresh bread and pastries.

Panache is sailing six-night tulip cruises through Holland from March to May. In May and June it sails through Belgium and Paris to its summer base in Alsace. Starting June 15, Panache will be sailing six-night cruises between Strasbourg in Alsace and Xouaxange in Lorraine and vice-versa provided the boat lift has reopened as planned at Easter 2014. If the opening is delayed, Panache will instead follow my itinerary and sail from Krafft, with the additional sightseeing in Alsace. Prices start from £3,190 per person or £31,300 for a whole-boat charter and includes transfers, all meals and excursions, an open bar, wifi and use of the on-board bicycles. Travel from the UK is excluded.

RIVER CRUISE REVIEW | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | MAK I N G WAVE S

Making Waves

Jo Rzymowska is heading a rapidly expanding team at Celebrity Cruises in the UK and Ireland.

he speed with which Celebrity Cruises has expanded its presence in the UK is surely unprecedented. Almost overnight, the line has gone from 15 dedicated staff to 100, as the three brands within Royal Caribbean Cruises (Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises) were broken up into three separate businesses. At the head of the new team is Jo Rzymowska, who woke on January 1 with the newly-created title of Celebrity Cruises managing director UK and Ireland, and the task of making the company a household name. “Celebrity is a very unknown brand in the UK so this is an exciting opportunity to change that,” says Rzymowska, who was previously associate vice-president and general manager for all three cruise lines. “I am genuinely passionate about all three brands but it was complex to give the right level of focus to each. That’s why we have segmented them. The time 18

JANE ARCHER REPORTS

was right to do that in the UK. “Michael Bayley [Celebrity’s president and chief executive] asked me if I would like to head Celebrity and I am very excited to about this new role. My vision is to ensure Celebrity is seen as the highquality large ship cruise line.” Key to Rzymowska’s strategy is

“Too much time is spent talking about the product and price, and we forget the passion points – the destinations, the food, the crew”

ensuring agents understand Celebrity and what makes the line stand out so they stop selling it simply on price and product. She is also keen to position Celebrity as a high-quality destination-focused alternative to the likes of Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton resorts to draw new-to-

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cruise passengers into cruising. While cautious about categorising the market, Rzymowska says typically Celebrity is targeting people aged 35-55 who enjoy the finer things in life such as theatre, holidays and culture, and have a £60,000-plus household income. The primary focus is couples, but she is also keen to target families with children aged 12 and over and also the LGBT market, which she believes is perfectly suited to Celebrity’s modern luxury style. She says: “Too much time is spent talking about the product and price, and we forget the passion points – the destinations, the food, the crew. We have guests calling to ask if a particular crew member will be on their cruise. How many hotels do you know where that happens?” Celebrity claims a 42% repeat factor in the UK and while this percentage will drop as more first-timers hop on board, the hope clearly is that they will quickly become tomorrow’s repeat passengers. As an incentive, Celebrity has enhanced its Captain’s Club loyalty programme, adding two new upper tiers – Elite Plus and Zenith – that offer more benefits and privileges including free internet, and dining and beverage discounts. Rzymowska explains: “All our passengers get great service, but members of these higher tiers will be treated above and beyond. These people are very important as they love the brand and talk about it to their friends.” To help raise the line’s profile in the UK, and focus on the experiences a cruise offers, Celebrity has partnered with adventurer Ben Fogle and wine guru Oz Clarke, two highly-respected household names that agents and consumers can relate to. As the line’s destination expert, Fogle has been making a series of guides that position a Celebrity cruise as an exciting, and luxurious, way to see the world. Exclusive Ben Fogle-inspired shore excursions will be launched this year. For two years now, Clarke has hosted autumn wine cruises from Harwich on Celebrity Infinity, lending his enthusiastic style to wine-tastings, shore excursions and exclusive wine and food paired dinners. Rzymowska says the company is already seeing the huge impact that Fogle and Clarke are having on both agents and consumers. “The power of influence cannot be underestimated. Destination bloggers are also very influential, and we are looking at design and food bloggers because these people have an enormous audience. It is

MAK I N G WAVE S | CTN very much a multi-channel approach,” she says. While there is no doubt Rzymowska plans to harness every means possible to put the Celebrity name on a par with topnamed brands such as the Apple or Bulgari products that passengers can buy on board the line’s ships, she is also committed to taking the trade with her – or at least those agents who are prepared to share her vision. She says: “About 85% of our bookings come through the trade and while that might drop a little, it is still a massive amount of business. Agents are best placed to sell us and those who know us, get it. The challenge is getting the message out to the others. “I am not prepared to spend time and money on agents who only want to sell on price but a lot do understand the level of investment we are putting in to the trade and the product, and they want to come with us. I can promise them this: by

the end of 2014, those travel partners who want to work with us will be in a very good place. We might not always agree with them but we will do all we can to make it easy for them to sell us.” While higher commission levels are unlikely to be used as an enticement – the current base rate of 10%, with bonus and

“About 85% of our bookings come through the trade and while that might drop a little, it is still a massive amount of business” incentive payments available, is not planned to change – Rzymowska emphasises that agents would benefit from other channels of investment, for instance more training and incentives. As part of its turn-of-year campaign, for instance, Celebrity is offering eight agents the chance to win a day sailing in

the Solent followed by a night with Ben Fogle at exclusive Spitbank Fort, one of three historic sea forts off the coast of Portsmouth. To enter they need to reveal, via Celebrity’s agents Facebook page, the must-do experience at the top of their travel bucket list. In addition, agents making bookings on selected cruises before February 28 stand to win Modern Luxury prize packs featuring some of Oz Clarke’s favourite wines, Elemis spa bag and £100 Lifestyle vouchers. To encourage bookings, Celebrity has also lined up plenty of valuable giveaways for clients (see pages 20-21). Rzymowska says: “To me, it’s more about the whole commercial package. About 1,000 agents a year also get to see the ships. That’s very important. How can they talk about them if they have not experienced them? Together we have the opportunity to take things to a new level. It is really exciting.”

Back row left to right: Gregory Grobler, financial, planning and analysis manager; Kathy Barbrooke, head of guest and trade sales and service; Toby Shaw, director of marketing and PR. Middle row left to right: Nicki TempestMitchell, director of sales; Sara Tomlinson, director of revenue and commercial. Front row: Jo Rzymowska, managing director UK and Ireland.

THE NEW TEAM Fifty members of Celebrity Cruises’ new 100-strong team are based in the cruise line’s call centre at its Addlestone offices in Surrey. All used to also take bookings for Royal Caribbean and Azamara Club Cruises, but reservations for these two lines are now handled by Guatemala. Celebrity managing director Jo Rzymowska says: “The call centre staff have already been well immersed in the Celebrity brand so they know our ships, what each offers, where they are based and how to match them to customers.”

Heading the UK’s new 11-strong marketing team is Toby Shaw, who has been appointed to the newly-created role of director of marketing and PR. Shaw previously held senior marketing roles in Sony Europe and Heineken, and will be overseeing both consumer and trade marketing strategies. Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, who previously headed up trade sales for Royal Caribbean’s three cruise brands, becomes director of sales for Celebrity Cruises, in charge of a 16strong team that includes three new strategic account managers for TUI, Thomas Cook and the consortia.

Claire Stirrup, who joins from TUI, is looking after Thomas Cook, Nicola McNeish, who joins from Thomas Cook, is looking after TUI, while Bhavneeta Patel, who also previously was with for Thomas Cook, is looking after the consortia. Michael English remains as head of sales and is responsible for an eight-strong team of key account managers and major account managers. Ian Sutton, who joins from Holiday Autos, takes the role of trading support and planning manager, and has a team of two - Elaine Amos, trading support executive, and Sagar Amin, trading executive. Both English and Sutton report to Tempest-Mitchell. Rzymowska says: “I will still be talking to the trade and taking an active role in advisory panels, but it’s very much Nicki who will be driving sales strategy. I believe we now have the best team in the business so watch out industry, because here we come!”

MAKING WAVES | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | MAK I N G WAVE S

Modern luxury

elebrity Cruises took the cruising world by storm when it launched Celebrity Solstice in 2008. With its stunning white dining room and light, bright chic furnishings, the vessel broke all the unwritten rules of cruise ship look anddesign. It also had ground-breaking restaurants, one of the most extensive wine cellars at sea and even a half-acre

– Solstice-class ships – Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Reflection

ATTRACTING FIRST-TIMERS Celebrity Cruises is offering seven-night voyages in the Mediterranean for the first time in 2014 to encourage consumers who have never taken a cruise to try a holiday at sea. The itineraries are deliberately destinationrich to attract people who like to experience different countries and cultures, and can be combined with a hotel stay at the start or end of the cruise, thereby allowing ﬁrst-timers to sample something new (the sea voyage) while not missing out on their land-based holiday as well. Sample excursions from the many ports visited are highlighted throughout the brochure to help agents whet their clients’ appetites. Options include wine-tasting from Dubrovnik, visits to the Vatican in Rome, tours to Eze and Monaco from

real grass lawn on the top deck. Four sister ships followed, a total investment of $4 billion, each bringing more innovation and refinement – quirky Qsine with its playful food; the Lawn Club Grill, where guests can make their own pizzas and grill their own meats or just enjoy the ocean views while talented chefs create mouth-watering dishes, exclusive suites; even an all-glass shower that extends over the side of one of the ships. These ground-breaking ships, combined with a huge choice of cruises to more than 270 destinations around the world, is what Celebrity Cruises calls Modern Luxury. It’s Cannes, and hiking up a volcano in Santorini. Celebrity Cruises can also combine the cruises with stays at the four-star Hotel Regina in Barcelona or five-star Crowne Plaza in Rome, both featured in the brochure, although of course agents can create their own packages in these cities, and also Venice and Istanbul. Spanish Interlude: A seven-night fly-cruise from Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) to Barcelona on Celebrity Equinox visiting Livorno in Italy, for excursions to Florence and Pisa; Villefranche in France; Ajaccio in Corsica; Porto Torres in Sardinia; and Palma de Mallorca in Spain. There is one day at sea. Departures are on June 28 and July 26, with fly-cruise prices from £1,989 per person. Adriatic to Aegean: A seven-night fly-cruise from Venice to Istanbul on Celebrity Equinox, visiting Dubrovnik in Croatia; Corfu, Katakolon

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about giving customers unique experiences and interesting destinations all wrapped in stylish surroundings, top-class cuisine and impeccable service. The new ships were so well received that Celebrity Cruises has spent some $140 million adding some of the most popular Solstice-class features to its four Millenniumclass ships. All now have Blu, a restaurant exclusively for guests in AquaClass spa staterooms, Bistro on Five, which serves delicious made-to-order crepes, and an icetopped Martini Bar. Some have a Tuscan Grille steakhouse, others have Qsine.

– Millennium-class ships – Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Summit

and Santorini in Greece; and Ephesus in Turkey. There is an afternoon and night in Istanbul before disembarkation. There are no sea days. Departures are on June 14 and July 12, with flycruise prices from £1,855 per person. Italian Renaissance: A seven-night fly-cruise from Barcelona to Venice on Celebrity Equinox visiting Cannes in France; Genoa and Civitavecchia in Italy; Kotor in Montenegro; and Zadar in Croatia. There is one day at sea. Departure is on July 5, with fly-cruise prices from £1,990 per person. Greek Isles: A seven-night fly-cruise round-trip from Venice on Celebrity Silhouette visiting Kotor in Montenegro; and Santorini, Piraeus (for Athens) and Katakolon in Greece. There are two days at sea. Departures on July 27, and August 10 and 24, with fly-cruise prices from £1,341 per person.

MAK I N G WAVE S | CTN

Cruising from the UK

Celebrity Cruises has two ships based in the UK this summer, with Celebrity Eclipse sailing from Southampton and Celebrity Infinity home-porting in Harwich. Between them, they are sailing exciting new no-fly cruises to the Baltic and Norwegian fjords, as well as voyages to the Mediterranean and ever-popular Immersive wine cruises.

NEW – Scandinavia & Russia on Celebrity Eclipse

A 14-night cruise from Southampton that overnights in Copenhagen in Denmark and spends two whole days in St Petersburg in Russia. The cruise also visits Stockholm in Sweden; Tallinn in Estonia; Klaipeda in Lithuania; and Gdynia (for Gdansk) in Poland. Departures are on May 24 and June 7, with prices from £1,687 per person. A similar cruise departing June 21, July 19 and August 16 visits Zeebrugge in Belgium; Warnemünde (for Berlin) in Germany; Stockholm, Helsinki in

Finland; Tallinn; and Copenhagen, and also spends two days in St Petersburg.

NEW – Norwegian Fjords on Celebrity Eclipse

An eight-night cruise from Southampton that visits Bergen, Flåm, Geiranger, Ålesund and Scavenger, all in Norway. Departures are on May 2 and August 30, with prices from £1,213 per person.

NEW – Immersive Wine Cruise on Celebrity Infinity

A 12-night cruise from Harwich timed to coincide with the autumn grape harvest in Europe that spends two whole days in Le Havre (for excursions to Paris), La Rochelle and Bilbao in Spain. The cruise also visits Vigo in Spain and Leixoes (for Porto) in Portugal. Departures on September 19 and October 1, with prices from £1,050 per person. Clients booking any of these cruises

before February 28, and also one of the seven-day itineraries detailed here, will be eligible for any two of the following benefits: Complimentary classic drinks package, worth up to $1,400 Up to $300 on board spend Free gratuities Customers booking an Alaska, Bermuda or Caribbean cruise can choose any one of the above added-value options. In addition, any booking featuring a third and fourth guest is entitled to a free Classic Non-Alcoholic Beverage Package and over half an hour of free internet usage per holiday.

• • •

For further information visit: www.celebritycruises.co.uk or www.cruisingpower.co.uk

•

LATEST TRAINING ENHANCEMENTS FOR 2014 2014 Europe & Mediterranean update: A new training module brings to life the destinations and experiences on offer from Celebrity Cruises’ new seven-night Med cruises. Learn how to use the first-time cruiser friendly itineraries to attract more people to your cruising portfolio. Full content update: In line with Celebrity Cruises’ extensive refurbishment programme, training modules and information has been refreshed with new images and information reflecting the new-look fleet. AquaClass and Qsine in 3D: New 3D environments in Cruising for Excellence online training programme allow agents to ‘walk’ around the spa-themed accommodation. They can showcase the ambience to their clients, highlighting what is different about Celebrity Cruises. Scandinavia & Russia module: A new training Cruising for Excellence training module showcases the outdoor lifestyle, sunshine and fresh air on offer from a cruise taking in highlights such as St Petersburg, Tallinn and Copenhagen. Agent trainer Leon Hand outlines some of the reasons to sell destinations like Stockholm in new video content that allows agents to learn more about the experiences Celebrity Cruises offers in the region.

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Promotion in Partnership with CTN | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

Agents News to Use! Message from Wendy Lahmich – Director of Sales First and foremost - Happy New Year! We are excited to launch our new Above & Beyond promotion – which features special value fares from £499pp, PLUS up to 10% saving on selected excursions pre-booked before 28 February, There’s also our reduced Worry Free deposit, which represents just 50% of the standard adult deposit rate - and guests can make changes to their original booking without charge! Our low 3rd/4th fares make a HAL cruise even more attractive to families looking for a summer holiday – where kids can enjoy Club HAL activities that include cookery lessons and culture as well as fun and games, while parents can relax and enjoy our premium amenities and award winning service.

7-Night Mediterranean Glamour

Ms Eurodam. 22 Apr 2014

Above and Beyond is more than just a promotion, it also represents one of Holland America Line’s own principles – there are thousands of ways in which our staff go above and beyond our guests expectations during their cruise! • • • • •

Cruise fares from £499pp 10% off shore excursions (when reserved pre-cruise) Reduced 3rd/4th guest fares from £109pp~ Reduced Worry Free deposit# Free Parking at the Port of Dover+

Book your clients before 28 February 2014 to benefit from these great offers!

7-Night Canada & New England Discovery

Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Monte Carlo, La Goulette, Palermo, Naples, Civitavecchia

7-Night Norse Legends

(Other dates available May-Oct)

Quebec City, Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor, Boston

Cruise from £699pp Fly/cruise** from £999

Cruise from £499pp Fly/cruise** from £1,399

• 3rd/4th cruise from just £109pp~

• Overnight in Quebec City • 3rd/4th cruise from just £119pp~

Ms Ryndam. 3 May 2014 (Other dates available May-Aug)

12-Night Baltic Adventure

Dover, Bergen, Geiranger, Alesund, Eidfjord, Dover

• Overnights in St Petersburg, Stockholm & Copenhagen • 3rd/4th cruise from just £189pp~

Ms Noordam. 7 May 2014 (other dates available Apr-Oct)

Cruise from £799pp Fly/cruise** from £1,039 • Overnight in Barcelona • 3rd/4th cruise from just £149pp~

(Other dates available May-Aug)

Cruise from £999pp Fly/cruise** from £1,229

• FREE parking in Dover+ • 3rd/4th cruise from £89pp*

Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, Palermo, La Goulette, Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Calvi, Monte Carlo, Marseille, Barcelona

Ms Eurodam. 23 May 2014 Copenhagen, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Warnemunde, Kiel (Hamburg), Copenhagen

Cruise from £549pp

11-Night Mediterranean Explorer

Ms Veendam. 10 May 2014

For more cruise fares go to POLAR Online or visit www.hollandamerica.co.uk

HAL ACADEMY – HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET?” HAL Academy offers an in-depth, FREE educational programme designed to provide YOU with the tools and sales techniques you need to achieve greater sales success. Log onto www.halacademy.co.uk, no passwords required!

YOUR HOLLAND AMERICA LINE SALES TEAM Holland America Line’s Business Development Managers are your route to successful selling… Dani Scannella – BDM South Dani.scannella@hollandamerica.co.uk Call: (0)7789 923665 Vikki Courtman – BDM Midlands Vikki.courtman@hollandamerica.co.uk Call: (0)7780 490747 Bekkie Skipp – BDM North & Scotland Rebecca.skipp@hollandamerica.co.uk Call: (0)7780 490748

Our BDM’s are supported by two in-house Business Development Representatives: Katie Brickell – (South & Midlands) Katie.brickell@hollandamerica.co.uk Call: 02380 65 6758 Jessica Holding – (North & Scotland) Jessica.holding@hollandamerica.co.uk Call: 02380 65 6750 Sales Team: Send us an e-mail SALESSUPPORT@hollandamerica.co.uk

Lead in cruise fares are per person double occupancy. **Lead in Fly/cruise fares based on flights from London. Above & Beyond offers are based on promo ZQ, are available for new bookings only, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without prior notice. ~Reduced 3rd/4th offer is based on sharing a stateroom with two full fare guests based on Promo Z3/ZT. # Reduced Worry Free deposit offer: Pay 50% of the standard adult deposit amount at the time of booking and the remainder upon final payment. Worry free deposit permits guests to make changes to their original booking until 90 days prior to departure or the final payment date, whichever is first, Eligible changes include ship/sailing date, stateroom, promo code and one name change. +Free Parking available on roundtrip Dover cruises on request, ocean view and above staterooms, one vehicle per booking. Other conditions apply. Summer shore excursion offer applies to select Europe and Canada excursions purchased in advance of embarkation prior to 28th February 2014. For full terms and conditions please refer to www,hollandamerica.co.uk

Reservations 0844 338 8600 www.hollandamerica.co.uk 22

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G | CTN

Going mad for the Med

Culturally rich and with huge choice of ships to choose from, the Mediterranean continues to be the top cruise destination for Brits. JANE ARCHER REPORTS

hile affections for other destinations come and go, the British love affair with the Mediterranean remains constant. True, the number of UK cruise passengers heading to the region in 2012 fell 9% on the previous year (a drop blamed on the Costa Concordia tragedy, which happened in early 2012), but it was still our favourite place to cruise by far, attracting 255,000 more cruising Britons than its nearest rival. With confidence in the safety of cruising now mostly restored, as well as on-going talk of economic recovery, numbers are expected to have recovered well in 2013 and continue to increase this year. The Med’s appeal is not hard to fathom. It enjoys hot summers and is in our backyard, just a couple of hours away by air. The favourite departure ports of Barcelona, Venice, Athens (for cruises

from Piraeus) and Rome (for cruises from Civitavecchia) are well served with flights by the likes of British Airways and easyJet. For those who dislike flying, there are sailings from the UK with P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity, Cunard and others. All the big US cruise lines have trimmed capacity in the Med in 2014 as high air fares have hit the number of Americans coming across the Pond for their holidays. Nevertheless, Britons flying to the Med still have a huge choice of ships and styles to pick from, from the mega American family-friendly resort ships operated by Royal Caribbean and Princess to the luxurious small vessels offered by Seabourn, SeaDream and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Clients can experience tall ships with Star Clippers, improve their mind on the cultural itineraries offered by Voyages to Antiquity and, new for 2014, fly direct to

the Mediterranean sun with the very British P&O Cruises, which is offering seven and 14-night summer flycruises for the first time. It’s not the only cruise company to recognise some passengers want to skip the many days at sea it takes to sail from Southampton to the Med (and to get back to the UK at the end of the holiday) and instead fly direct to the sun. Cunard, which has offered Med fly-cruises on Queen Elizabeth from September to December for a couple of years, is extending the season into June in 2014. Reasons to cruise in the Med are as varied as the ships based there, which is another reason why the region is so popular with cruisers from around the world. Families can have fun-in-the-sun cruises through the Greek Isles, while history lovers can to journey back to the time of the Romans with visits to Pompeii and Rome. City-break lovers can tick off Venice, Athens, Rome, Venice and Barcelona all in one cruise, there is even a new voyage with Variety Cruises for would-be volcanologists.

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MEDITERRANEAN CRUISING | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G

10 of the best Med fly-cruises Whether your clients are interested in Roman history or Greek culture, want to take the family on a summer holiday or are a group of friends looking for a fun vacation at sea, you’ll find a cruise itinerary and ship to suit them in the Mediterranean.

couple of cruise lines keep vessels in the region over winter, but generally ships come to Europe in April after spending winter in the Caribbean or Asia and stay in the Med until the end of October or November.

Between them they offer a diverse range of itineraries, from one-week cruises around the Western Mediterranean to 10 and 14-night or longer voyages that link Barcelona to Piraeus, the port for Athens. Holland America Line, for instance, has 11

and 12-night cruises that can be turned into epic ‘Explorer’ itineraries by bolting two or three departures back to back. There are foodie cruises with Oceania, voyages with several sea days and portrich itineraries for those hungry to see lots of places in a short time. For example, SeaDream Yacht Club has seven and 11-day cruises around the Western and Eastern Med, the Dalmatian coast and Black Sea that visit somewhere new every day. Our top 10 Mediterranean fly-cruises have lots more ideas for agents looking to match clients to the right cruise.

Best for fast cars The Monaco Grand Prix is the jewel in Formula 1’s crown, and Crystal Cruises does the event in style, staying in the Principality three days on its 14-day Passion de Grand Prix cruise from Lisbon to Civitavecchia (for Rome) on Crystal Serenity so passengers can get their thrills as the world’s best drivers do battle with the narrow streets and tight corners in this chic corner of the Med. Details of race-going excursions were not ﬁnalised as CTN went to press but are likely to be as 2013 – either a grandstand seat by the start/ﬁnish line, a private terrace overlooking the race track or a private invitation to the team paddock – with day trips to Eze or Nice, cookery classes, river rafting and wine-tasting for racing widows. ££ From £4,172 per person departing May 17 including flights, transfers, drinks and gratuities www.crystalcruises.co.uk

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M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G | CTN

Best for ancient civilisations Egypt’s loss following political unrest is Israel’s gain on an epic 28-night voyage from Piraeus (for Athens) to Istanbul with Voyages to Antiquity that reads like a history who’s who of the Mediterranean and includes an overnight in Jerusalem during a two-day call to the port of Haifa. There are also hotel overnights in Athens at the start and Istanbul at end of the cruise; in between passengers will tick off everything from Minoan history in Crete and Santorini, to Greek and Roman sites in Syracuse, Sicily, and Delos in Greece. They’ll follow in the footsteps of the Bible in Jerusalem, the Crusaders in Acre in Israel and the Normans in Palermo. At each port, there are included excursions, while expert speakers will be on board to help bring the history to life.

££ From £4,195 per person departing on March 22 including flights, transfers, excursions, wine with dinner and gratuities www.voyagestoantiquity.com

Best for cities A cruise is not the best choice for people who want to immerse themselves in the nightlife of Europe’s great cities, but for those looking to tick off some of the region’s signature urban centres, Princess Cruises’ 12-day Grand Mediterranean voyage on Regal Princess is just the ticket. Sailing between Barcelona and Venice, they’ll be able to visit Florence from the port of Livorno, Rome from Civitavecchia, Naples (for excursions to Pompeii and the island of Capri), Istanbul and Athens, and if they choose the July 1 departure they’ll also have an afternoon and overnight in Venice before the ﬂight home. Adding a hotel precruise in Barcelona will give them a night or two in that lively Catalonian city as well. ££ From £1,399 per person cruise-only departing July 1 www.princess.com

Best for partying Take a big ship, add in bars and lounges, lots of places to eat and plenty of young, party-loving Europeans out to have a good time and you have MSC Cruises’ MSC Preziosa, a ﬂoating resort that’s sailing seven-night cruises round-trip from Venice to Greece and Turkey in summer 2014 and offers fun for adults and children alike. For youngsters there’s Vertigo, a waterslide that twists and turns its way along 120 metres, an F1 simulator and 4D cinema; for mums and dads, there’s an adult-only solarium, the colourful Green Sax Jazz Bar and the lavish Yacht Club, a gated community at the front of the ship where suites come with 24hour butler service and drinks in the exclusive Top Sail Lounge are included in the price.

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££ From £529 per person cruise-only departing April 5 www.msccruises.co.uk MEDITERRANEAN CRUISING | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G

Best for dining out One thing is certain on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic – passengers will never go hungry. The ship, which spends the summer months sailing the Mediterranean round-trip from Barcelona, has 21 places to eat, and offers everything from French and Italian specialities to a sushi bar, Chinese restaurant and Japanese Teppanyaki, where food is theatrically prepared in front of diners. There are dinner shows in the Spiegel Tent, a 24-hour pizza delivery service, a traditional steakhouse and a churrascaria, where the meat is carved from skewers at the table. Around a dozen of the venues cost extra, but that leaves plenty of choice for people who want to make the most of the free food. ££ From £983 per person departing May 11 including flights and transfers www.ncl.co.uk

Best for the French Riviera Get in with the in-crowd on Azamara Club Cruises’ seven-night voyage from Civitavecchia (for Rome) through the French Riviera and Provence to Barcelona on Azamara Quest. The line is all about destination so there are overnights in Monaco (the ship departs at 7am the day after arriving) and Barcelona, and late departures from St Tropez (11pm) and Bastia (10pm), allowing passengers to stay ashore after dark and enjoy the nightlife. The ship also stays the night in Livorno (that evening there’s a complimentary Az-Amazing three tenors opera concert for all at the Goldoni Theatre in Livorno), which means people can visit Florence and still have another day to see Pisa and or Lucca.

££ From £1,813 per person cruise-only departing May 7 including drinks and gratuities www.azamaraclubcruises.co.uk

Best for a Greek odyssey There are plenty of cruises around Greece, but Voyages of Discovery’s 15-day Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Odyssey on the 556-passenger Voyager is the ultimate itinerary for Greek-lovers, visiting 10 ports in Greece including an overnight in Corfu mid-way and a night in Piraeus, the port for Athens, at the end. Send clients on this cruise and they’ll visit the islands of Cephalonia, made famous by the book and ﬁlm Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Chania (Crete), Rhodes, Santorini and Mykonos, before hopping around the mainland, calling at Kavala, Thessaloniki and Volos. Add in a night in Dubrovnik on embarkation and visits to Kotor in Montenegro and Sarande in Albania at the start of the cruise and you have a fascinating voyage around the Balkans.

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££ From £2,059 per person departing September 24 including flights, transfers and gratuities www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk

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8 POINTS OF DISTINCTION ■

FREE AIRFARE on every voyage*

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Only The Finest Imagine a world that is just as you desire. The finest cuisine at sea, an elegant yet relaxed ambiance, spacious suites and staterooms and impeccable service all become part of your daily routine. While offering the amenities of larger vessels, our comfortable mid-size ships were designed to visit hidden harbours, captivating coves and sleepy seaside villages inaccessible to many travellers. Our award-winning itineraries combine the best of your world into glorious journeys often offering overnight and late evening stays in port. The creation of these unique

Port-intensive itineraries featuring overnight visits and extended evening port stays

voyages is why we are known as destination specialists. We invite you to

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Country club casual ambiance; tuxedos and gowns are never required

Let us bring you Your World. Your Way.®

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Extraordinarily high staff-to-guest ratio ensures exemplary personalized service

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experience it all for yourself and reserve your dream vacation today.

BEST VALUE IN UPSCALE CRUISING +Available on board Marina and Riviera *Free Airfare is subject to availability and Terms & Conditions.

Telephone 0845 505 1920 or visit us at Agent.OceaniaCruises.com

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G

Best for canal collectors Everyone knows of the Panama, Suez and Kiel canals but what if clients have been there, done them? Enter Paul Gauguin Cruises’ 90-passenger Tere Moana and a seven-night voyage from Piraeus to Civitavecchia (for Rome) that starts with a transit through the Corinth Canal. It’s a narrow waterway, just 70 feet wide, between the Peloponnesian peninsula and mainland that was opened in 1883 and can only be navigated by small ships. Once through, the cruise visits Delphi, Ithaca and Fiskardo in Greece, Giardini Naxos in Sicily for excursions to Taormina or a day at the beach, and Lipari and Sorrento in Italy.

££ From £3,610 per person departing June 21 including flights, drinks and gratuities www.pgcruises.com

Best for vulcanologists Get ready for an explosive combination of romance and volcanoes on Variety Cruises’ new seven-night Dolce Vita cruise round-trip from Malta (with alternative embarkation/disembarkation in Catania in Italy). The cruise, on the intimate 49-berth Panorama, a three-masted sailing ship, visits Santorini, where passengers can climb to the top of the volcano that erupted some 3,600 years ago and split the island into three, and also ticks off Lipari and Vulcano in the Aeolian Islands, which were created by volcano eruptions thousands of centuries ago, and volcanic Mount Etna on Sicily. The cruise also includes a sail past Stromboli, where passengers are often treated to nature’s own ﬁreworks show as ships sail by. ££ From €1,850 (£1,535) per person cruise-only for departures between April 28 and October 13 www.seafarercruises.com

Best for coastal cruising Most cruise ships bypass Croatia in their haste to get to Venice and Dubrovnik, but Seabourn’s Adriatic Gems cruise on Seabourn Spirit lingers longer – 10 days, to be exact, as it sails along ticking off a few of the picturesque ports that line the Dalmatian coast. Sailing round-trip from Venice (where there is an overnight at the end of the cruise), the ship calls at Triluke Bay, a secluded cove where on a calm day the marina is lowered for swimming, wind-surﬁng, kayaking and banana boat rides, Dubrovnik, Hvar and Rovinj, all in Croatia. There are also days ashore in Kotor in Montenegro, Brindisi in Italy and the little-known Greek ports of Igoumenitsa and Vathi. ££ From £3,496 per person cruise-only departing June 26 including drinks and gratuities www.seabourn.com

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

(1) Ponant bonus fare based on two people sharing a cabin, excluding pre/post transport, port and security taxes. Ponant bonus fare is susceptible to change depending on the availability at the moment of the reservation. More informations at www.ponant.com Photo Credits : © Compagnie du Ponant, Istockphoto.

Luxury Cruising by Compagnie du Ponant

ADRIATIC AND AEGEAN SEA: THE ULTIMATE YACHTING EXPERIENCE Taking a cruise with Compagnie du Ponant in the Mediterranean offers you a perfect combination of relaxation, exclusivity and cultural discoveries across a range of locations such as Venice, Kotor and Athens. The 132-cabin, 5-star yacht LE SOLÉAL reaches some of the Mediterranean’s best kept secrets whilst treating guests to unrivalled passenger service, the ﬁnest cuisine and a bilingual crew ready to tend to your every need. Discover the treasures of the World by sea.

Summer 2014 - 13 departures from € 1250(1)

Start your journey on ponant.com

Contact your travel agency or call our UK call centre

0800 980 40 27

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G

M E D N EWS | C TN

Med debut for Le Soléal

Family cruising in the Med

There might be fewer ships in the Mediterranean in 2014 as US lines cut capacity, but there will still be plenty of great ships for families this summer.

isney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic will be back after a multi-milliondollar refurbishment that has added new features including the AquaDunk, a three-storey-high waterslide that extends 20 feet over the side of the ship. The slide is not for the faint-hearted as riders start standing and are launched into a near vertical drop when the floor opens beneath them. The ship, which is sailing four, seven, nine and 12-night cruises from Barcelona and Venice, also has new water play areas for young children and tots, as well as remodelled play rooms and fresh dining options including in Carioca’s and Cabanas. In Animator’s Palate, kids can draw their own characters and see them come alive on screens around the room. There are more water slides on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, which is sailing seven-night cruises roundtrip from Barcelona in 2014. The Epic Plunge is the big one – riders go down in an inner tube and circle in a bowl a few times before plopping out the bottom – but there are another two. There are also rock-climbing

and abseiling walls, bowling lanes, and kids and teen clubs. Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas, both sailing to the Mediterranean from Southampton, and Liberty of the Seas, based in Barcelona, are packed with fun activities for families including rockclimbing walls and ice-skating rinks. Independence and Liberty also each have a FlowRider surf simulator and H20 water park. Liberty also has Royal Caribbean’s Dreamworks Experience, with character breakfasts, parades and 3D films featuring the likes of Shrek, Po from Kung Fu Panda and the cast of Madagascar. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, which will be in the Med for two cruises in September, has twice the fun with two rock-climbing walls, two FlowRiders, as well as all the Dreamworks chums and a Madagascar Aqua Show featuring characters from the films, high divers, swimmers and acrobats. MSC Cruises has taken family cruising up a gear on MSC Preziosa, which has Vertigo, a water slide that is 13 metres high and 120 metres long and takes riders down a series of twists and turns – including a nine-metre transparent section over the edge of the ship - at an average six metres per second. There is also a Formula 1 simulator and 4D cinema (charges apply for both), the iPirati kids club and a teen hang-out for 13-17-year-olds.

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

Compagnie du Ponant’s Le Soléal will be making its Mediterranean debut this year (it spent its ﬁrst summer in the Arctic), sailing seven-night cruises around the Dalmatian coast round-trip from Venice and around the Greek Islands from Istanbul and Piraeus. Highlights include a seven-night classical music cruise from Venice to Piraeus on September 18 with French TV and radio presenter Alain Duault from €2,409 per person cruise-only. A jazz-themed cruise from Istanbul to Marseille departing October 2 will feature two 1940s’ concerts paying homage to Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman. From €1,813 per person cruise-only. A new Open Bar drinks package costs from €30 per person.

Louis short cruises Louis Cruises is launching three, four and seven-day voyages on the Louis Cristal new for July 2014. The voyages, from either Piraeus or Lavrion, about 60km from Athens, visit up to seven a Greek islands, including Samos, Milos and Ios which are offered for the ﬁrst time this year. There are late departures most evenings so passengers can go ashore and enjoy the nightlife. The four and seven-night cruises will also be spending a night in Bodrum in Turkey. Two seven-night Pilgrimage cruises, on April 18 and October 31, also visit Istanbul. Prices start at £269 per person for a three-night Idyllic Aegean cruise in July and August. Louis went back to its roots in 2013, reinventing itself as a Greek-style cruise line.

memories MAKE NEW

Every holiday should be memorable. A Princess cruise is no different. Your customers will visit unforgettable destinations and discover what it takes to be awarded Best Cruise Line itineraries for nine years running. Your customers can be confident when booking a Princess cruise as we are a Which? Recommended Provider. Help them create memories to last a lifetime.

Book a cruise before 28 February and your customers will receive:

Mediterranean & Scandinavia 2014

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Great days out with up to $100 per couple FREE shore excursion credit.†

For more details visit www.princess.com/newmemories

FREE Memories last forever with a FREE photo and frame.X

PLUS PLUS 3rd/4th passengers travel from just £99pp.** Deposit of just £99pp for all passengers Q

Worldwide Cruises 2014/15

Caribbean & Hawaii 2014/15

This advert should be read in conjunction with the current Princess Cruises brochures which contain important information including Booking Conditions which must be read before booking. Prices shown are subject to availability based on 2 adults sharing the lowest available grade within the stateroom type specified and include Government Fees and Taxes. Prices are correct at time of going to print, and may go up or down. *Free Balcony upgrade: select the Oceanview grade fare you wish to pay and receive a free upgrade to an equivalent Balcony stateroom (e.g lowest grade unobstructed Oceanview = lowest grade Balcony), subject to availability. For Royal Princess and Regal Princess free upgrade is from a Balcony to Deluxe Balcony stateroom. Offer excludes restricted view outside staterooms. †Free shore excursion credit: up to a maximum of $100 per couple is redeemable against any shore excursion(s) you have taken, is deducted from your onboard account at the end of your cruise, and is not transferable. X Free photograph and frame: the value of one photograph and frame per stateroom is redeemable against this purchase, will be deducted from your onboard account at the end of your cruise, and is not transferable. **3rd/4 4th passengers from £99: based on 2 full fare paying passengers sharing a stateroom with the 3rd//4th passenger and utilising upper berths. Offer excludes Ocean Princess and Pacific Princess and all landtours. Q Deposit of £99pp: available to all passengers. Standard cancellation terms apply ply. Offers available on new bookings made by 28 February 2014.

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

What’s new for 2014

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

P&O Cruises is offering summer ﬂy-cruises in

the Mediterranean for the ﬁrst time in 2014 on the 3,078-passenger Ventura. The ship will be sailing seven-night voyages between Venice and Genoa that can be bolted together to make a two-week holiday. Prices start at £799 per person for one week including ﬂights and transfers.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa 2 is sailing

seven-night cruises from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (for Rome) and vice-versa, Venice to Valletta and vice-versa, and Piraeus (for Athens) to Istanbul and vice-versa this summer. The voyages call at different ports on each leg so they can be put back to back to create a 14night holiday. From €4,490 per person cruise-only.

Thomson Cruises has two new seven-night cruises from Malaga on Thomson Majesty in March and April that visit ports in Spain, France and Portugal. A one-week repositioning cruise takes the ship from Malaga to Corfu, where it will spend the rest of the summer. Thomson Cruises also has a new 14-night Black Sea itinerary on Thomson Celebration in October and maiden calls including Chania and Monemvasia in Greece and Zadar in Croatia. Princess Cruises’ new Regal Princess will be

cruising the Med this summer from May 20. The maiden cruise is a seven-day trip from Venice to Piraeus that is also available as a 14-day cruise round-trip from Venice or a 21-day voyage from Venice to Barcelona.

Celebrity Cruises is offering seven-night cruises in the Med for the first time in 2014. There are three itineraries on Celebrity Equinox – from Civitavecchia to Barcelona, Barcelona to Venice, each with two departure dates, and Venice to Istanbul, available on one departure. There are also two eight-night voyages from Istanbul to Civitavecchia. Celebrity Silhouette is sailing three one-week Greek Isles cruises roundtrip from Venice. Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world with capacity for 6,400 passengers when full, makes its Mediterranean debut in the autumn. The ship will be sailing two five-night cruises round-trip from Barcelona on September 13 and 18 calling at Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Naples. Silversea has three ships and two new itineraries in the Med. A nine-night voyage from Istanbul to Piraeus (for Athens) on Silver Spirit includes a maiden call at Kevala in Greece, while a 12-day voyage on Silver Wind from Las Palmas in the Canary Islands to Barcelona, has a firsttime call at Melilla in Spain.

M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G | CTN

5 of the best no-fly Med cruises

Clients who don’t want to fly can still cruise the Mediterranean by sailing from the UK with cruise lines including Celebrity, P&O Cruises, Cunard and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

ruises mostly depart from Southampton and Dover (although Fred. Olsen also sails to the Med from regional ports) and are usually 14 nights or more because it takes at least two days to cross the Bay of Biscay. Once in the Med, itineraries visit just a handful of ports because they have to turn around for the long journey back to the UK. On the positive side, that gives passengers time at the start of the cruise to get in the holiday mood on the way out and rest before returning home. They can also drive (or take a train or coach) to the port and take as much luggage as they want on the trip. Avoiding airports can also be a relief for families with young children.

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MEDITERRANEAN CRUISING | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G

Best for Spain Clients who haven’t got two weeks to spare can take a 12-night voyage around Spain with P&O Cruises. The voyage, on the 2,016-passenger Oceana, departs from Southampton and ticks off ﬁve ports on the Iberian peninsular – Lisbon, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga and Cadiz, from where there are excursions to Seville and Jerez. There is also an afternoon in Gibraltar, where passengers can tour inside the rock, go dolphin-watching or stock up on the tax-free shopping. ££ From £1,049 per person departing July 14 www.pocruises.com

Best for the Black Sea Fred. Olsen’s 28-night cruise from Southampton to the Black Sea on Balmoral is an epic journey that is ideal for the company’s older clientele, who have time to spare and enjoy making friends on the many days at sea needed to cruise across the Mediterranean, through the Dardanelles and beyond. In all, the voyage has 14 sea days and visits 12 ports, including three in the Black Sea (Varna in Bulgaria, and Odessa and Sevastopol in the Ukraine) and an overnight in Istanbul.

££ From £2,699 per person departing June 14 www.fredolsencruises.com

Best for Italy Most no-ﬂy cruises visit one port in Italy; new for 2014, Celebrity Cruises has a 14night voyage from Southampton on the 2,850-passenger Celebrity Eclipse that ticks off three – Civitavecchia, for day trips to Rome, Livorno for excursions Florence and Pisa, and Genoa, from where there are tours to Portoﬁno and the delightful Cinque Terre villages. The cruise also calls at Malaga, Cannes, Gibraltar and Lisbon and there are a total of six days at sea. ££ From ££1,499 per person departing May 10 www.celebritycruises.co.uk

Best for the Western Med Cunard’s 14-night Mediterranean Explorer voyage on Queen Victoria (one of only ﬁve journeys the ship is making from Southampton to the region this year) combines several days at sea with a taste of three countries – Spain (Cartagena, Barcelona and La Coruna), France (St Tropez) and Italy (Livorno). Queen Victoria will also be visiting Alghero in Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Med and an autonomous region of Italy, and making the ubiquitous call at Gibraltar.

££ From £1,649 per person departing July 27 www.cunard.co.uk

Best for for families With its FlowRider surf simulator, rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink and huge play areas and hang-outs for kids and teens, Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas is tops when it comes to keeping the children entertained. And with its large spa, multiple dining venues and lounges, it’s a favourite with parents as well. A 14-night Italian Mediterranean cruise visiting Civitavecchia and Livorno next year is one of several voyages Independence will be making in 2014, ticking off favourite ports in France, Spain and Italy. ££ From £1,199 per person departing June 14 www.royalcaribbean.co.uk

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JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | M E D ITE R R AN E AN C R U I S I N G FRASER ELLACOTT, TUI UK customer operations director

ASK THE EXPERTS their much loved beach break. Returning guests tend to take advantage of the wide range of other itineraries available.

What percentage of passengers opt for a cruise-and-stay holiday and is this side of the business growing? Cruise and stay is the biggest growing part of our business and almost a quarter of all customers choose to twin their cruise with a beach stay. Thomson Cruises will have four ships in the Mediterranean this summer, each sailing a variety of seven and eight-night cruises that can be put back to back to create two-week cruises. Thomson Dream and Island Escape will be based in Palma, Thomson Majesty will be sailing from Malaga and Corfu, while Thomson Celebration is operating out of Marmaris in Turkey.

Why is the Mediterranean so popular with British cruise passengers? We have a varied Mediterranean programme and the short ﬂight time from 20 regional airports across the UK is deﬁnitely a hook for customers. Add in great weather and itineraries visiting destinations such as Barcelona, Rome and the French Riviera within one week and it’s easy to see why so many UK cruise lovers pick a Mediterranean cruise.

Which is your most popular cruise itinerary and why? Our most popular Mediterranean itinerary is Aegean Gems on Thomson Spirit.

Which is your personal favourite Med port – and why? One of my personal favourite Mediterranean ports is Kotor, Montenegro, an untouched gem of the Adriatic.

BERNARD CARTER, UK managing director, Oceania Cruises

Do you find most passengers choosing the Mediterranean are first-timers or do clients return but try out different itineraries? Both repeat customers and ﬁrst-time cruisers are opting for our Mediterranean itineraries. Those new to cruise tend to opt for Western Mediterranean programmes because of the popular ports such as Civitavecchia (for Rome) and Barcelona. Our cruise-and-stay holidays are also popular with these customers as they can experience a new type of holiday in cruising, without missing out on

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Have capacity cuts by other cruise lines helped you to maintain your fares in the Mediterranean or are you having to discount? While we have managed to maintain fares on most of our Mediterranean cruises, we have not been immune to the downward pressure on prices for this cruise region. Having said that we have been able to increase our special offer pricing gradually and we are optimistic that 2014 will see more early bookings and fewer late offers.

What is Oceania Cruises’ USP when it comes to cruising the Med? Oceania Cruises offers a ‘home from home’, giving guests the chance to explore the Med in comfortable surroundings akin to a private club or English country hotel. Another key aspect for us is the cuisine. Renowned for having the ﬁnest cuisine at sea, we maximise this by producing an amazing variety of dishes from the various destinations that we visit.

Is the Med most popular with past passengers or first-time cruisers? The Med is ideal for ﬁrst-time cruisers as it allows them to experience cruising with little additional travel - and with cruises from as little as seven days the fear of being ‘trapped’ is eased. Thankfully the vast majority love the experience and are hooked for life.

Are your Mediterranean cruises more popular with families or couples? Our Mediterranean programme is popular with families and couples alike. With the option to twin a Mediterranean cruise such as Mediterranean Medley with a week in a Thomson Family Resort in Majorca, families get the perfect mix of exploring new destinations and relaxing in the sunshine.

family themed parks. It is now possible to find a suitable cruise in the Med to suit pretty much any criteria. Add to this flying times of from one hour to no more than four – and the fact that many cruise do not even involve flights, the Mediterranean is literally on our doorstep.

Which is your most popular cruise itinerary and why? The Italian and Adriatic Rivieras, and the Greek Islands cruises are by far our most popular. Oceania Cruises has made its name as a premium cruise line offering some of the best food at sea. In all, it will have four ships in the Mediterranean in 2014. The 1,250passenger Riviera is there from April to November, sailing mainly seven and 10-day cruises between Piraeus, Istanbul, Barcelona, Venice and Civitavecchia. Insignia and Nautica, two of its 694passenger ships, are sailing the Eastern and Western Mediterranean intermittently throughout the season, while Marina, a sister to Riviera, will be there in September and October.

Why is the Mediterranean so popular with British cruise passengers? The Mediterranean offers everything, from culture, history and magniﬁcent art to fun

Have you any new itineraries in the Mediterranean in 2014? New Med ports for 2014 include Antibes, Kos and Chania (Crete).

Which is your personal favourite Med port – and why? I would have to go for Monemvasia in Greece, speciﬁcally the Old Town. Built quite literally into a rock that is connected to the mainland by a causeway you do not even see the town until you pass through a short but darkened Lshaped tunnel that was obviously built for protection against raiders in centuries past. Only then are you met buy narrow walkways and traditional buildings with small windows and thick walls that were used to keep the heat out in the summer and in during winter.

Seabourn - agents news to use! Dear Travel Colleagues

Signature Savings Event

All of us at Seabourn would like to wish you a happy and prosperous 2014... Why not start the year by focusing on the luxury sector? Selling luxury means higher revenues for you and greater guest satisfaction and loyalty from your clients... If you’ve not sold luxury before, visit www.seabournacademy. co.uk to learn more about Seabourn and the luxury cruise sector. Seabourn Academy is full of useful marketing and selling tips and you can complete the modules in your own time online. Our new Signature Savings Event is designed to make selling Seabourn easier for you, with attractive fares, complimentary upgrades on selected sailings and onboard credit available on premium and deluxe suites. Contact your Business Development team now if you’d like to learn more! Good selling! Lynn Narraway - Managing Director UK & Ireland

Limited time. Limitless possibilities

book your clients today and take advantage of our “Signature Savings Event” including: Complimentary Veranda suite upgrades ●

Up to 15% savings on select combination cruises ●

US$1,000 per suite shipboard credit for penthouse and a premium suites

sample itineraries & fares MYA NMA R & MA & L A BA R COA ST

KING DOMS OFOT H E SU N

MEDITERRANEAN O DY S S E Y

S C A N D I N AV I A & R &U SSIA

SEABOURN ODYSSEY

SEABOURN QUEST

16 NIGHTS

19 NIGHTS

11 NIGHTS

12 NIGHTS

25 March 2014 Singapore, Langkawi Island, Phuket, Thilawa (Rangoon), Cochin, Mangalore, Mumbai M

10 April 2014 Mumbai, Salalah, Safaga, Sharm-elSheikh, Sokhna, Suez Canal transit, Ashdod, Sorrento, Civitavecchia

13 May 2014 Monte Carlo, Corsica, Civitavecchia, Amalfi, Catania, Monemvasia, Mykonos, Kusadasi, K Cesme, Platis Gialos, Piraeus

From £3,399pp

From £3,799pp

From £3,499pp

13 May 2014 Amsterdam (overnight), Kiel Canal transit, Helsingborg, Copenhagen (overnight), Karlskrona, Gdansk, Klaipeda, S St Petersburg (overnight), Stockholm

From £3,999pp

Fly/cruise from £4,219

Fly/cruise from £4,419

Fly/cruise from £3,899

Fly/cruise from £4,279

FREE upgrade to Veranda Suite (V1)

Complimentary Marina day in Langkawi Island

Complimentary Marina day in Sorrento

Complimentary classical concert at Ephesus

Two overnights in Thilawa

Overnight in Safaga

FREE upgrade t to Veranda Suite (V1) O

Overnights in Amsterdam, Copenhagen anda St Petersburg

how to sell Seabourn

Seabourn academy

POLAR online is the fastest and easiest way to book Seabourn For agency registration and enquiries e-mail salessupport@ seabourn.co.uk Reservations: 0844 338 8686 www.seabourn.co.uk

Offers an in depth online educational programme designed to provide agents with all the tools and sales techniques needed to achieve greater sales success. Register at www.seabournacademy.co.uk

Seabourn’s Business Development Managers are your route to successful selling…

Dani Scannella BDM South Dani.scannella@seabourn.co.uk CallC (0)7789 923665

Our BDM’s are supported by two in-house Business B Development Representatives…

Vikki Courtman BDM B Midlands Vikki.courtman@seabourn.co.uk Call (0)7780 490747

Bekkie Skipp BDM B North & Scotland Rebecca.skipp@seabourn.co.uk Call (0)7780490748

Katie Brickell South & Midlands Katie.brickell@seabourn.co.uk. K Call: (0)2380 65 6758

Jessica Holding North & Scotland Jessica.holding@seabourn.co.uk Call: (0)2380 65 6750

Sales Team: Send us an e-mail SALESSUPPORT@seabourn.co.uk All fares are per person sharing a double occupancy suite. Signature Savings fares are not combinable with any other offer, may vary by sailing date, are capacity controlled, and are subject to change without notice. Fares are for new bookings only. Lead in fly/cruise fares include scheduled flights from London, transfers and cruise. For full terms and conditions refer to the Seabourn Cruise Collection Catalogue 2014-15. Complimentary upgrade where available will be reflected in fare paid for selected suite category. **Shipboard credit offer of $1,000USD per suite ($500USD/person) on select voyages JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS | 37 available in PH, PS, CS, OW, SS, WG and GR suite categories only. #Combination Cruise savings of up to 15% apply when combining consecutive cruises on the same ship and are subject to availability Issued Jan 2014

Norwegian Getaway Spice H20 Club CTN | N O RWE G IAN G ETAWAY

Miami Nice

UK agents and their clients will gain a special preview of Norwegian Getaway when the new ship makes a new year call into Southampton.

gents have been invited to host their key clients on board the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Getaway when the ship calls into the UK en-route to its year-round home port of Miami. A private event on January 15 in Southampton will take place for key travel partners and their selected guests as part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s on-going Partners First trade initiative The opportunity to act as hosts on board a fully-functioning ship will allow agents to engage with their clients as they

experience everything Norwegian Getaway – Miami’s ultimate ship - has to offer. Although the event was invitation only, Norwegian Cruise Line gave all other agents the chance for their clients to experience Norwegian Getaway with another one-night revenue mini-cruise on January 14 which rapidly sold out. Prices started at £89 per person and agents are eligible for £30 cash-back if they rebook a client who takes the onenight mini-cruise on another Norwegian cruise up to 30 days after sailing. Nick Wilkinson, director business

development UK, Ireland and Scandinavia, says: “A key part of Partners First is to give our travel partners the tools to make cruise bookings. And there’s no better closing tool than customers being able to try before they buy, which is why we’re so excited to give our travel partners the opportunity to bring their top clients to experience our fantastic new ship. “With Norwegian Getaway being based in Miami and the Caribbean, we are exploring a range of different ways in which to engage with our travel partners. Inviting them to host their clients on board feels like a great way to do this. The latest addition to Norwegian’s 13strong fleet will sail seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises weekly from Miami all year round from February 8.

www.getaway.ncl.co.uk

Norwegian Getaway

Norwegian Getaway itinerary Which combines into a nine-night ﬂy-cruise: Saturday – depart Miami Sunday – day at sea Monday – day at sea Tuesday – Philipsburg, St Maarten Wednesday – St Thomas, US Virgin Islands Thursday – day at sea Friday – Nassau, Bahamas Saturday – return Miami

678 Ocean Place

Magical mermaid takes to the seas

As Miami’s ultimate ship, Norwegian Getaway embodies the essence of its tropical hometown with hull artwork by the city’s own David ‘Lebo’ Le Batard featuring a whimsical mermaid holding the sun above the waves. With restaurants and bars inspired by South Florida and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders lined up as Godmothers, the largest ship to homeport in Miami is set to make an extra special splash on year-round Caribbean cruises.

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

Featuring ground-breaking entertainment, Norwegian Getaway is the first to feature the GRAMMY® Experience at sea. This includes artefacts chosen and curated by the GRAMMY Museum® along with live performances by past GRAMMY winners and nominees, among others. Another first of its kind at sea, The Illusionarium is a new dining and entertainment experience that will envelop guests in the fascinating world of magic, inviting them to experience the astonishing

N O RW E G IAN G ETAWAY | CTN The Tropicana Room

What’s on board:

illusions of world-class magicians and supernatural special effects. Norwegian Getaway also boasts sizzling Latin-inspired dance productions by Broadway sensation, Burn the Floor; performances of the seven-time Tony Award nominated musical Legally Blonde; hilarious comedy headliners produced by Levity Entertainment Group; and the singalong fun of the duelling pianos of Howl at the Moon. To cap off a spectacular cruise experience, every sailing will feature a dazzling fireworks show at sea, set to music, as part of a dance party in the ship’s outdoor club, Spice H20. Similar to sister ship Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway will dazzle guests with 678 Ocean Place and The Waterfront, a variety of interconnected indoor and outdoor venues on three dynamic decks that creates a multiplex of dining, activities and more and enhances guests’ connection with the ocean. Norwegian Getaway will also feature Miami’s coolest place to chill out – the ship’s SVEDKA/Inniskillin Ice Bar, featuring Art Deco-style décor, reminiscent of Miami Beach’s famous Ocean Drive. Foodies setting sail from Miami on Norwegian Getaway can feast in their choice of 27 incredible dining options, including celebrity chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian’s three dining concepts: Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian; Ocean Blue on the Waterfront and The Raw Bar. Buddy Valastro, star of the popular TLC series ‘Cake Boss’ also has an outpost of his famous Carlo’s Bakery on board, Headliners Comedy Club

serving up delicious treats like cannolis, lobster tails and speciality cakes. For families, Nickelodeon®, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, is on board and includes a variety of exciting interactive experiences, along with the opportunity to meet SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Dora the Explorer and Diego, among other favourites. Norwegian Getaway will also include an all new pirate-themed Nickelodeon Kids’ Aqua Park where children can cool off with colourful, whimsical and larger than life Nickelodeon characters from Bikini Bottom. The three-storey Sports Complex features the Aqua Park with five thrilling water slides, two swimming pools and one of the largest multi-level elevated ropes courses that will challenge guests to more than 40 different elements, including a zip track. For a thrill like no other, guests will confront The Plank, a platform that extends 2.5 metres over the side of the ship. A nine-hole miniature golf course is located beneath the ropes course, offering family fun with friendly competition. A rock climbing wall, bungee trampoline and spider web, a seven-metre enclosed climbing cage complete with a spiral slide, round out the activities. Norwegian Getaway offers a variety of flexible accommodation ranging from Studio staterooms specially designed for solo travellers, to balcony and family staterooms and opulent suites in The Haven by Norwegian, the ultimate in luxury accommodation. Kids Aqua Park

27 dining choices Three main dining rooms – The Tropicana Room, Savor Restaurant, Taste Restaurant Specialty dining – Ocean Blue By Geoffrey Zakarian, Teppanyaki, Moderno Churasscaria, Cagneys Steakhouse, Le Bistro and more Treats – Carlo’s Bake Shop, Dolce Gelato 22 bars and lounges – many Miami-inspired Sugarcane Mojito Bar, Sunset Bar, Svedka and Iniskillin Ice Bar, Spic H2O, Prime Meridian Bar, Bliss Ultra Lounge, Headliners Comedy Club and more The Waterfront Soak up the warm Caribbean sun and stunning island views on The Waterfront, a quarter-mile oceanfront promenade of dining, shopping and discovery Entertainment Continuing world class entertainment at sea with The Illusionarium (Miami is the Magic City), Legally Blonde The Musical, The Grammy Experience, Burn The Floor, Wine Lovers – The Wine Tasting Musical, Levity Entertainment Group, Howl At The Moon and ﬁreworks Accommodation • Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, Mini-Suites • Studios • Spa Staterooms • The Haven By Norwegian Family fun Aqua Park – Five multi-story slides, two swimming pools Kid’s Aqua Park Sports Complex – Largest ropes course at sea featuring The Plank, 9 hole mini-golf, sports court, rock climbing Splash Academy (Kid’s Club for ages 3–12) Entourage (Teens Club for ages 13-17) Spa World class rejuvenating experience and 24-hour Fitness Centre Salt room For more information, or to view renderings and videos go to www.getaway.ncl.co.uk Haven Spa Suite

Promotion in Partnership with CTN | 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

What to do in port One of the strangest preconceptions many first-timers have about cruising is that in port you have to go on one of the ship’s excursions.

f course, cruise lines would love all their passengers to take a tour at every port as they make a lot of money from selling them, but once the ship is cleared by the local authorities, everyone is free to come and go as they wish. That could mean they explore alone or go on a pre-booked tour with either the cruise line or a local ground operator. A poll by on-line review site Cruise Critic showed of those who book excursions, 59% choose to go with the cruise line, with 25% organising trips in advance with independent companies and almost 16% booking a tour once they arrive in port. One alternative Cruisingexcursions.com, launched in June 2011, offers almost 10,000 cut-price tours to cruise passengers in more than 700 ports worldwide. The company pays up to 10% commission to agents and has just launched a loyalty scheme offering the trade gifts in return for bookings. 40

Although cruise lines’ excursions are expensive (see box) many passengers feel safer taking them rather than going ashore alone. They feel confident they will be travelling with a reputable company and, as important, if there is a delay getting back to the port, they know the ship will wait for them. Conversely, passengers sightseeing independently who arrive back at the port after ‘all-aboard’ time could find they have, literally, missed the boat. While ships are not keen on leaving passengers behind, they have a schedule and a duty to those who have made it back on time, so it does happen. Agents asked for advice from clients yet to take their first cruise should make all these points clear so they can make an informed decision on what to do. Good agents should also be able to advise when it’s worth buying an excursion as opposed to sightseeing alone, as well as being able

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to highlight the many and varied excursions cruise lines offer these days. There are sightseeing tours of course, but there are also wine-tasting trips, cookery classes, and a host of activities, from kayaking to hiking, and zip-wiring to cycling. In the Caribbean, you can ride a horse in the sea, go on a Segway tour, help crew an America’s Cup racing yacht and climb through the gushing rapids at Jamaica’s Dunns River Falls. Many of these things can be done independently – there’s no need to pay $59 to walk around the walls in Dubrovnik with Princess Cruises when you can buy a ticket at the entrance for £9.75; likewise passengers can take the funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen in Bergen for £8 return, while a guided walking tour with Celebrity costs more than £30. However, there are some excursions that would be difficult to do alone, for instance tours to the demilitarized zone in South Korea or to the Great Wall of China from the port of Tianjin. Many cruise lines have private evening concerts in the Hermitage in St Petersburg, which would be impossible for individuals to organise. Crystal Cruises offers two

TOP TIPS

MSC Cruises UK managing director Giles Hawke offers ﬁve tips on how to use excursions to help sell more cruises.

Some cruise lines pay commission on shore excursion so there is more incentive to book BEFORE the guest travels. Pre-booking an excursion not only guarantees their place but also ensures customers make the most of their destinations. It is essential they experience the right excursion to maximise their holiday enjoyment. This will create happy customers and repeat business. Adding an excursion into a package creates an “exclusive” offering for customers. For example, they can book a ﬂy-cruise for £699 per person and pay only £50 extra for the excursion. Understanding what a customer wants from their cruise is key to including the right excursion(s). Use excursions to create a talking point. If a customer is keen to see Pompeii or Santorini, suggest a cruise holiday where it is possible to see both - and more - in one trip. This also allows agents to sell to city-break customers and cultural tourists. Discussing shore excursions adds to your value as a travel agent because you are doing more than just selling a cruise. Customers will talk to family and friends about what you have done to help and are more likely to return.

A to Z OF FAVOURITE CRUISE PORTS CTN’s A-Z of cruise ports continues with S-U S is for Stockholm: No Baltic cruise nights in a Phinda Private Game Reserve during a cruise from Singapore to Cape Town in March where passengers will be able to join local conservationists as they locate and tag black rhinos. The exclusive tour costs $1,287 per person.

Sample excursion prices

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A nine-hour Rome on your own tour with Princess Cruises (a return transfer with independent sightseeing) costs from $85 per person. A return train ticket costs €10 (£8.50) per person. A 2.5-hour trip to Dunns River Falls costs up to $50 with Holland America Line. The same tour with Viator costs from £24. Entrance to Dunns River is $20. A two-day Best of St Petersburg tour with Princess costs from $419. It costs from £199 including visa with Cruisingexcursions.com. Celebrity Cruises charges from £169 per person for a 12.5-hour excursion to Berlin from Warnemünde excluding lunch. A small group tour (max 19 people) with Cruisingexcursions.com costs from £119 excluding lunch. A return train ticket to Berlin costs about €85 (£70) per person.

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worth its salt can miss calling at Stockholm, not only one of the most beautiful cities in the world but also packed with things to see and do. It’s built on 14 islands – a canal boat ride around many of them is one of the top attractions. The other is the Vasa Museum, built around a warship (the Vasa) that sank in Stockholm harbour on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was salvaged in 1961. If neither appeals, there are RIB (Rigid Inﬂatable Boat) rides in the archipelago, cycling, canoeing, kayaking and fun trips to the Absolut Icebar in the Nordic Sea Hotel. A new SkyView attraction takes visitors to the top of the Ericsson Globe for a bird’s eye view of the city. More at: www.visitstockholm.com

T is for Tobermory: A popular stop on

round-Britain cruises, Tobermory is probably better known to many as the ﬁctional town of Balamory. It’s the ‘capital’ of the Isle of Mull in Scotland, but a small town and famed for the brightly-painted buildings that line the waterfront. This is good walking country, but most visitors arrive and then head off on a whale and dolphin-watching boat tour. On a good day, there might be sightings of minke whales, porpoises and seals, as well as golden and whitetailed eagles. More at: www.tobermory.co.uk.

U is for Ushuaia: At the tip of Argentina, this port town is the main departure point for cruises to Antarctica. It’s so remote it’s known as the Fin del Mundo (end of the earth) and was used as a penal colony from the late 1800s to 1947. The main attraction in town is the prison, where you can visit the cells and a Marine Museum that narrates the history of the region, but most people hop on an excursion, either a tour to Tierra del Fuego National Park, just a few miles west of town (look out for the signs that shows where National Route number 3 ends, some 3,063km from Buenos Aires), or a catamaran cruise through the Beagle Channel in search of penguins, sea lions, birds and other marine life. More at: www.visitbrasil.com

NEW TO CRUISE | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | AG E NT TR AI N I N G

Agents of change

Aligning the potential cruise customer to the right cruise and line is a fine art, and one that Holland America Line and Seabourn take seriously. Gillian Upton sits in on an agent training session.

ani Scannella holds two business cards, one as business development manager – south for Holland America Line and another with the same job title but for Seabourn. Although the two Carnival brands have their offices in the same building in Southampton – she is keen to stress that that’s where the similarity ends. It’s one of the first things she points out during a four-hour agent training session across both brands. Scannella has 90 minutes to present on each brand, with a breather in between at the venue, the Woodlands Park Hotel in Cobham, Surrey. This is one of the Signature Seminar Series which run four times a year around the UK and feature HAL’s new xplorer4 Early Booking programme and Seabourn’s 2014/15 initiatives, all designed to help agents build business. Marrying the right client to the right cruise line is Scannella’s mission. “The importance for the agent is to understand the offering and quality of each brand versus the expectation of the guest. There is a cruise for everybody but they need to understand the brand and the brand offering,” she says.

It’s a slick presentation, with video shown from the ships mixed with her words on what differentiates the two brands in terms of market segment, customer profile, demographics and the selling tools available. Plus lots of opportunity for Q&A from the dozen or so delegates, six of whom are home workers from Travel Counsellors.

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Scannella kicks off with the unique selling points (USPs) of the 15 ships in the HAL fleet, explaining: its market positioning - five-star premium “filling the space between luxury and mass market and equivalent to a BMW or Lexus car or John Lewis or Waitrose shop” the customer profile – “the premium traveller is not defined by age but by or income but by being discerning and well-travelled” its high quality amenities and service that are higher priced but still good value its style, with authentic furnishings of teak and marble, fine fabrics, fresh floral displays, five-star dining, extensive activities, more space and award-winning service

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She traces some of the 140-year history of the line and moves on to the typical guest profile, which is families in July/August and couples outside that period. She then drills down to the five pillars of excellence, which are the style and manner of dining the ships and accommodation, which is “25% larger than industry norm” service, which is always there but never intrusive destinations: worldwide; the key being HAL not only taking you there and but into the destinations activities: sophisticated enrichment and indulgence

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Scannella then runs a video, which is a new element of the training module, and which gives a behind-the-scenes look at HAL, aiming to illustrate all of the above points in closer detail. One thing it looks closely at is the On Location programme to help passengers immerse themselves in a destination. For example, bringing 24 varieties of pizza on board when calling in at Naples; the pastries, olives and Italian wine and music brought in at Sicilian ports of call; or learning to dance the tango when in Buenos Aires. Where the ships cruise is, naturally, a major part of the learning experience. Dover departures to the Baltics and Norwegian fjords are detailed – ten

AG E NT TR AI N I N G | CTN sailings a year - and the six new itineraries in Europe including seven new ports of call (such as Antalya in Turkey and Burgas on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast) and the 17 overnight calls including Barcelona, Istanbul, Athens, Stockholm, Venice and St Petersburg. Scannella peppers her presentation with titbits such as helping to sell Norway – which is expensive – by suggesting passengers take a morning excursion and get back on board for lunch; and how agents can double their commission when passengers choose a Collector Voyage; or sell the 113-day Grand World Voyage by promoting the fact that Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be on board for five days of it. She concludes the HAL presentation by flagging up the new Pinnacle class ship arriving in 2016 and looking at the selling tools available to agents. The FlightEase booking system with immediate confirmation, the two fare types (flexible and restricted), group rates, affinity groups, Explore 4 promotions and the web banners and adverts available to add to any email mailing. After a 30-minute tea break it was the turn of Seabourn to come under the spotlight: the six-star, 25-year-old luxury brand. “It’s all about space and the crew to guest ratio of 1:1,” explains Scannella. USPs here are the much smaller ships – with Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest each taking 450 passengers - a lectures programme called Seabourn Conversations, a new loyalty programme in which guests choose the benefits they want in their membership, high repeat guest ratios, predominantly couples, and the much higher commissions and profits per sale. The average Seabourn booking is £9,000.

Specifically, Seabourn offers: all-suite, contemporary, non-traditional décor own marina at back of ship with sea toys 90% of state rooms have verandahs (in the older ships) and there are full balconies in the newer ships spa facilities free ﬁne wines at all meals Seabourn moments, where staff anticipate guests’ needs ﬁve restaurants and dine when and with whom you want world famous musicians and entertainers, chefs, wine-makers, astronomers and naturalists on board as part of the lecture programme intensive port explorations

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With Seabourn it’s not about moving guests from Silversea or Regent but introducing land-based guests who stay at Raffles and Mandarin Oriental and who are members of exclusive golf clubs. Seabourn’s traditional target market was 65-plus and with a net worth of £2 million. Today, however, the new target audience is aged 45-plus and with a net worth of £1 million. “They’re the people we want on Seabourn. We want the luxury traveller. They are more experienced and knowledgeable and travel three or four times a year,“ says Scannella. Hold on to them and keep marketing to them, she advises, suggesting sending out a newsletter. “It might only be to 50 people but you only need one booking. These travellers are eight times more likely to cruise than the general travelling population. And they may research online but always want to talk to someone and then book.” She advises agents not to discount

Seabourn: “The Seabourn guest wants your service and not necessarily the discount.” Just 12% of agents serve this market and any new agent will find their prospects in the luxury hotel guest. “Some of these hotel guests are not aware of the luxury, six-star, small ship environment and this is where you come in,” says Scannella. Agents are advised to undertake the six modules that make up Seabourn Academy, a CLIA-accredited online training programme. Agents also receive Seabourn Insider, a bi-weekly newsletter. There are online sales tools, such as ads, banners, videos and virtual tours on the Seabourn website, and the bookings of those passengers who re-book on board goes back to the agent to collect the commission. “Really useful”, “Really thorough” and “well worth it” were some of the comments voiced when Scannella closes her laptop. She promises to support any client evenings agents stage and hands out goody bags as they leave, a lot wiser to HAL and Seabourn and which clients they could target to go on board.

Dani Scannella

AGENT TRAINING | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | TE C H N O LO GY N EWS

Amadeus Cruise Shop expands

Amadeus is adding Hurtigruten to its Cruise Shop online booking system, taking the number of cruise lines using the new technology to 14. The system is also being enhanced to allow agents to amend and cancel bookings. That feature was previously only available to retailers who were also using the company’s 2001launched Amadeus Cruise booking system. Cruise Shop, which was launched at the Columbus Day cruise convention in Liverpool in September, has been designed to allow agents who know nothing about cruising to find voyages that meet their clients’ needs. Searches are done using criteria such as departure date, duration, destination and itinerary, even the preferred Caribbean islands, and return numerous suggestions that fit the bill for clients to consider. Agents will also be able to find cruises using lifestyle choices such as ships that suit families, the young at heart and foodies from this month. Amadeus head of marketing communication Rob Golledge said: “Agents want technology that matches how they work with clients. With Cruise Shop, anything the clients say can be put

into the system. It has been built around how people react so agents can work very naturally with their customers. “Agents can also stop anywhere through the process and the booking will be stored for when the client comes back. If the original agent they were dealing with is away, someone else can easily pick up the booking.” Golledge said around 500 agents have been trained to use the system since its launch, mainly via webinars. “We originally planned two-hour classroom training sessions but based on feedback we’ve moved to webinars and shortened it to 90 minutes, which shows how easy to use the system is,” he said. Around 80% of the trained agents are already using Amadeus Cruise as the company is processing Cruise Shop contracts for past customers ﬁrst, but Golledge promised that will change. “We have been a bit slow getting the contracts sorted because we were overwhelmed with demand. I guess we have been a victim of our own success. But we have streamlined the system

Dedicated rivers booking system unveiled A booking system that gives agents access to almost 70 river and niche cruise lines has been launched by Glasgow-based technology provider Traveltek. Part of the company’s iCruise suite of products, the technology allows agents to search for a river cruise by month, river, destination or company. Once a cruise is selected, clients can pick a cabin and agents can add ﬂights transfers, and pre or post-cruise hotels.

They can also deconstruct the river cruise companies’ own packages and create a bespoke holiday for their clients. Traveltek managing director Kenny Picken said he has been looking to develop a dedicated river cruise system for some time but it was ﬁnally made possible because the river cruise companies have invested in their own technology. iCruise - River Search uses Traveltek’s own content but takes live pricing through an XML

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and things will move quicker in January.” The system is free to agents, who pay a £1 per booking fee. A second webinar targeted at system administrators explains how to get new agents onto the system and ensure all users get details of their company’s cruise promotions and discounts. This training takes just an hour. For now agents can only book cruise-only voyages or cruise lines’ own ﬂy-cruise holidays on Cruise Shop, but Golledge said that will change, with further enhancements that will allow users to create their own ﬂight-inclusive packages. That functionality is available on Amadeus Cruise but not all cruise specialists have access to the GDS so that is an important addition for the trade. Amadeus will also be introducing a consumer version of Cruise Shop this year that agents can over-brand and put on their websites for past passengers who are happy to search for a cruise on their own to use. “A lot of clients want to talk to someone, especially if they have not cruised before, but it’s different for repeat passengers who know what they are looking for,” Golledge said.

Agents favourite Cruise Shop features

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The system shows upgrades so you can see at a glance the cost of a highercategory cabin. Searches can be based on date of departure. Content with maps can be emailed to clients so they can look before they book.

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feed from the individual river cruise companies’ websites. Picken said a deal with London-based Rescompany Systems gives Traveltek access to a potential 38 different niche and river cruise lines (the shipping companies have to agree the connectivity ﬁrst), in addition to Traveltek’s own customers. He added: “We released it when we did because there is big demand. A full-blown version will be available in quarter one this year.” The system was on show at the Clia UK and Ireland River Cruise Expo in Cologne in November and is live and available now, either as an add-on to iCruise or a standalone product. River cruise companies already signed up for the system include AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways, APT Cruising, Uniworld River Cruises, Viking River Cruises, Scenic Tours and Shearings.

Cruise Shop Putting you in control of cruise

Amadeus Cruise Shop really does put you in control Amadeus Cruise Shop is designed to fit around your business requirements with user-friendly displays and processes that are optimised for selling. Your productivity will increase and your agents can focus on delivering superior service without having to contend with slow or unfamiliar technology across multiple websites. Amadeus Cruise Shop offers the same easy booking flow regardless of the cruise line being sold. That means more speed, more efficiency and higher profitability.

Amadeus Cruise Shop makes searching, comparing and booking easy, fast and eﬃcient.

Amadeus Cruise Shop oﬀers real-time connections to the world’s leading cruise lines, including: Azamara Club Cruises Carnival Cruises Celebrity Cruises Costa Cruises Disney Cruise Line Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Holland America Line

Hurtigruten (coming soon!) MSC Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Oceania Cruises Royal Caribbean Seabourn Silversea

Visit the Amadeus Cruise Shop website today to learn more www.amadeuscruiseshop.co.uk

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | I N D U STRY O P I N I O N

Forget 2014, the following year’s the big one As 2015 is already shaping up to be a landmark year, David Selby asks... how Important Is 2014 on the cruise line crunchometer?

s most analysts and cruise line executives make predictions about 2014, I thought I would skip and go straight to 2015. I think it’s going to be a tough-ey for some. Amid all the excitement of the introduction of both Britannia and Quantum Of The Seas, two other factors will be in play, which from a yield standpoint don’t usually go well together.

First of all, there’s the extra capacity, but in addition there will be a major increase in fuel costs due to new EC rules on allowable sulphur content in fuel that can be burnt in the Baltic, parts of Norway, the North Sea and the English Channel. Depending on the size of the ship, this increase could well be in the region of $3 million per vessel per summer on like-forlike itineraries, against 2013. To offset such rises, cruise lines are likely to be reducing ship speeds in 2015 to conserve fuel. This means calling at fewer ports, often for shorter period, with more time at sea. Cost will be a bigger driver of itineraries than ever before. Add this factor to the capacity increases, and one can see a case why late discounting in the industry might still be with us in two years’ time. If so, it will mirror parts of 2013. As one cruise agency director put it to me last spring, prices achieved around April/May were at times “eye-wateringly low”, particularly to Norway and The Baltic. With 2014 programmes having been already released at that time, cruise lines and agents are – or should be – putting the right incentives in place to work to really drive bookings this January to avoid a repeat of last year. One of these incentives is commission. Carnival UK recently announced that it is to increase agent commissions up to 7.5% from 5%, with sales director Chris Truscott insisting that the original

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move was “not a mistake”. Leading industry figures took to Twitter to comment. Examples ranged from Travel Counsellors’ David Speakman quoting Bruce Lee, whilst Kuoni’s Derek Jones questioned how agents can claim as “good news”, an original start point of 10% going to 7.5%. Time will tell how much this move will work, but one senses it will not be an instant fix. However, the easing of Carnival UK’s payment policy is bound to help. This is a big year for MSC Cruises in the UK too. As new UK managing director Giles Hawke sets out to reassure agents of their importance to MSC Cruises, the Italian line has made a further commitment to the UK market by adding the 2,500-berth MSC Magnifica to its ex-Southampton portfolio for four sailings from next September alongside MSC Opera, with possibly more sailings in 2015. Overall, 2015 is going to be a big year, but 2014 needs to be really good to serve as a building block for cruise lines and agents alike, by minimising late discounting. This year will most definitely be a crunch year too! David Selby is managing director of Travelyields Consulting, which specialises in the improvement of revenue performance in the cruise industry. Twitter @davidselby1 David.selby@travelyields.com

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

No slash and burn this year Cruise lines must hold their nerve over pricing this year, says Advantage’s Claire Brighton

here’s no denying that we have faced challenges in the cruise market over the last couple of years. But with one in eight foreign package holidays taken by British travellers being a cruise and the fact that holidaymakers still prefer to book their cruise with a travel agent – with eight out of ten passengers choosing this method of booking – cruise is not only exciting but absolutely worth getting behind. Last year was an exciting 12 months for the sector with ship launches aplenty – Europa 2 from Hapag Lloyd Cruises, MSC Preziosa, Royal Princess plus not one but 10 launches from Viking - to name but a few. Each time one of these ships is launched it brings more exposure about cruise holidays to customers. The excitement continues into 2014 with more river cruise launches, this time from Avalon Waterways. Princess Cruises will launch Regal Princess in May and Quantum of the Seas will join the Royal Caribbean International fleet – and this

is just a small selection. As well as the new ships that will sail next year, there are exciting vessels on the horizon in 2015 that will go on sale this year, namely Anthem of the Seas from Royal Caribbean and P&O Cruises’ Britannia. Every time a ship launches the features the cruise operator manages to incorporate on board takes it to the next level, from the stunning Skywalk on Royal Princess to the bumper cars and sky diving on Quantum of the Seas. There are some really strong messages in the marketplace for January ranging from 2 for the price of 1 with Hurtigruten on its Classic Voyages to complimentary drinks packages with Celebrity Cruises. There’s even an ‘Enjoyment Promise’ with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines that gives customers who have not previously taken a cruise with the company the opportunity to receive their full cruise fare back if they are not 100% happy. January is a key time for sales and as an industry it is so important to ensure that as many bookings as possible are made early. We need to help end the growing trend for late bookings we seem to be experiencing for cruise. I would strongly encourage operators to hold their nerve and not slash their prices to the levels we saw in 2013.

Cruise is an aspirational product so let’s make sure it remains as such. Our wish for agents would be not to discount the cruise product but sell on service and make yourself indispensable to your customers. Claire Brighton is senior commercial manager for Advantage Travel Partnership

JANUARY 2014 | ISSUE 45 | CRUISE TRADE NEWS |

CTN | MAR I E C E LE STE

From DJs t o the Pri nce’s Trus t.. . Look what was waiting to welcome MSC Divina when it arrived at its new year-round home in Miami. A ﬂeet of Fiat Cinquecentos – on water! It was a show-stopping entrance that would have made actress Sophia Loren, the ship’s godmother, proud. I wonder what look Southampton will come up with when it welcomes Oasis of the Seas later this year. It has a lot to live up to.

To the old adage, ‘Never work with children and animals’ add, ‘or radio DJs’. I refer to an ‘interview’ between DJ Lauren Laverne, and Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Adam Goldstein to announce that Anthem of the Seas will be sailing from Southampton when it launches in April 2015. It was all going so well, if a triﬂe stilted. And then Laverne started to ad-lib and we found out why the exchange had been so scripted. ‘So you’ll be able to sail straight from the UK to the Mediterranean,’ she gushed. To think no one has ever thought of doing that before!

Royal Caribbean’s news about Anthem was almost upstaged by the Heron Tower in the City of London, where the announcement was made. To borrow Royal’s own vast lexicon, ‘Wow’. I arrived for a pre-announcement interview with the bosses and was whisked non-stop to the 29th ﬂoor in an all-glass lift, which took me to a glass-fronted lobby area way up in the sky. I’m sure there would have been a great view if I had dared to look. Whether it’s the river cruise expo, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem party, Clia UK’s Liverpool

Columbus Day or annual dinner in London, there is one person who is always there (apart from yours truly of course). Life would not be the same if he wasn’t. But imagine my surprise when the boss of Traveltek attributed the launch of the company’s new river cruise booking system to the same man. “It was Phil badgering me that led to us to create iCruise for rivers,” Kenny Picken admitted. Mr Nuttall, take a bow! Talking of the river cruise expo, there was a bit of harrumphing next to me when Clia UK & Ireland boss Andy Harmer said the baby boomer generation born between 1946 and 1964 did not know war or rationing. Not quite true given rationing in Britain didn’t end until midnight on July 4 ,1954. It could have been worse. He could have asked agents to learn the “river dance”. Oh wait … Congratulations to Cunard, its passengers and crew for raising £1 million for the Prince’s Trust. The line’s association with the trust was established when the Duchess of Cornwall named Queen Victoria in December 2007. I was there at the naming ceremony (and so excited to see the then Carnival Corp CEO Micky Arison coming up the stairs in front of me, I didn’t notice Charles and Camilla in front of him!) and was honoured to be invited to a lunch on board Queen Victoria to see the cheque handed over.

To us it’s just a blanket with Cunard’s name on it, to Mylene Paquette it’s the item she was unable to squeeze onto her boat when Captain Kevin Oprey, master of the Queen Mary 2, came to her rescue after she lost her anchor and satellite phone in a storm while attempting to become the ﬁrst North American woman to row solo from Canada to France. As well as replacing the lost items, QM2 donated fruit, vegetables, chocolate, water and other provisions, but the blanket had to wait. Captain Oprey was ﬁnally able to hand it over when Mylene was back on dry land after 130 days at sea.

| CRUISE TRADE NEWS | ISSUE 45 | JANUARY 2014

And ﬁnally…

News reaches me that former CTN editor Barry Cain has written his ﬁrst novel, a racy crime story with the intriguing title ‘Wet Dreams, Dry Lives’. Apparently there is not a cruise ship in sight but if you want to know more, the ebook can be downloaded from Amazon, price £1.90.