Standing out

Three cruise executives outline what will boost their growth
Standing out

By Rebecca Gibson |


Cruise operators must work harder than ever to differentiate themselves from the competition. Rebecca Gibson asks executives from three brands what innovations will boost growth for them in the coming years

What key factors drive consumer choice when booking a cruise?

Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, PR and guest services at MSC Cruises USA: According to a recent MSC survey, cruise customers are attracted by brands that offer excellent value for money, innovative onboard facilities, varied destinations, balconied rooms, gourmet cuisine and adventurous activities. One of our main differentiating factors is that the average age of our fleet is less than five years, making it the youngest in the cruise industry.

Lisa Kauffman, vice president of marketing at Celebrity Cruises: Destination is the number one driver for vacation choice. Our ships sail to all seven continents, enabling us to develop itineraries that feature an extensive range of popular and lesser known destinations. Other important factors are the onboard experience and the benefits a brand can offer. We’re passionate about offering unforgettable experiences that combine the very best of the land and the sea, so our cruises offer an authentic way for guests to visit different parts of the world, try new activities and immerse themselves in other cultures. For example, our new ‘Journey to Three Continents – African Safari, Turkey and the Black Sea’ voyage is unlike anything we’ve offered before. We will reveal more itineraries this year.

Maria Grimardi, vice president of marketing at Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: Destination is obviously important, but there are other factors that determine the final choice of operator. These include the length of cruise, desired inclusions, and the level of service one expects. Uniworld offers many choices of all-inclusive itineraries, fine dining, boutique ships, complementary hosted shore excursions, transfers and attentive service, all of which define the Uniworld experience.

What are the most exciting areas of business growth for your company over the coming years?

Muskat: This is definitely one of the most exciting times MSC has ever experienced. We’ve just completed a major ten-year expansion and we’re about to embark on a €5 billion multi-ship-class expansion, which includes converting four existing ships and constructing newbuilds at STX France and Fincantieri. By 2022, we will have increased our fleet to 12 ships and will have the capacity for around 80,000 passengers a day, helping us to maintain our position as one of the industry’s fastest growing brands. We’re very excited about the two 5,300-guest newbuilds on order at Fincantieri, which are due for delivery in November 2017 and May 2018. Codenamed Seaside, they will be the largest in the industry and despite their size, will be able to berth in any port. One of the most revolutionary features will be the sea-level promenade that circumnavigates the ship with outdoor spaces, shops and restaurants. When combined with the space created by multi-level staterooms and central promenades, this will enable guests to enjoy the experience of being on the water.

Kauffman: We recently introduced the largest Canyon Ranch SpaClub offering at sea to provide spa, fitness, beauty and wellness facilities onboard ten of our ships. This has allowed us to provide new treatments, fitness consultations, group classes and wellness programmes to our guests. It will offer significant growth potential, especially as we introduce additional SpaClub services to create a more holistic approach to our guests’ wellbeing. Our guests are also passionate about cuisine and wine, so we have expanded our partnerships with the James Beard Foundation and Bravo Media’s TV competition series Top Chef. In July, we introduced Quickfire Challenges and Top Chef-inspired menus that will be available on every ship, except Celebrity, until June 2015. Former Top Chef contestants will provide cooking demonstrations on four upcoming cruises. We’ll also debut other new culinary and entertainment offerings.

Grimardi: The popularity of river cruising has risen exponentially over the past decade and Uniworld continues to adhere to a sustainable growth philosophy. In 2014, we introduced all-inclusive cruising in Europe, which has been well received by guests and travel agents. We also launched S.S. Catherine on the Saône and Rhône rivers in France and next year, we’ll launch her sister ship S.S. Maria Theresa on the Rhine and the Danube. 2016 will also mark our entry into India and we’ll add new destinations, more inclusions to our itineraries, and more special amenities onboard ships to ensure Uniworld continues to differentiate itself as a premier luxury river cruise line.

What are you investing in to retain existing customers and attract new ones?

Muskat: MSC Cruises is working hard to provide first-time cruisers, and experienced cruisers who want to try something different, with a great product that offers real value for money. While we still offer guests a Mediterranean-style cruise experience and partner with Italian brands to ensure consistency across our fleet, we’re tweaking the product depending on the destinations included on the ships’ itineraries and the primary source market. Many North Americans love the idea of a European-style ship but want familiar customer services, amenities and cuisine. When MSC Divina returned to the US, we introduced extended buffet hours, added popular North American foods to the menus, employed English-speaking staff and added new entertainment options.

Kauffmann: Our guests expect high quality standards during their vacation, from attentive customer service to luxurious accommodation, award-winning cuisine and shore excursions. To ensure we fulfil these expectations, we will continue to partner with like-minded brands and reward our guests’ loyalty with exclusive onboard benefits through initiatives such as the Captain’s Club programme. In 2015, we will introduce our new Suite Class programme, which will cater to suite guests who value privacy, personalised service, exclusive access to amenities and flexibility. Designed to create the ultimate luxury experience, the programme will offer guests the chance to enjoy 24-hour personal butler service, access to suites-only restaurants with exclusive menus, a VIP lounge and more.

Grimardi: Guests are attracted to Uniworld by our unique boutique ships, the convenient all-inclusive cruises, our reputation and the synergy we share with our sister company Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Uniworld handles all onboard operations and also has the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry, so guests know we’ll provide them with the highest levels of service, regardless of where they’re sailing. In addition, Uniworld offers exclusive excursions– such as a private lighting ceremony at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy – and we offer many options for guests to personalise their voyage. We regularly act on customer feedback and in responses to our guests’ preferences, decided to go all-inclusive. More than 30% of our guests are repeat customers, and some have even travelled with us on over 20 cruises, which indicates that we’re delivering an exceptional river cruise experience.

This article appeared in the Autumn/Winter 2014 edition of International Cruise & Ferry Review. To read the full article, you can subscribe to the magazine in printed or digital formats.


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