meet

meet

the

MD

This week: Richard Esdale – Peter Deilmann River and Ocean Cruises

This week: Richard Esdale – Peter Deilmann River and Ocean Cruises

Age: 66

One eventually reaches the age of discretion and naturally seems to gravitate towards smaller ships and niche products.

There is an excitement and romance associated with water-borne travel not equalled by other forms of travel or holidays.

Following a service period of over 30 years with the major British cruiselines, the sunset of my career is devoted to a privately owned German shipping company offering three niche products on the British market.

My service with P&O spanned the end of the ocean-liner trade between Australia and Britain, with thousands of young Australians making a pilgrimage to Britain and mainland Europe.

Subsequently, the company opened up a service to the US across the Pacific and shortly after this, as the liner business began to diminish, there was a gradual switch to cruising. This has seen a growth rate beyond the wildest dreams of ship owners at that time.

The camaraderie within the P&O group’s shipping brands was exceptional and the friendships and bonds established have lasted for more than 40 years. Interest in the affairs of the company have remained constant, stimulated by family succession.

Additionally, the travel industry contacts made during this time and the experience gained has stood me in good stead for the companies for which I have recently worked.

With maturity there is an enormous appeal working for a relatively small company where the owner is hands on in all spheres.

The Peter Deilmann company operates a fleet of eight deluxe river vessels sailing on the four main river systems of western and central Europe, the Rhine, Danube, Elbe and Rhône.

The great appeal of river cruising is its sheer convenience for sightseeing in Europe. There is always scenery to look at on both sides of the vessel, and with picture windows everywhere the scenery is never out of sight whether you are in your cabin, on the deck, or in a public room. Also you arrive in the heart of the city or town, rather than in the dock area of a harbour.

Our appeal is to the mature, discerning client who prefers to travel in some degree of comfort, expects a high standard of personal service with excellent cuisine, and yet only unpacks once.

There is also the appeal of travelling with a relatively small number of passengers – no more than 200 – and enjoying the international mix.

River cruise customers tend to have different expectations and tastes to the conventional cruise passenger, although there is some crossover.

Peter Deilmann’s five-star cruiseliner, Deutschland, is a unique concept and is quite possibly the most beautiful cruise ship in the world, with a décor which reflects the gracious age of liner travel of 1920s and 1930s.

It appeals to the more sophisticated and cosmopolitan client who enjoys cruising in a European environment, and in the company of just 500 passengers.

Deutschland cruises the four corners of the world with a six-month season in Europe.

Finally, the third of our niche products is an elegant sailing ship – Lili Marleen. It has capacity for just 50 passengers and a crew of 25 in attendance, providing a genuine sailing experience with manual operated sails, and offering considerable comfort.

The vessel cruises the Mediterranean in the summer, and the Persian Gulf in the winter.

The company’s policy is not to offer discounted overrides and therefore, all agents have an equal chance to sell our cruises, which should have considerable appeal for smaller, independent travel agents who sometimes feel they are unfairly treated by the larger cruiselines.

My view is that the future well being of such agents will depend, to a large extent, on servicing discerning clients who expect expert help with their travel needs and for those agents to be aware of, and knowledgeable about, niche holiday products.

CURRICULUM VITAE

1952: joined Orient Lines in Sydney, Australia.

1961: company merged with P&O.

1962: transferred to London office of P&O atown request.

1983: appointed general marketing manager for P&O Cruises.

1985: departed P&O involuntarily!

1986: appointed UKdirector for Peter Deilmann Cruises.

1988: moved to exhibition cruiseline Society Expeditions as UKdirector

1995: rejoined Peter Deilmann River and Ocean Cruises as director.

1999: appointed as managing director.

MY TOP TIPS

&#8226 Always be enthusiastic.

&#8226 Make sure you motivate the staff for whom you are responsible.

&#8226 Maintain a thorough knowledge of your product.

&#8226 Understand who your potential customer is.

&#8226 Always be ethical in your business dealings.

&#8226 Keep a sense of humour and retain a sense of proportion.

&#8226 Maximise the potential of the job you hold and make sure you are enjoying it.

&#8226 Remember, the customer is nearly always right.