As the cruise ship building boom continues, matching the right client to the right vessel will become a vital skill for travel agents. Jane Archer reports
Travel agents who know their cruiselines will be the winners as the cruise ship building frenzy steps up a gear over the next four years.
More than 32 new cruise ships offering in excess of 80,000 berths will be available by the end of 2011:
- 2008: Seven new ships; total of 20,567 lower berths
- 2009: Eight new ships; total of 21,456 lower berths
- 2010: Eleven new ships; total of 30,456 lower berths
- 2011: Six new ships; total of 13,724 lower berths
That, and the fact that more cruiselines are sailing from UK ports this summer, means it’s vital for agents who want to cash in on the cruising boom to match the right customer to the right vessel.
P&O Cruises has six ships sailing from Southampton this summer, including the new 3,100-passenger Ventura; Cunard will have three, Princess Cruises two, Royal Caribbean International has giant ship Independence of the Seas and Norwegian Cruise Line is making its ex-UK debut from the port. Carnival, meanwhile, is making its ex-UK debut in Dover.
Celebrity Cruises head of field sales Michael English said: “There are cruise ships to suit everyone, but agents must make sure customers know the difference between the brands.
“They must understand that Royal Caribbean (sister line to Celebrity) is not just another cruiseline sailing from Southampton. Independence is a floating resort packed with activities that compete with land-based holidays.”
Cruiselines generally split into three segments: the traditional British ships sold by the likes of P&O Cruises, Ocean Village, Thomson Cruises and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines; US brands such as Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Holland America Line and NCL; and European-style cruising offered by MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises.
Within those broad definitions, each cruiseline chases its own market. Princess, for instance, targets 45-65-year-olds who want to be pampered, Royal Caribbean wants 25-45-year-old couples and families, while MSC Cruises would love the 40-45-year-old market.
MSC Cruises chairman UK and Ireland Peter Pate said: “We want a new, younger customer. It will happen, but it takes time. Cruising is not just for old fogies anymore.”
All the cruiselines also want first-time cruisers to expand the market, rather than simply snatching passengers from their rivals. Pate said: “We are just scratching the surface in terms of numbers. If we added just 1% worldwide, it would be a huge jump.”
Pate said agents must study the differences between the cruiselines, segment the market and understand what will suit each client. “That’s how they will get the sale.”
Princess Cruises head of brand marketing Pieter van der Schee said research among passengers sailing from Southampton last year showed most had a clear idea of what to expect from the cruiseline, and that cruise agents understand what Princess stands for.
He said: “Product differentiation does make a difference; passengers use it as an indication of what to expect and it works well for us.”
P&O Cruises, which has different styles of ship within its brand, has a tougher time trying to get the message across to agents that all the ships are
different.
At one end of the spectrum, Artemis is aimed at passengers who want a traditional cruise, while Ventura, to be named in Southampton next week, is designed for a new generation of young cruisers.
Head of brand marketing Philip Price said: “As the leading UK cruiseline, we sit in a massive market segment. We have to offer a home for traditionalists as well as young people who want a modern cruise with no rules.”
He added: “We rely on the trade to sell the right cruise to the right person but agents don’t always understand how our ships are different.”
To try to get the message across, P&O Cruises is hosting 5,000 agents on Ventura in the lead up to the naming ceremony, and has also invited 11,000 members of the public who have never cruised to come on board, along with a similar number of past passengers, so they can get a feel for the ship.
- More on cruising attravelweekly.co.uk/cruise
Is cruising safe from the credit crunch?
Agents might have to work harder to make a sale as the credit crunch starts to bite, but there’s no need to panic about falling sales.
Princess Cruises head of brand marketing Pieter van der Schee said: “There has been talk about falling house prices and the credit crunch since last summer but it’s not had a noticeable effect on sales.
“We know through customer profiles conducted by outside companies that our passengers have typically paid off their mortgage and have savings, so they benefit when interest rates rise.
“I am confident the growth we have seen over the past decade will continue. People love their cruises and will not give them up.”
Some 1.3 million Brits took a cruise in 2007 and the Passenger Shipping Association predicts that figure will to rise to 1.55 million this year.
Celebrity Cruises head of field sales Michael English said weekly sales for European cruises since January 2008 are up an average 15% on last year. “We will have to fight harder for our business, but our ships will not sail empty,” he promised.
Head of brand marketing Philip Price said P&O Cruises emphasises value for money during the credit crunch. “We are promoting the fact that people can cruise for under £100 a day,” he said.
Know your cruiselines
Princess Cruises: A less formal cruise with a wide choice of facilities and entertainment, high standards of service and a selection of dining options.
MSC Cruises: Its muted colours and décor are aimed at passengers who want style, who like to dress for dinner and not be pounded by frenetic activity.
Royal Caribbean International: Offers big resort-style ships with lots of activities, a choice of dining, a busy kids’ programme and plenty of bars.
P&O Cruises: Every ship is different, but the constant thread is the Britishness, from the choice of celebrity chefs (Gary Rhodes and Marco Pierre White), to the kids’ club entertainment (Noddy and Mr Men).
Norwegian Cruise Line: Freestyle cruising means you can leave the tux behind and dine when and where you want from a choice of 10 or more restaurants.
Ocean Village: The ultimate in casual cruising, with self-service breakfast, lunch and dinner, unless you want to pay for service.
