THOMSON Cruises is targeting repeat cruisers in an effort to prevent its customers switching to traditional cruise companies by introducing a new range of itineraries.
First-timers currently make up almost 80% of Thomson’s passengers, according to cruise general manager Nick Lighton. But he said customer surveys showed two-thirds of Thomson passengers wanted to take more cruises with the operator.
Lighton said new itineraries had been developed to attract more experienced, discerning passengers. Cruises featuring the Panama Canal and the Rio Mardi Gras carnival appear in the operator’s latest brochure (Travel Weekly December 16 1998).
“It means we are going to come into competition with the traditional cruise lines because they have more unusual itineraries,” said Lighton. “What we have to do is make sure that Thomson – having introduced a new segment of the marketplace to cruising – doesn’t lose those customers. Otherwise, we will have just created new entrants for other companies to take from us.”
Lighton admitted Thomson was looking at whether to buy ships of its own rather than keep chartering them.