Northstar

FEATURE www.travelweeklyweb.com have introduced a number of innovations to offer a truly personalised experience. Guests can enjoy their own butler service in all suite categories, they can customise shore excursions through the Silver Shore Concierge and opt to dine when and with whom they choose. "In today's competitive cruise market, guests are constantly seeking new destinations and experiences and there is a growing demand for adventure cruising aboard dedicated vessels that can visit more off-the-beaten-track destinations, ranging from the Antarctic and Amazon through to Zanzibar. Our Expedition ship, Prince Albert II is a perfect example of catering to this niche market and since launched has been virtually all sold." There are also notable differences in the Anthony Chan therefore completely avoided as guests know, trust and believe in the Silversea experience." Thus what can cruises offer which land based products cannot? Choices, convenience and conviviality as rely on word of mouth recommendations that overcome the misconceptions as well as repeat customers. Said Dario Rustico, vice president Sales & Marketing, Costa Cruises Pacifi c Asia Operations, "Repeat customers are important because that means that we have achieved customer satisfaction. It is very important to retain clients and 30 percent of our business is from repeat customers." Added Yap, "At Silversea customer loyalty is a huge factor in our marketing – over 65 percent of guests have travelled with us before so we market strongly to them and rely on the 'word of mouth' endorsement that they give our product. Perceptions and misperceptions are www.travelweeklyweb.com a vacation option: friends, families and groups can get to enjoy a multiple of activity and relaxation options onboard together or explore separately in own free time, while all onboard. In addition, young guests can be taken care of so that parents can relax on their own while travelling with them. The freedom and fl exibility to experience and try out as many activities onboard as one likes, or just to relax, at one's pace and time, no need to rush through unlike traditional land-based package tours. The unique excitement and anticipation of cruising into ports when a ship arrives at each destination. A unique way of catching the beauty of coastlines and ports up close from open deck or own cabin's balcony/ window. It is hassle-free as you unpack only once on a journey of multiple destinations and often across different countries. Added Yap, "Cruising represents great value for money, especially at the top end of the market like Silversea with all inclusive fares. Guests unpack once and we move the scenery – this is the key message. "In the luxury segment where Silversea operates, there is more demand than ever for ships to be a home-away-from-home for guests, with space, comfort and privacy commanding a premium. With Silversea, travel by sea is akin to staying in an exclusive five star hotel and we tastes of travellers between the East and the West and the cruise liners try to cater to these. For many Asian guests, some form of onboard enhancements would be necessary to suit guests' tastes and preferences. Asian cuisine is offered amongst the menu with international dishes, crew are fluent in Asian languages, signages and announcements are in Asian languages for language assistance. More visual entertainment which has no language barrier is preferred by many of its Asian guests. Also more guests travel in multi-generational family groups. Royal Caribbean International is just one of the highly suitable cruise brands with its family-oriented cruising style. Notable trends have also emerged in cruising as we are in a new decade. Cruising is the fastest growing sector of the travel industry and, as the sector has matured, the demographic has changed and distinct niches have emerged to meet consumer needs. On one hand, ships are getting bigger, with huge resort-style ships having wide appeal to holidaymakers of all budgets. At the other end of the scale, the top segment of global travellers is looking for a boutique environment where they can enjoy higher levels of service and attention, away from the crowds. 'Lifestyle' is the current buzzword in cruising Edward Liu and the luxury sector carefully catering to guests' demands. Typically they are connoisseurs of wine and food and they expect a choice of gourmet dining options, hence a wide range of restaurants is offered aboard our fleet. Guests also seek similar standards of space and comfort onboard as they have at home, thus the demand for bigger suites with state-of-the-art facilities such as high quality bedding, fl at screen televisions and Wi-Fi. Wellbeing is also of prime importance to today's traveller. Top quality spa facilities and wellbeing offerings such as healthy spa cuisine and fitness facilities and activities are high on the agenda as vital services to guests. 18 JANUARY 2011 | TRAVELWEEKLY ASIA ■ | 5

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