Luxury cruises and luxury travel

Market researches show, the luxury cruise and luxury travel market is booming.

by Earl of Cruise

For travel agencies and concierge travel agencies the luxury travel market is a secure bank, and the demand is still rising. And the customers are open to all offers - despite a new destination or a classic.

"Since years the luxury segment is a growing market, but with a very narrow target clientel. The purchasing power is growing and with that the needs, to spend oneself in leisuretime the best you can get," said Steffen Boehnke, Brand COO at AIRTOURS (TUI divission).

The coming bench marking luxury expedition cruise ships - own compilation of courtesy SCENIC, CRYSTAL, PONANT

Several international research companies, for trade as well touristic, published in the last time period a number of results with one conclusion - the demand for luxury travel products is steadily growing.

The German tour operator DESIGN REISEN experiences a growing of 30% for 2016. Similar with the luxury division of DERTOUR (subsidiary of the German grossist REWE), DERTOUR DeLuxe. THOMAS COOK SIGNATURE and THOMAS COOK SIGNATURE FINEST SELCTION, a rather new brand of THOMAS COOK, see the same climbing in bookings.

There is no definite destination to be seen, where the luxury customers want travel to - they go everywhere. And if there are new luxury offers in a new destination, with new and exceptional new offers for them, the demand is "springing up". Actually to be seen in SRI LANKA since ANANTARA, of MINOR INTERNATIONAL, and SHANGRI-LA did discover SRI LANKA as their target.

THOMAS COOK, promotion, web intro - courtesy THOMAS COOK SIGNATURE

The lust to travel is still unbrocken! It seems as if there are no frontiers ...

And everybody can see the rising of orders, and new vessels for the luxury and top end market - Business is good for the luxury cruise operators.

SILVER EXPLORER, ex PRINCE ALBERT II. - Source: Wikipedia (original seize)

The market leader in luxury expedition cruises, LE PONANT, just ordered four new 10,000 GT vessels for their fleet of expedition cruise ships. SCENIC, the Australian luxury tour operator for deluxe cruisers on the rivers, just ordered his first ocean going expedition cruise yacht. CRYSTALCRUISES, recently bought bei the GENTING GROUP, and known for its luxury cruises on the Seven Seas, ordered froom the own GENTING shipbuilder - MVWERFTEN, three 100,000 GT giants for 1,000 guests and 1,000 crew, with ice class. And to top this, CRYSTAL signed inhouse a construction for a 25,000 GT,200 guest super luxury yacht especially for expeditions. HAPAG-LLYOD, the self claimed market leader of luxury cruising, ordered two new vessels for destination and exploring cruises for 240 guests on board. SILVERSEA, after purchasing the SILVER EXPLORER, first named with them PRINCE ALBERT II., bought some more expedition cruse vessel, rebuild them and send them as SILVERSEA quality ships on expedition cruises. With the coming SILVER MUSE, in April 2017, they claimed to set new standards, as REGENT SEVEN SEAS did with the introction of the "world most luxuriest vessel of the world". This I doubt, as 750 guests in maximum will be served by 552 crew in max. And SILVERSEA anounced their departures in 2017 to be combined with a bus transfer to port of embarkation - from Germany!?! (A-rating: plus, B-rating: clearly a minus for the bus!)

the coming SILVER MUSE - courtesy SILVERSEA CRUISES

The most of the new ordered luxury cruise vessel are smaller than the average cruise vessel for the mass market. And these smaller vessels, even the monstrous CRYSTAL 1000,000 GT, 1,000 guest vessels can reach - by anchoring offshore - small destinations as Portofino or Bonifacio in the Mediterranean. And with these fewer passengers, the city businesses earn more than with the masses from the common volumers ...

Karl J. Pojer, CEO of HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES stated:

"Especially those routings with a mix of must-have-ports and those small, exceptionel ports, are on demand."

Le Bristol, Paris - courtesy OETKER COLLECTION

What is a luxury cruise or a luxury voyage?

The luxury travel since a long time is no longer the typical luxury hotel vacation. The focus is no longer in the opulence of the property, it is the first class service and treatment, what the luxury customer is asking for.

This demand is different as the customer itself.

beach joy - courtesy THOMAS COOK SIGNATURE FINEST SELECTION

The luxury tour operators and concierge travel agencies are specialised to served their customers wishes and whims. Primarily this clientele is asking for à-la-carte "solutions" and offers - tailor made! As for the super yachts, and cars - custom-made. E.g., a friend of mine, a lady, bought a TESLA and changed the colour to pink ... chaque un à son ... goût ... 

It is the experience what is counting. And these are fanned out wide. From the "normal luxury" offer to the individually tailored travel and cruise. Expedition cruises to the farthest corner of the earth, to destinations only accessable only be ship, family specials, private diner in the desert - with a chief, a night or more in an elephant camp or a wildlife park, combined with a city trip for a contrating visit of an opera performance or theatre show. A trip to Asia, with stop over in Tokio, visiting the three rated Michelin chief Jiro Ono, in his Sukiyabashi Jiro, and then off to Kamchatka. Or having an exclusive meeting and diner Placido Domingo. But too getting known to locals and their live and cuisine. Such I designed for a couple in the Sychelles. Or a night visit in the closed PRADO will be arranged and the gusts can discover the museum, guided, without disturbing onlookers in the night.

What those customers of the luxury clientele expect is minimum a business or better a first class flight, VIP service, limousine included, fast clearance of Visas and customs and a private tour guide. This for the cruise guests as well those which don´t go on cruise.

SEA DREAM of SEA DREAM YACHT CLUB CRUISES - Source: Wikipedia (orginal seize)

SEADREAM YACHT CLUB CRUISES offers its guests for example a winery diner, where the wine producer is on board and gives not only insider tipps, but too takes them on tour to his wine yard. Such an offer can´t be made for a greater number, or all guest on board ...

Luxus is defined the more and more and by "being and doing", and no longer by having, and showing off.

But is there a frontier? No, not even with the price ...
And all please the most enviromental saving as possible!

SEABOURN ENCORE, the restaurant - courtesy SEABOURNE CRUISES