Regent Seven Seas Cruises bosses have dismissed fears that the luxury cruise market is in danger of overheating with too much capacity despite the launch of three Six Star ships over the next nine months.
Speaking at the unveiling of Regent’s new $450 million ship, Seven Seas Explorer, president and chief operating officer Jason Montague said the luxury sector accounted for 2.3% of market capacity in 2013.
“In 2020, this actually falls to 1.78% because of all the larger ships being introduced that now cater for 4,000 or 5,000 passengers,” he said.
“They cannot deliver the same level of service and consistency as smaller ships, so it is a really important time for the luxury market.”
Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive of parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, stressed that the launch of Explorer, which will be followed by new ships from Seabourn and Silversea, coincided with a shift in attitude towards affluent lifestyles.
“Luxury is back... and I would like to think this ship is a trophy to that movement,” he said.
Del Rio said that Explorer’s spacious surroundings, crew to passenger ratio and attention to detail were some of the key factors that made it the world’s most luxurious ship and he dismissed rivals such as German line Hapag-Lloyd’s equally luxurious Europa 2.
“That’s a German ship and not an American ideal of luxury,” he said.
“We are appealing to the North American market, which accounts for 80% of our business.”
He said the UK was now Regent’s second-largest market at just under 10% of its business.
UK managing director Graham Sadler said a string of activities are planned to promote the new ship to the trade with more than 100 retailers sailing on Explorer this summer, plus day visits in Civitavecchia and other Mediterranean ports.
Agent roadshows and training events will follow and in 2017, when Explorer comes to the UK and Northern Europe, there will be more chances for agents to get onboard.
*Regent’s sister brand Oceania has been granted permission to cruise to Cuba and the line will launch sailings on Regatta by the end of the year, with Marina to follow in 2017.
Its other sister line, Norwegian Cruise Line has also been approved for 2017 sailings to Cuba. Itineraries will include circumnavigations of the island.
