Tailor made cruises

thedailyherald.com

The cruise industry is moving to cater more directly to specific groups of cruisers such as offering a totally French Cruise Experience aboard, Bleu de France which sets sail in May, 2008.

Tailor made branding is one of the new niches being explored by the cruise industry, according to St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company (SHHC) Mark Mingo and Vice Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Harbour Group of Companies Michel Hodge. The two men are attending Seatrade Europe Cruise Convention in Germany where this new approach was unveiled.

During the first day of the conference, St. Maarten officials learned about Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) launch of a new cruise brand, CDF Croisieres de France, committed specifically to the French market.

“This is a very interesting development. French will be the language used on the ship. It will be a ship tailor-made for the French market. The onboard experience will be totally French, from cuisine to entertainment to décor,” Mingo said.

He added, “The European market is a diverse cultural market and we can expect to see more tailor-made brands developing.”

Cruise ship, Bleu de France, will have a Mediterranean itinerary when it is christened next year. Cruise will depart from Marseille, France, starting in Spring 2008.

It will shift to a Caribbean routing, sailing out of La Romana, Dominican Republic, beginning in Winter 2008/2009.

Mingo and Hodge also met with a representative of the Government of Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Jamla Humaid Al Falasi. They discussed trends and developments in the Middle East.

Dubai has its own cruise terminal since 2001 at Port Rashid and is able to handle up to two ships simultaneously.

Seatrade Europe Cruise, Ferry and River Cruise Convention, is an international exhibition and conference serving the cruise industry currently taking place at the Congress Centre of Hamburg, Germany.

Printable Version | published Sep 26, 2007

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