Cruises without the crowds
There’ s a new way for the crowd-averse to set sail—and it doesn’ t require chartering your own yacht.
In an effort to woo one per centers from smaller luxury lines, a wide range of mainstream cruise companies are investing in all-suite cruise enclaves, creating a semi private ship-within-a-ship experience for the pickiest of premium passengers. These VIP areas currently makeup a tiny proportion of the overall state room count. On MS C Cruises, the Yacht Club comprises just three percent of the brand’ s total inventory. On Princess, the Club Class Suites and so called Mini-Suites makeup four percent of all cabins. And on Celebrity, Suite Class accommodations tally seven percent on the current fleet. But the number is growing steadily, thanks to strong( and climbing) demand and better margins. Just this month, Celebrity announced a $500 million, four year investment that covers, among other things, a fleet wide expansion and renovation of Suite Class staterooms and common spaces. And even mass-market brands such as Norwegian and Carnival are getting in on the trend, with exclusive areas that can lure passengers from pricier—or evensmall-ship—competitors.
Demand for on board oases
Traditionally, the way to a crowd-free cruise has been via a luxury small-ship company like Silver sea or P on ant. On such trips, you might be surrounded by only 200 other passengers, making for less pool side jostling. The flip side: You might have access to only one restaurant for the entirety of your vacation. Suite classes offer an intimate experience—think private pool deck sand butler service—plus preferential access to a mega ship-size lineup of restaurants and entertainment offerings. It’ s like a hotel club floor, just at sea. “Being on a small luxury cruise is a different experience ,” explains Gianni On ora to, chief executive officer of MS C Cruises. In his ships’ Yacht Clubs, he says ,“passengers still have privacy and exclusivity when they want it, but they can take advantage of amenities that smaller ships can not afford.”
Broadening the Cruise Appeal As much as suites setup the temptation of cosseting you away from there st of the cruise population, that’ s not the point.
“We’ re creating a best-of-both-worlds experience ,” says Celebrity’ s A bel. Celebrity Edge will have 29 culinary venues, an enormous main pool deck, and a roof top garden; its full services pa will have a special thermal suite with eight different therapeutic areas including a ha mm amanda “crystalarium” forenergy healing. Butit’ sthe suites, hesays, that are helping to attract“new-to-cruise” travellers with high standards for service—a key target market for most industry executives.