Cruise Club: One-stop shop for cruising
The cruise specialist is adopting a multi-pronged approach to educate the consumer and train the travel trade at the same time. reports how it will serve the cruising needs of the Indian travellers.
TT BUREAU Cruise
specialist Cruise Club has been appointed as the preferred partner for polar cruising company Quark Expeditions in India. Established in 1991, Quark Expeditions specialises in expedition cruising to the Arctic and Antarctica. Tarique Hussain, Co-founder, Cruise Club said, “Quark Expeditions continues to be the only travel company to exclusively offer expeditions to the polar region. We have a special emphasis on polar cruising and we have taken
We hope to become a significant partner for the Indian travel industry in the cruise space
the lead to develop this segment. We anticipate that this segment will grow significantly in the next 2-3 years.” Cruise Club also recently introduced Embark 2013 - a cruise planner which aims to educate its travel trade partners on cruises around the world.
Elaborating on the potential of the cruise segment in India, Hussain said, “The market potential for cruising from India is very strong. However, the bigger question is the growth rate and current market size. Cruising is at a very nascent stage in India. Cruise companies globally are looking for new and exciting itineraries, and Asia is emerging as a popular choice to port their ships. Singapore has taken the lead in developing infrastructure, with the new cruise terminal, and cruise companies are following with increased deployment. What this means is that Indian guests have lot more choice closer to home, and we should certainly see a boost in Indian guests taking cruises as a result.”
Hussain also revealed that there is potential in both Tier-I and Tier-II cities in India for both mass and premium products. Cruise Club recently appointed a partner in Bengaluru and is looking to work with similar partners across the country, who are keen to grow the concept of cruising in India. Hussain stated, “Cruise Club can offer a one- stop solution for the travel agent’s cruise needs. And two, we don’t see ourselves as simply a cruise booking agent. We see ourselves as knowledge partners - cruise specialists who are able to guide and assist our partners to help select the right cruise for their clients.” Cruise Club has recently partnered with the Disney Cruise Line as well as with Crystal Cruises and it is also in discussion with a few river cruise companies. “2013 is about setting up systems and process,” Hussain concluded.