Things can only get better
Cruise lines know that luxury and the ‘wow’ factor are vital to keep travellers coming back, says Frank Barrett, as he savours a Rhine revelation
Four years ago, Ryanair launched an ‘always getting better’ campaign, an awareness that consumers were disenchanted with its attitude to customer relations (or rather the complete lack of customer relations).
In a competitive market, only the best – and the best behaved – survive. On the face of things, this would seem obvious to anyone aware of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
In the travel business, however, that hasn’t always been a guiding principle.
The big revolution in quality started 30 years ago. Faced with serious theme-park competition from the likes of newcomer Universal Studios, market leader Walt Disney embarked on a spectacular period of growth in the 1980s and 1990s.
The guiding philosophy was to ‘exceed visitors’ expectations’. During this era The Magic Kingdom and Epcot – the original Disney Orlando parks – were enlarged and improved, while new parks Disney Studios and Animal Kingdom were designed to astonish with their scope.
The Disney philosophy applied to new hotels and waterparks, which all had some quality of epic magnificence, with many designed by leading architects. Any first-time visitor to the Magic Kingdom, for example, was supposed to find it difficult not to gasp ‘Wow!’ as they got their first glimpse of Cinderella Castle and the other wonders dominating the view from the end of crowded Main Street.
The experience was designed to create the feeling that one visit would not be enough: there was so much to enjoy, you would need to return.
Cruising, particularly river cruising, is following a similar arc: operators have their own mission to impress and astonish. Companies can’t compete on the river and its tourist attractions – these are equally available to all operators (although not entirely, as we’ll see in a moment). The trick for the cruise operators is to offer an experience that surprises. This has led to a battle at the top end of the European
THE SHIP PROVIDES EXQUISITE FACIALS AND MASSAGES
river-cruise business to offer better ships with better cabins, restaurants and more interesting excursions (and more expensive prices).
The most interesting development is the arrival of operators making the move from ocean cruising with a new mindset. While Viking Cruises, the principal river-cruise company, has extended its operation to ocean cruising, Crystal has moved in the other direction.
Crystal has revealed how far it is raising the bar on river cruising with its new ship, Crystal Bach, the first of four new luxury ships to sail primarily on the Rhine and Danube.
Crystal Bach accommodates up to 106 guests in great luxury. The vessel is an exercise in maximising space, turning the extra room into extraordinary style. Guests have a variety of eating places to choose from but even if they opt for the main dining room, there are plenty of tables for two and lots for four that couples can have to themselves.
The attention to detail extends into other key areas – the planning of excursions and sightseeing trips.
The cruise I took was along a stretch of the Rhine unknown to me: from Rüdesheim to Basel, calling at Mainz, Speyer, Kehl, Breisach and Basel before retracing its steps back to Frankfurt.
At Speyer, in addition to the complimentary ‘Crystal Adventure’ to historic Heidelberg for a walking tour or a trip to the Speyer Museum of Technology, guests could have a special behind-the-scenes visit to Schwetzingen Palace and Gardens and its famous Rococo theatre – a fascinating glimpse of German history.
At Kehl, the Rhine port for Strasbourg, we were treated to a special visit to Strasbourg Cathedral and an organ recital. It was also possible to arrange your own little adventures.
At Breisach we caught a train to Freiburg, a wonderful old Black Forest city with a medieval heart criss-crossed by tiny brooks that cut through the cobbled streets.
The highlight was an organised tour from Basel to Vitra Design Museum and ‘campus’, a few miles outside the city, best known these days for producing the Eames lounge chair. For furniture connoisseurs, this is a fascinating experience and typical of the excursion programme assembled by Crystal.
Perhaps they realise that to tempt passengers away from the glorious comforts of the ship, the excursions have to be particularly alluring.
And as if the high standard of cuisine offered three times a day from the on-board restaurants wasn’t enough, the ship also offers tours to some of the best restaurants in the area (at Basel you can choose to dine at the city’s Michelin-starred Bel Etage).
It also probably goes without saying that the ship provides exquisite facials and massages at the onboard Crystal Life Spa. There is also a plunge pool and a fitness room.
The upper deck is a vast space distinguished by what is a ‘pop-up’ bar (river cruise boats have to be ready to trim their height in order to slip under low bridges!). The sight of a bar rising out of the floor fully formed has the air of a traveller’s fantasy about it.
Even the most fascinating furniture museum or Michelin-starred restaurant might not prove sufficiently alluring when a bar rises up before you offering you the perfect drink and a front row seat on Europe’s most fascinating river.
It’s hard to see how anything could improve on this…