Olaf Groeger tells Sam Ballard how Columbia Cruise Services is making a big noise by staying small
This article was first published in the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Spun out of Columbia Shipmanagement two years ago, Columbia Cruise Services is able to offer clients the best of both worlds: the hunger and flexibility of a start-up, combined with the heritage and knowledge that a firm like Columbia has earned across multiple decades.
“We aren’t trying to be the biggest company, but do want to be the best,” says Olaf Groeger, managing director of Columbia Cruise Services. “I want to come up with quality third-party ship management. We are open and transparent. We have a lot of knowledge and as a start-up, we are independent, but have the benefit of 30 years of experience. We know what we are doing and we try and channel that properly.”
In a short two-year period, the company has managed to establish everything from tailor-made manuals on bridge or general operations to a sophisticated client portal to allow what Groeger describes as ‘full transparency’ for his clients. Essentially shipowners can log in from anywhere in the world and read up on the vital statistics of their hardware – from vessel performance to checking who is onboard.
“We don’t just arrange the MOT for your car, but also manage the asset itself,” explains Groeger. “With a certain budget we can increase the asset in value, rather than decrease it.”
That’s one of the reasons why staff numbers have grown 213% in two years while business on the books has soared by 300%.
“We are purely dedicated to passenger shipping,” Groeger says. “We offer full management. Not dancers or shop assistants, but deck, engine and hotel management – everything behind the scenes. We manage the actual asset.”
“With some of our clients we offer the catering through a partner such as Apollo out of Miami,” he adds. “That’s because we don’t want to go out into the market claiming we can do everything. That would be entirely the wrong message. I believe the future is specialisation, I honestly do. You must become an expert in a certain area.”
For Groeger that specialisation is even more focused than passenger shipping. He sees Columbia Cruise Services as moving into expedition-style cruising over anything else and it has led to some big wins – the biggest of which is on the verge of being announced.
“Regardless of whether it is three, four or five stars, I want to give the best service within that segment,” he remarks. “In terms of quality I will be at the very top whether it is three star or five star. You can only achieve that if you partner with companies with a similar philosophy. I’m not geared towards doing everything and I don’t want to be either.”
The philosophy marks something of a sea change in the way companies have operated in the past. No longer is it the case that firms need to be all things to all people at the expense of developing expertise. For Columbia Cruise Services the future is about expertly setting its own course.