By
Anonym |
This article was first published in the Itinerary Planning Special Report 2016. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Martin Lister is quick to acknowledge that constantly thinking of new ideas for itineraries is difficult. “Some evolve from cruises that we already have in place and others, such as the more ‘wild and wonderful’ itineraries, are real Eureka moments,” he explains. “The big challenge is making sure that we can call at the new destinations and also that we are able to give our guests the right kind of experience, as we do not have any previous knowledge and expertise of operating within new destinations.”
Meeting this challenge requires a huge amount of preparation. “We research and inspect the port and the destination in order to be confident that we can call there and deliver the kind of experience that we want for our guests,” Lister says. “This means that we have to work extremely closely with the destination in order to understand what they can – and just as importantly, cannot – offer to us and our guests.
“We need to consider the safety and security aspects of calling at new ports, and accessibility to/from the port, and proximity to the town/city centre. Obviously, we need to understand what kind of shore experiences a destination is able to offer, and these should be for all appetites and abilities, as guests these days want a whole range of different experiences – including some more adventurous ones, such as kayaking in the Norwegian fjords.”
Indeed, the Norwegian fjords is one of the most highly demanded destinations for Fred. Olsen. “Such is the popularity of ‘fjords cruising’ that we are now offering it in many different countries, including Greenland, Iceland and Sweden, as well as Chile and New Zealand,” says Lister. “I would advise anyone interested in the fjords to look at the actual ‘fjords’ content, not just the ports of calls, as – for us – the ‘blue’ bits in between are just as important and impressive as the destinations themselves!
As well as offering a new five-night Norwegian fjords cruise from the Port of Tyne, Fred. Olsen is also offering guests a wide range of unique experiences. “We are seeing increasing popularity for our river and waterways products in France, Spain and Germany. This is river cruising from the UK, with all the benefits and comforts of a proper cruise ship. We can reach and berth in smaller ports, such as Seville, where other cruise lines have to dock at Cadiz and take guests on a long coach tour to the city.
“We also specialise in offering guests the chance to visit film locations featured in top blockbusters and hit TV shows, including James Bond’s Skyfall, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Braveheart, Game of Thrones, Broadchurch and Poldark, on our ‘UK set-jetting’ cruises.”