60 PLANNER PERSPECTIVE Perfecting the passenger port experience Hugues Lamy of Swan Hellenic tells Rebecca Gibson why it is crucial for ports to plan for the long term and work closely with the local community to ensure success when developing their cruise offering What makes a port popular with both cruise lines and its guests? Typically, cruise lines look for ports offering well-equipped infrastructure, accessible facilities, professional logistics services, and proximity to attractions and shore excursion options to suit all passenger preferences. Meanwhile, guests want to pass through ports quickly during both turnaround and transit calls, says Hugues Lamy, port operations director at Swan Hellenic. “Plus, they expect smooth transfers between turnaround ports and airports or railway stations, and they want transit ports to offer ship berths as close as possible to the downtown area of the destination or tourist attractions.” Each cruise line also has its own set of specific requirements when choosing destinations to include on its cruises. “There are many cruise companies in different segments of the industry – including lines that have big, resortstyle ships where the vessel itself is the destination, boutique brands that are focused on delivering high-quality experiences, and coastal or expedition operators that take passengers to offthe-beaten-track destinations,” says Lamy. “Swan Hellenic has two small, self-sufficient expedition cruise ships that accommodate fewer than 200 guests, so we don’t require any special onshore or port facilities. We’re able to berth alongside, anchor at tendering facilities or operate wet landings with Zodiacs, which means we can sail to remote destinations and land passengers as close to points of interest as possible. Consequently, when we’re evaluating destinations for our itineraries, our focus is on identifying whether they will deliver a high-quality passenger experience.” Rather than pursuing every type of cruise line, Lamy encourages ports to choose their preferred clients and carry out pilot cruise calls to determine the Swan Hellenic is able to operate wet landings with Zodiacs in destinations such as Isla Blanca in Peru
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=