PL ANNER PERSPECTI VE When people describe a luxury cruise, they tend to focus on the ship’s elegant interiors, high-end amenities and fine dining restaurants, but often underestimate the crucial role the destinations and onshore excursions play in creating an overall luxurious experience. However, for a growing number of guests, the opportunity to visit off-the-beaten-track destinations and enjoy exclusive experiences is a differentiating factor when choosing a cruise. “Guests want to discover destinations that are more authentic than places on the popular tourist trails,” says Claudius Docekal, vice president of ocean deployment at Scenic Group, which includes Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises. “Of course, they still want to see iconic destinations, but we balance these voyages by including charming villages where they won’t be surrounded by dozens of tour buses,” he adds. According to Docekal, having smaller vessels that accommodate a limited number of guests provide Scenic Group with more destination options. “It allows us to explore unique places that larger yachts have to avoid, particularly because these communities are much more open to welcoming 100-200 visitors than they are to being overrun by thousands of tourists for a few hours each day,” he explains. Many of the tourist attractions and places offering unique onshore experiences – such as a visit to a chef ’s kitchen or an artist’s home – are more welcoming to small, intimate groups too. “It’s easier to deliver authentic and personal experiences to small gatherings of guests,” says Docekal. “We organise activities that enable small groups to explore the destination up close, often on foot, rather than travelling by ttour bus, where they may only catch a brief sighting of local monuments as they drive past. Thanks to the smaller size of Creating a sense of exclusivity Claudius Docekal tells Rebecca Gibson how the boutique size of Scenic Group’s ocean ships enable it to deliver itineraries with unique destinations and authentic and luxurious onshore experiences 6 2 Scenic Eclipse offers unique underwater experiences in its six-passenger submersible
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