With a fleet of six ships, Seabourn’s intentionally boutique offering is striking a chord with a growing number of Kiwi travellers.
Launched in 1988 Seabourn was among the first ultra luxury cruise product launched and Rob Coleman, senior vp sales and trade, says the cruise line has ‘stayed true to delivering not just the ultra luxury people expect but with a crew that truly cares for guests and anticipates their needs so people feel very much at home’. Seabourn deliberately seeks to create a relaxed environment on board, says Coleman. In place of butlers it has ‘highly trained suite attendants’ and that is an intentional move. “… the verbiage isn’t as important as what we deliver underneath. And I think that is to our advantage that it has been sort of an unpretentious and approachable type of luxury experience.” The cruise line leans into a more casual environment on board, with an ultra-luxury standard of service and products. “Around the world there are people of high net worth that you may not think are in that echelon, and they want a more relaxed experience—and those are the people who we often find choose Seabourn.” It’s that less formal style of service that is said to be resonating with Kiwi travellers. “In our New Zealand market that relaxed style fits really well with our market,” says local Seabourn manager Belinda Clark.
. . . Expedition
Seabourn’s expedition product, too, has been gaining traction in the Kiwi market, with a combination of repeat and new-to-brand guests, says Coleman. “Of course, when you launch a new ship, a new product, like expedition, you make sure there’s a lot of market clarity and advisor education, and that work was done. So we are seeing expedition selling well.”
. . . Kimberley
The line’s Kimberley season is close to being a sellout, while Coleman says its Antarctica season on both ships was close to being virtually a sellout and ‘advanced bookings into the future in those destinations are also doing exceptionally well’. “So we’re getting the demand and we’re getting the notoriety for what we’re doing on board our expedition ships that we had hoped we would get. We’re there now.” Clark says agents have a lot more awareness around Seabourn’s expedition products now, and reports growing market demand.
