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Chris Zagorski Posts Tagged ‘leisure’
Norwegian Cruise Line débuts Epic ship for solo (and group) travel
It’s time to hit the open seas, solo. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic—with space dedicated specifically for solo travelers—had its first successful sea trail on February 14, 2010 (a day, ironically, dedicated to those in loving pairs…)
Norwegian Epic is considered the company’s largest and most innovative ship to date, and it continues to create excitement within the world of cruising. The new ship houses 128 “ultra modern studios” that will be targeted towards solo travelers and will include a special common area for those traveling by themselves. The rooms are expected to be priced at $799 for a 7-day cruise, a price point lower than what a single traveler would have to pay while staying in a double occupancy room.
Considering millions of adults travel by themselves each year (some estimates say 35 million), it is surprising the cruise industry hasn’t reacted sooner to this potential revenue source.
Do you think this will prove successful for the company? If Norwegian succeeds in attracting more single travelers, how quickly can the competition react in creating accommodations for those individuals interested in sailing the open seas without a travel companion?
Uncharted territory
Royal Caribbean has always pushed the envelope when it comes to innovations within the cruising industry. As the company that introduced self-leveling billiard tables, ice skating rinks and Flowrider surf simulators on its ships, it’s not surprising that the company continues to redefine cruising.
Royal Caribbean’s recent “redefinition of cruising” is the introduction of the world’s largest cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas. Termed the “most revolutionary cruise ship” in the world, the Oasis of the Seas took its maiden passenger voyage on December 5th, 2009. Some amenities that define Oasis of the Seas–not seen from any of the competition–include two-story loft suites, a zip-line on the ship and various themed “neighborhoods” that feature restaurants, shops and onboard activities. Oasis of the Seas will be positioned in the Caribbean for 2010.
Royal Caribbean is set on redefining the cruising industry and expectations of travelers worldwide. Its ships are luxurious and exciting, yes, but what about timing? With unemployment numbers still high and many consumers feeling financially strapped, are today’s vacationers truly interested in the biggest, the most exotic and the best? How can Royal Caribbean best position itself as providing that necessary and luxurious escape from daily life?
Cruising through tough economic times
Sun, swimming pools, all-you-can-eat buffets, nightly entertainment and access to exciting international locales? Sounds like a great cure to the economic blues.
Travel cruise lines are betting people will want to jump on board and escape the stresses of their daily lives. The travel cruise industry expects its track record of growth to continue through 2009, estimating a 2.3% increase in passenger volume for the year.
But how to appeal to spend-thrifty consumers? Direct marketing, of course! We’ve seen more travel cruise direct marketing campaigns hitting direct mail and email, especially earlier this year. (January to March is traditionally the busiest cruise-booking time of the year.) Even more significant: travel cruise lines are dropping luxury-focused, amenity-based advertising and emphasizing value and savings instead. Genius.
Mintel’s June 2009 report on leisure travel found seven in 10 adults who traveled domestically in the last year are now spending more time looking for travel bargains. So, can steep cruise discounts lure people away from “staycations” and onto the ship? Or will the travel cruise industry end up suffering from too much supply, not enough demand?