20 May 2008

Ultra luxury line plans new ship

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is in talks with three European shipyards about building a new, larger ship.

The ultra-luxury brandÃ¢â¬â¢s president Mark Conroy revealed plans for an 800-passenger vessel, including a whole deck dedicated to a spa area, for delivery in late 2011 or early 2012.

Speaking during the UK Cruise Convention in Southampton, he said an announcement could be made as early a next month.

The US company, acquired by Apollo Capital Management in January, is riding on a wave of popularity for up market cruises with 2009 sales claimed to be 100% up prior to next yearÃ¢â¬â¢s brochure being published.

UK passengers make up to 10% of total travellers carried on RegentÃ¢â¬â¢s 700-passenger all-inclusive vessels, plus two smaller vessels, with an average spend of Ã&#pound;4,500.

The company used the convention to issue details of an expanded 2009 Ã¢â¬ËœMasterclass SeriesÃ¢â¬â¢ which enables passengers to tailor-make cruises from 27 individual itineraries, an increase from 24 this year. The concept enables passengers to create their own cruise by combining anything from two to seven individual cruises together for up to 121 nights.

The lineÃ¢â¬â¢s marketing manager Cecilia Abert also used the convention to highlight price comparison between a 116-night trip on board Seven Seas Voyager costing Ã&#pound;33,805 Ã¢â¬' or Ã&#pound;291 a day all inclusive Ã¢â¬' with a 105-night trip on CunardÃ¢â¬â¢s Queen Victoria costing Ã&#pound;31,082 Ã¢â¬' or Ã&#pound;296 a day before paying for extras.

She said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœThis shows that we are not more expensive than at a similar level on other ships. Ultra luxury is affordable against other ships afloat.Ã¢â¬~

Regent, which carries 70,000 passengers a year with an average age of 56, believes world cruises are increasing in popularity as people are living longer and are able to stay in touch from where ever in the world through internet and mobile phone connections.

The lne claims that 70% of world cruise passengers are repeat customers and that 97% of overall passengers say they would travel with the company again.

by Phil Davies