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Some hotel groups have long
been synonymous with
certain cruise lines. For
example, Leading Hotels of
the World and Crystal
Cruises; Relais & Chateau
and Silversea.
“It’s a good source of
revenue,” says Meenaz
Rooms with a view
Lilani, Executive Director
Global Sales EMEA for
Fairmont, Raffles, Swissotel
group. “Cruises have always
been a part of our marketing
Hotels worldwide are targeting cruise
mix as we have so many
hotels in ports, from Seattle
and Vancouver to Hamburg
business for pre and post stays, with facilities
and Dubai, but we strike
the deals on an individual
hotel basis.”
and services to match the best on board
In the Northern
European port of Hamburg,
for example, the Fairmont
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten
Report by Gillian Upton In Bonello’s case he’s up have other things to sell. Hotel is a preferred hotel
against the plethora of Hoteliers in Monaco have supplier of Hapag-Lloyd
cultural attractions, from a similar problem as cruises Kreuzfahrten with MS
It’s easier for
fortifications to churches, neither begin nor end in this Europa, MS Bremen and
on the island if he’s to ritzy French port. “It’s quite MS Columbus; Peter
cruise agents to
attract some of the half a limited as day visitors want Deilmann Reederei with MS
sell a capital city
million cruise passengers to walk, visit the Palais or a Deutschland; Sea Cloud
that dock In Malta’s natural museum then they’re gone,” Cruises and Cunard/Queen
tour than a visit
harbour each year. says Michel Cottray, Area Mary. For each of them the
Not only that, cruisegoers General Manager Starwood hotel offers room and
to an hotel so we are only on the island for a Hotels & Resorts in the breakfast only packages.
have to be more
day, arriving at 9am and South of France. He is also The cruise business
leaving by 3pm, as few General Manager of the 403- accounts for 2% of its
inventive
cruises actually begin here. room Le Meridien Beach annual business. “It’s not
says Edward
“We target the tour Plaza in Monaco. None- more or less difficult a sector
operators and local handlers theless, he has struck a to tackle than any other
Bonello, Director
to sell the hotel’s restaurants partnership with Seabourn segments,” believes Judith
and our Reef Club Beach offering specially contracted Fuchs-Eckhoff, Director of
Sales& Marketing Club and Lido so they can B&B rates for those who Sales & Marketing at the
for the Westin
have six hours by the pool or want to disembark and Hamburg hotel. ”It’s even
try some watersports,” extend their stay, and will easier because of the long-
Dragonara Hotel
explains Bonello. commence one with Star term planning required.”
in Valletta, on the
“We also try and tap into Clippers next year. Hotels’ sales effort needs
the cruisegoers next visit. Greater co-operation to start a year out, despite
Mediterranean
They only have a few hours between agent and supplier customers now booking two
on the island so they’ve could provide a real win-win and three months in
island of Malta. already been exposed to situation. The economic advance. The near
Malta and they’re an import- downturn is forcing the parity of the Euro with
ant target for us to convert beleaguered luxury sector sterling is causing other
H
is comments them to another stay.” hotels to target the cruise issues. “When you know
reflect the Bonello admits it’s not market, if they haven’t hotel prices are going to be
general easy. “Hoteliers need to be before, spurred on by its very high indeed say, in a
feeling that more proactive, with a burgeoning growth rates. port like Venice, cruisegoers
the market for better offering,” he says, At the same time, agents choose to stay on board,”
pre and post cruise and he believes hotels are keen to sell bigger, says Edwina Lonsdale,
stays requires more effort are not always on cruise more commission earning Managing Director
and creativity. agents’ radar as they cruise packages. of bespoke UK cruise
SUMMER 2009 | ITINERARY PLANNING | SHORE PROGRAMMES | PASSENGER HANDLING |
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