15_ttg_lux_ Q&A 15/6/09 10:07 Page 15
What’s nEw with you? pricing also makes it attractive as people can
We are putting the new Admiral’s Suite into see what they are going to get for their money.
both yachts. SeaDream II had hers last year
and SeaDream I will have one when she How should SEaDrEam bE sold?
comes out of dry dock this June. The We don’t necessarily get our customers from
Q&A
Admiral’s Suites replace retail space we had other cruiselines – they may even be quite
onboard – our guests seemed to prefer to go anti-cruising. We encourage agents to think
shopping in port. The new suites have three about full charters, where friends and family
panorama windows and feature a separate or wedding parties can take over the whole
living-dining area – including dining table for yacht. Don’t sell based on what you think
four, an entertainment centre with flatscreen people can afford – you never know. I have
TV and a writing desk. written commission cheques of $150,000 to
agents, because they weren’t afraid to engage
What typE oF ExpEriEncE doEs in a big sale. We also make sure the agent
SEaDrEam oFFEr? gets 100% of the commission if a customer
Our philosophy is that of a fine boutique hotel rebooks directly with us while onboard. What
BOB LEPISTO that moves from port to port, with all the I try and get agents to think is: ‘I am the
Exclusive yachting might seem like a tough choices in terms of food and spa. We make responsible party to help this client have
sell in a recession, but once persuaded of the people feel as if they are on their own yacht, the best possible holiday they can.’
merits of a SeaDream Yacht Club experience, and we make it a very personal experience for
there’s no going back. April Hutchinson talks them. At the same time, it’s a social experi-
to the company’s president, Bob Lepisto ence and people also bond and make friends
for life onboard. The average age of our
customers is 49 but we get a lot of young
Is this JUST luxury cruising? honeymooners in their 30s too. It’s a mix of
SeaDream was formed with the intention of elegance and decadence, as we offer things
being different from any other cruise product. like champagne and caviar in the surf, but
Yacht Club is not a sentiment about size, but there’s nothing formal onboard. The spa is an
about lifestyle. All of us came from a cruising important element: of 95 crew members,
background and knew that was not what we eight are our Thai therapists.
wanted to be. It’s neither a cruise line nor a
private yacht. The term luxury is overused, so can agEnts gEt involvEd?
we prefer to say we offer an experience that’s Absolutely. We can expand the market for
outdoor and active, hip and sexy. As the cruise agents – if they think about customers who
lines move towards larger tonnage, our niche might usually consider villas or other land-
offering of accessible yacht experience seems based holidays, they can propose the yacht
one which is increasingly solid. experience instead. Our highly inclusive
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�"OOK�BY��!UGUST�4RAVEL�BY��$ECEMBER���SAVING�IS� ON�ACCOMMODATION�PORTION�ONLY�-INIMUM�STAY�OF��NIGHTS4ERMS� �CONDITIONS�APPLY
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