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Cruise Newsletter - October 2005/2
The most recent ship inspection reports added to our library: Wind Surf in the Mediterranean - Submitted by Jim Huff Enchantment of the Seas - Submitted by Jim Castle
The Chicago trade show "IT&ME Show" Once again Worldwide participated with a booth at the Chicago Show.. and once again we noted that the show continues to shrink. Not only were buyers in short supply, but also many of the exhibitors had cut their booths down in size or in a number of cases simply not participated. It begs the question - has the day of the big trade show gone the way of the dinosaur - or, does the shows management company and exhibitors need to do more to encourage visitors. In November Worldwide will be exhibiting in Barcelona, Spain at what is basically the European version of the Chicago show, it be interesting to see if The EIBTM fares any better than did Chicago. The EIBTM does have one ace up its sleeve as it uses some of the revenue obtained from the exhibitors (as well as a lot of good will from its travel partners) to fly in buyers to attend the show and in some cases do European site inspections. From our view point, the show does give our staff the opportunity to meet with some of our clients who we rarely catch up with - liken it to a multiple sales call without having to travel the length and breath of the country to meet with our clients.
To office or not to office I am sure that many of our clients are seeing the same things we are, namely, the way we all do business has changed dramatically. The internet, email and mobile phones, on-line conference meetings, mean we do not need to be sitting in our offices to do business, nor do we need to face to face with our suppliers or buyers to close a deal. With so many people in our industry working from home one wonders if an office is even a necessity other than to store the essential paperwork as most everything is accessible through our own data bases over the net, even routine sales meetings can be held at a convenient rented meeting location. Of course larger companies may need to have an office to house their managerial staff. Think of the money saved in not having to run an office.....
Cruise Lines get on the wagon In response to the growing trend of special-interest travel, several cruise lines are upping the ante by adding diverse theme cruises designed to sate every vacationer's curiosity. Theme-cruise topics run the gamut – World War II veterans might visit historic battle sites, speed junkies can ride Harley-Davidsons in the Caribbean, golfers can play some of the world's most famous courses, and antique enthusiasts can find hidden treasures at ports around the globe. In many cases, theme cruises feature onboard lecturers or celebrities – from big names in cinema and literature to renowned academic scholars and sports icons. Theme cruise passengers enjoy workshops, special events, autograph signings and in-cabin video programming, all tied into the theme and at the same time enjoy fine dining, entertainment, accommodations and nightlife offered aboard the ships.
For some time now we have been
mentioning in this news letter unique buy-in opportunities which our
clients can offer their corporate accounts for incentives and
motivational programs. Currently we have the Ryder Cup in
Ireland, the Monaco Grand Prix as well as Superbowl, America's Cup
and a number of musical cruises - rhythm & blues, jazz etc.,
opportunities - call our office for details.
Big Hike In Fuel
Surcharges
Little has been heard about the ongoing hurricane
restoration work being undertaken in Grenada which was so badly
devastated by hurricanes Ivan and Emily. Worldwide has learned
that in September the European Commission gave Euro's 1.2 million in
Humanitarian Aid to the islands goverment. The money would be
used to assist in the rehabilitation of the housing sector and to
facilitate training in disaster preparedness. The project is
estimated to benefit 1,678 families who were affected by the
hurricanes.
Additionally the Agency for Reconstruction and Development Inc. (ARD)
is embarking on a major thrust to accelerate initiatives for the
restoration of public buildings and we where happy to note
strengthen coordinating responsibilities for public buildings to
ensure the works are in keeping with the Grenada Building Code which
hopefully means they will not only be to hurricane code but also
remain in keeping with Grenada's delightful Georgian style of
architecture.
I had hope this headline was going to be a short
lived item of the newsletter, but as the whole world knows, more
hurricanes have swept across Florida and other parts of the country.
Devastation and upheaval of peoples lives and families seem to be
have been reduced to a small item in the back of the newspaper these
days as they are now so common day. However, we must not lose
sight of the fact that so many of our colleagues and friends and
their families too, have been very badly effected by the storms.
I would ask you to consider these people and if the opportunity
arises try to pass whatever business one can along to them. From time to time Worldwide features a particulate cruise line or a particular segment of the cruise industry - this issue shines the spot light on River & Canal cruising.
When we run our various reports one item that never ceases to surprise me is the number of enquiries we field for River Cruising and to a lesser extent Canal Barging, and how dismal our closing rate is on these products. I say it surprises me for the simple reason that many of the offerings in this area are such great products doing truly delightful itineraries, plus they are so easy to tailor to our market and yet they continue to fare badly with our buyers.
Enquiring into the reasons a particular program did not get accepted usually elicits the following answers in one form or another.
A: The Corporate buyer thinks it does not have enough pizzazz. B: The Corporate buyer does not understand river cruises. C: The Corporate buyer thinks river cruising is for retired people and would not suit their young go getters who are going to be the winning participants of the program. D: Not enough going on on-board, no casino's, spa's, nightlife.
Now, one can interpret this in a number of ways.. A: Our sales people are not getting the information across to their contacts well enough for the contact to make a good presentation to the buyer - definitely a possibility. B: The contact, has a pre-set view of river cruising and really does to want to be bothered making a decent presentation - preferring to pitch something they know and understand as being easier. C: The buyer has an erroneous mind set as to what river cruising is about and really does not focus on the benefits of the product for their program.
Of course we hear other reason, but basically it comes down to the above issues most of the time...
So, how to get over these hurdles... I believe we need to educate our people and I mean ours as well as yours and your buyer as to what a great program they can built around the fabulous destinations these vessels visit. We need to educate them about the hardware - the ships themselves and what the on-board experience is really like, the quality of the service, the often exceptional cuisine, the local wines, cheeses and produce of the region, as well as a little of the history behind the places they will visit and the purchases they will make. We need to get across the point that these vessels are best considered as floating hotels. Any form of entertainment can be arranged, on or off the ship, one new ship we know of is even incorporating a full blown spa as well as a serious gymnasium into the accommodation space. There is really not much that cannot be programmed into the cruise which one would have in any another environment. Add to all the above potential cost savings of doing over a river cruise compared to doing a traditional land based European program due to the exchange rates, lack of VAT taxes as well as being able to pre-purchase cocktail parties, liquor packages and tours etc., all in USD
Worldwide is in negotiation with its cruise line partners to put together some product familiarization cruises so our staff and buyers can get up to speed on the ships and the best way they can use them for their clients programs. In the months to come as this program moves ahead we will keep you advised of any opportunities that we are able to negotiate. Should you have any interest in this program for yourself and/or a corporate buyer please contact - Jim Castle.
Watch this space for more interesting information on river cruise products. you can visit our web-site where much more information is available and being added to constantly. Sea Cloud - 3 x 1 week Charter Opportunities available through Worldwide (Eastern Aegean). Radisson Seven Seas Navigator - Special 3 day charter opportunity (Rome/Rome) Great pre or post program opportunity.
Call us for full
details... Coming up soon are several sporting events which our clients should be focusing on:
Monaco Grand Prix - this event is held annually in Monte Carlo - call us for ideas, we have already signed two charter contract for 2006. Due to limited port space it is imperative to move early on any plans you may have for a ship charter. Group space is very limited also and increases in cost the closer it gets to race time.
Grand Prix Tours - who have the Le Ponant chartered for the 2006 race are already working on their 2006 program and are able to discuss a re-charter or group booking at this stage. As they sell out the cabins - the opportunity to do something becomes less viable and the cost increases accordingly. They have a very extensive package which include a cruise, the race, cocktail parties with the drivers et all. They can be reached at (949) 719-3350.
2006 Ryder Cup - This event is being held in Ireland at the prestigious Kildare Golf and Country Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, between Friday 22nd and Sunday 24th September. Our client has chartered the Seabourn Pride and will bring the ship into the port of Dublin with pre & post cruises planned around the event. Call us if you have any clients interested in this very exclusive golf/cruise program. We have now signed a contract for the Seabourn Pride - call us if you have any interest in purchasing a block of staterooms for your group.
Superbowl in Miami 2007 True to form, just as soon as this years Superbowl was over, our telephones started to ring for Superbowl 2007. Call us for some ideas, we are happy to chat about options and who and what might be available in Miami.
Worldwide continues to bring this event to your attention. We are currently working on programs for some of our clients who recognizes the corporate potential the event holds and the up market image it projects - especially for multi-national corporations.
Check the latest news and race results on our web site
· Steve Bloss (954) 452-8800, ext. 26 - email Steve · Jim Huff (954) 452-8800, ext. 28 - email Jim · Leon Banossian (954) 452-8800, ext. 29 - email Leon · Martin Dock +44 (0)1794 514336 - email Martin · Jim Castle (954) 452 8800. ext.25 - email Jim
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