“We want to strengthen our presence in Spain by taking advantage of the demand for our long-distance routes.”.
Article from CruisesNews magazine
Kevin has a long and successful career with the company, where he has held numerous finance, sales and marketing positions, and is in an excellent position to lead sales, marketing and public relations activity in continental Europe and Scandinavia for the NCL brand, under the supervision of Harry Sommer, Executive Vice President of International Business Development.
"The Spanish market, in order to continue growing, needs to book further in advance.".
With the largest backlog of cruise ships about to enter service, amidst fierce competition from other tourism products, and with flagship destinations unviable due to political instability, how do you see the future of the cruise industry?
Overall, we see great potential in the cruise industry, supported by strong and continued market growth. A large percentage of people have never been on a cruise, so we see even greater potential in attracting new cruise customers.
However, strong industry growth also requires market players to remain competitive by creating increasingly innovative offerings and finding their unique niche within the industry. With Premium All Inclusive and our Feel Free concept, we have already laid a solid foundation for this and are constantly working on new innovations. For example, our latest ship, the Norwegian Bliss, features an onboard go-kart track and laser tag arena.
After a period of stabilization in the European cruise market in recent years, this year has seen a return to remarkable growth. Do you believe cruises still have room to grow in Europe? Is the Old Continent a mature market?
Yes, we definitely see greater growth potential in Europe, especially in the premium segment. We are working to establish ourselves in that segment, and the results so far are very positive, as the market is being very receptive to our message. We also see more potential and growing demand, especially for international cruise lines like Norwegian Cruise Line. More and more people prefer an international atmosphere during their holidays and are comfortable with the language spoken on board, which is English.
You have extensive experience in the German, Austrian, and Swiss markets. Will the German market continue to be the driving force behind cruise growth in Europe? Which other national markets will grow above average?
German-speaking countries are still our market leaders in Europe. However, we also see great potential in the Scandinavian and Benelux markets, and we want to strengthen our presence in Spain by capitalizing on the demand we see, especially for our long-haul itineraries.
What are your thoughts on the Spanish cruise market? Do you think we will continue to grow and reach 2011 levels again after years of decline?
I can only speak for Norwegian Cruise Line, and for us, 2018 looks very promising compared to 2017, which saw a decrease. I believe the Spanish market can return to 2011 levels. However, to achieve this, Spaniards will need to adapt to the new, growing global demand, where countries like the United States and Australia are booking much further in advance, leaving little room for last-minute reservations. Given this situation, Spaniards will need to start booking earlier to get better prices.
For your company, travel agents have always been fundamental partners, even though there is a percentage of online sales. For your predecessor, the importance of sales through agencies was much greater. What are your plans for distribution? Will you continue to invest in strengthening travel agent training to improve sales through this channel?
At Norwegian Cruise Line, we believe that travel agencies are the ideal sales partner, and we continue to invest in them as part of our Partners First philosophy. However, direct sales are really based on the consumer choosing to book directly, and as such, it seems to be becoming increasingly important. Nevertheless, we focus on working with travel agencies, training them, and keeping them up-to-date on our product. Today, there is a ship for every guest, and travel agencies are best positioned to ensure that the right guest books the right ship. If travel agencies are doing a good job, everyone wins: the guest, the company, and the agency.
Next year sees the arrival of the final ship in the Breakaway Plus series, the Norwegian Encore. How would you describe the market's reception of these four ships? When will we have a Breakaway Plus ship in Europe?
Our newest member of the fleet, the Norwegian Bliss, was just launched in April and has already made Norwegian Cruise Line history as the most booked new-build ship. Therefore, we can say that the Breakaway Plus class has been very well received so far.
At this time, we don't have information on when we will have a Breakaway Plus ship in Europe. However, since May, we have the Norwegian Breakaway, a member of the Breakaway class, sailing the Baltic countries in Europe. Next year, it will be replaced by its sister ship, the Norwegian Getaway.
The Norwegian Breakaway cruises the Baltic countries in Europe, and next year its sister ship, the Norwegian Getaway, will follow suit
Your company launched the Free Style Cruising concept a few years ago. Is it still your differentiating factor compared to the competition?
Indeed, Feel Free remains our USP (Unique Selling Proposition), and guests, as well as new cruise customers, value the freedom and flexibility on board our fleet. It primarily allows them to spend their days according to their own preferences: no fixed shifts or pre-assigned seating for dinner, but with a wide variety of options in all areas, from accommodations and restaurants to top-notch entertainment.
NCL's new Leonardo-class ships are smaller than the Breakaway-plus class. Do you think cruise ships have reached their maximum size?
This is difficult to predict, but we're not interested in competing for the world's largest cruise ship. What matters to us is offering a wide range of ships. The Norwegian Jade, for example, accommodates up to 2,400 passengers, while our newest fleet member, the Norwegian Bliss, offers space for 4,000. With the Leonardo class, designed for around 3,300 passengers, our aim is to further expand our range. The size of the new ships will allow for greater flexibility and improve itinerary planning possibilities. Our goal is to offer a variety of ships to suit all needs, in terms of guests' desires and destinations.
What has the experience been like with the Norwegian Joy in the Chinese market? Have the Breakaway-plus ships also conquered the East?
We are pleased to report that, in its first year of operation, the Norwegian Joy has consistently ranked at the top of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in terms of guest satisfaction and also enjoys the highest load factor in our fleet, so the feedback has been truly positive.
