During the eighth edition of the International Cruise Summit (ICS), held in Madrid on November 27 and 28, StarClass and Silversea participated in a roundtable discussion with luxury cruise specialists. Juan Rodero, CEO of StarClass, and Alfredo Spadon, Managing Director for Europe and Asia at Silversea, shared their insights alongside other prominent figures in the cruise industry, including Jannick D. Rognstad, Vice President of SeaDream Yacht Club, and Zeljka Galiko Cimic, Director of Product Development at Scenic Ocean Cruising, among others.
The event was attended by international directors and executives from leading cruise companies, as well as representatives from tourism destinations, travel agents, and other related businesses. In his opening remarks, Juan Rodero noted: “Yesterday I was listening to Monsieur Lefebvre speak about traveling to places in comfort and convenience, which is a true luxury when traveling. However, I would like to add that what may be luxurious for one person may not be for another. For example, having a chauffeur to take you from home to work or to a store may or may not be a luxury for that person. That's why at StarClass we are very careful when we talk about luxury in different markets.” Rodero also stated: “Throughout my career, I have learned about this aspect, through different markets and especially from passengers, to understand what luxury truly means to them. Of course, we cannot forget the destination, a fundamental element of luxury.”.
Several topics were discussed, including the trend in the luxury cruise sector, to which Juan Rodero pointed out: “The trend has been demonstrated in the sustained growth of luxury cruises in Spain in the last three years with a double-digit increase, which reaffirms StarClass's commitment to high-end and expedition cruises.”.
Also noteworthy is the continued growth of expedition cruises, with Silversea being a pioneer and the company that offers the world's largest fleet of these types of voyages. On this topic, Spadon commented on the company's commitment to continuing to offer incredible destinations that bring the authentic beauty of the world closer to its guests.
