Alfredo has dedicated his career to pursuing his two great passions: sales and marketing, and food and beverage. His previous roles have ranged from National Director at Alitalia Italian Airlines and Commercial Director for emerging markets at MSC Cruises to managing his family's food and beverage business. His most recent position was Managing Director for Europe and Asia at Silversea Cruises. With his extensive international network, he is eager to connect with as many partners as possible to ensure that many people become aware of and book with Swan Hellenic.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 59 – December 2021
Going back to the early years of Swan Hellenic, when it was run by the father (WF Swan) and son (RK Swan) team, Alfredo wants guests on the ships to feel like part of a family and at home. He knows that with passion, experience, and enthusiasm, he and the team can make Swan Hellenic something special. When he's not working, you can find Alfredo cooking and enjoying his favorite meals (sushi or pasta), sipping a good wine, and listening to the Beatles. Alternatively, he might be dreaming of becoming the next Lewis Hamilton while speeding around the local go-kart track.
From MSC, through Silversea, and now Swan Hellenic, you have extensive experience in marketing the cruise product. What makes a cruise such a special product?
Having worked in the aviation industry, I was fascinated by travel from very early in my career. Later, I worked for MSC Cruises and Silversea Cruises. The idea of simply unpacking once, traveling comfortably on an intimate expedition cruise to the most remote parts of the world in complete comfort, is a dream come true.
The customer profile could be described as a well-traveled guest, over 55 years old, eager to explore remote areas in comfort.
Swan Hellenic was a traditional British brand, so why acquire an old brand instead of creating a new one if the concept it aims to offer is new? How much of that old Swan Hellenic is in the new Swan Hellenic?
Swan Hellenic has always been known for its pioneering spirit and for taking guests to remote destinations. Those values resonate with the modern cultural expedition cruise guest as much as they did when the company started 70 years ago. Swan Hellenic today is British in heritage but international in outlook.
Cultural expedition. Define this concept for us. What is the difference between expedition and luxury?
Our itineraries have been carefully developed to allow our guests to explore the most extraordinary places on earth. On each exploration journey, we have a diverse expedition team of passionate and knowledgeable individuals, each a specialist in their field.
Part of that team are renowned experts, who give very insightful lectures and are available for informal questions and discussions throughout the cruise.
So, if guests have chosen Swan Hellenic to see what others cannot offer, they can rest assured that they will do so with a comprehensive understanding of the area's history, cultures, wildlife, flora, geology, and geography. Pre-landing briefings and post-landing summaries complement these lectures and talks, fostering a relaxed social atmosphere that encourages the sharing of experiences.
What are the main markets the brand is targeting?
Swan Hellenic originated in the UK and, as such, we have maintained a strong brand presence there, as well as a number of past guests who are delighted with the company's revival. As a brand, we may be British by heritage, but today we are international in outlook, with guests from all over the world, from North America, many European countries including Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Australia, and China; all with a great interest in and passion for cultural expeditions.
Our itineraries have been carefully developed to allow our guests to explore the most extraordinary places on earth.
Based in Cyprus with offices in London, Dusseldorf, Monaco, Fort Lauderdale (serving the North American market) and Hong Kong (serving mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Southeast Asia), as well as representations serving India, Japan and Australia-New Zealand, Scandinavia and Iceland, Swan Hellenic supports travel marketing with specialist local partners to provide customers with expert personal service worldwide.
Tell us about the ships, all of them polar-class. What will particularly surprise us?
SH Minerva and SH Vega, two new 5-star PC 5 polar-class expedition cruise ships, launched in December 2021 and April 2022 respectively, accommodate 152 guests in 76 spacious suites and staterooms, most with large balconies. A larger PC 6 ice-class ship, accommodating 192 guests with the same distinctive comfort and style in 96 staterooms and suites, will arrive in late 2022. All three new ships feature three restaurants—the Swan Restaurant, the Club Lounge, and the pool bar & grill—and are being built in full compliance with SOLAS Safe Return to Port requirements. The company’s meticulously planned itineraries explore the wild landscapes, wildlife, villages, and unique cultures of the world’s less-traveled regions and are dedicated to guests with a passion for adventure and cultural exploration.
But Swan Hellenic ships also feature elegant Scandi-designed interiors, ample outdoor spaces, and expedition-oriented facilities.
What is the profile of a Swan Hellenic client?
The client profile could be described as a well-traveled guest, over 55 years old, eager to explore remote areas in comfort with like-minded international explorers and interested in enriching their knowledge through an expert expedition team and lectures given by our guest professors.
Itineraries are the main focus of any cruise, but even more so on expedition cruises. What does Swan Hellenic offer that other expedition cruise lines don't?
Swan Hellenic has always been known for its pioneering spirit and for taking guests to remote destinations. These values resonate with the modern cultural expedition cruise guest just as much as they did when the company was founded 70 years ago.
Expedition companies tend to focus on the polar regions of the Arctic, the Russian Far East, and Antarctica, but Swan Hellenic is a company that plans to offer cultural expeditions to all seven continents. In the north, we are working on exclusive itineraries in the Russian Arctic. Other countries included in the itineraries are New Zealand, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Canada, and more.
In addition, we will create a unique combination of ocean and river expeditions through our partnership with Vodohod Russian River Cruises, which has never before been open to the public.
So far, they have announced three ships, two of which are the Minerva and the Vega. Does the company have further plans to expand the fleet?
The team of entrepreneurs behind the brand relaunch is very passionate and driven by the desire to develop Swan Hellenic as the world's leading expedition cruise company. Part of that vision will involve a number of initiatives, which may also include fleet expansion.
Finally, if I wanted to book an expedition cruise for two in 2022, which one would you recommend and on what dates?
This is a very personal decision, as it depends on what you're looking for: whether it's the pristine white desert of the last great continent or the remote and enigmatic cultures of the South Pacific.
