Some passengers have said they feel safer on board our ships than at home, Wybcke Meier noted TUI Cruises has carried more than 84,000 passengers since resuming last summer with just four COVID-19 cases that were handled without disruption, CEO Wybcke Meier said.
Protocols have proven effective, operations have gone smoothly, demand is strong and net promoter scores have been higher during the pandemic, Meier said Monday during her opening keynote for Seatrade Cruise Virtual: Health & Safety.
Strong dialogue with officials in Europe Some passengers have said they feel safer on board our ships than at home, Meier noted, adding there s strong dialogue with government and port officials in Europe and there haven t been issues with cruising not being considered a safe form of travel.
Seatrade Cruise Virtual Gathers Global Leaders 12-14 April
April 06, 2021 12:30 ET | Source: Seatrade Seatrade New York, New York, UNITED STATES
Three-Day Programme Features Speakers from Azamara, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn
More Than 20 Interactive Panels and Fireside Chats
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
COLCHESTER, England, April 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Seatrade Cruise Virtual returns for its three-day event series,
12-14 April 2021, with an enriching line-up of expert panels, small group sessions and networking opportunities for the cruise community. Focusing on health and safety, guest experience and technology and innovation, the programme features premier thought leaders across industries offering attendees a holistic view on these intersecting verticals pivotal to the future of cruising.
It s been called the greatest challenge facing expedition cruising: expanding, profitably, beyond the poles.
During a Seatrade Cruise Virtual session on Pushing the Boundaries of Expedition Cruising, destination experts put forward an array of possibilities.
They range from Lake Superior s undiscovered North Shore Inside Passage to Saudi Arabia s otherworldly UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and from the British Isles wilderness coastlines to the Caribbean s experiential natural and cultural draws.
Scenic s focus
Scenic Cruises and Tours is looking at Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to Lisa Bolton, general manager of product development. For us it s about the history, the archaeology and really breaking down some of those cultural barriers and allowing people to have intimate connections as humans, she said.
Expedition leaders L-R: Jason Edmunds, Anja Erdmann-Rutten and Adam Rheborg A big challenge in expedition cruising is matching and exceeding guest expectations in the field, says Anja Erdmann-Rutten, expedition leader with Poseidon Expeditions.
21 years in the business, Erdmann-Rutten was talking to Seatrade Cruise group director Mary Bond during Seatrade Cruise Virtual: Expedition Cruising.
Poseidon Expeditions
Poseidon operates 114-guest Sea Spirit seasonally in the Arctic and Antarctica and in summer, sails 50 Years of Victory to the North Pole.
She has experience of working both in the office and onboard and is well placed to see the view from both sides, she relates. ‘Guests want to see wildlife and nature close up like the imagery that is often portrayed in the sales brochures but is it realistic? she asks. ‘Can it set wrong expectations? Definitely,’ she feels and do these pictures make life onboard easy? ‘Definitely not,’ she claims.