On The Deck: Mike Bonner

Next week we will publish our 2013 How To sell Arctic and Antarctic Cruise Guide. The digital magazine will be a comprehensive selling tool for any travel agent who has an interest in selling what is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and lucrative areas within the cruise industry today. Expedition cruises – and polar voyages in particular – come with a certain amount of gravitas. They are sure fire ammunition for anyone who is efficient in the game of bragging rights. Whale spotting, walking on the ice and some of the greatest scenery in the world are all waiting just outside your cabin. The kicker for agents? They come with a price tag that doesn’t have to be discounted to nothing. Below is an extract from our interview with Mike Bonner, general manager of silversea UK and ireland, who talks us through the ultra- luxury line’s expedition offering.

Why should people be interested in an arctic/ Antarctic cruise?

It’s truly a way to expand your horizons and experience places on earth like no other. Whether you are interested in nature, wildlife or the environment, these destinations will open your eyes to the world around us. There is no greater feeling than watching wildlife in its natural habitat or seeing the world’s last great wildernesses. The remoteness and stillness felt in both of these destinations is like no other place on earth. The UK also has a deep association with exploration and expeditions and many guests like to join our journeys to follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest explorers. Today you don’t need to be Scott of the Antarctic to reach these places but merely have that same desire to see parts of the world inaccessible to the masses. Some of our guests have cruised before but for many a voyage on Silver explorer or Silver Galapagos will be the first time they have stepped aboard a cruise ship.

What’s the profile of the typical passenger?

Expedition cruising attracts all types of traveller and people of all ages and from all walks of life — all united by a common interest in experiencing at first hand, the last great wilderness and seeing some of the world’s greatest natural phenomena in a manner that is sympathetic to the environment. Our guests are well-educated seasoned travellers. However, the expedition guests is not necessarily the experienced cruiser – many will have not entertained the idea of a cruise previously but are likely to have travelled on safari or sailed yachts in the South Pacific. The destination is likely to be the most important thing to them and how they get there will be secondary to that so a good knowledge of the destinations is important. ”The question is ‘What’s the profile of the typical passenger? Most guests are in the age range 50-65 however we do get many expedition guests in their 30s and 40s. They will come from a mixture of backgrounds – some are the CeOs of multinationals and others will have saved up all their lives to do this amazing trip – and to do it comfortably! We also recognise that this is first and foremost a holiday – so a degree in marine biology is not a prerequisite requirement for joining an expedition cruise. It is fair to say though that a level of active participation is required to get the most from your voyage. equally, you need to be honest with your clients. If you are true sun worshipper who hates the cold – the polar itineraries are probably not for you!

If each arctic operator offers a different product, can you explain what makes Silversea Expeditions unique?

We’re the only authentic luxury expedition ship operating in the polar regions. Silver explorer is a purpose built expedition ship. She has a class 1a v-shaped ice strengthened hull built to push through ice and was in fact purpose built for polar cruising and is designed specifically to navigate the waters of the world’s most remote regions – and yes she does have stabilisers! She carries 132 guests in all oceanview suite accommodation and guests can enjoy many of the facilities that we have on the other ships – all-inclusive, open seating dining, gourmet cuisine, spa facilities and butler service. One key difference between our classic fleet and expedition is that that all your excursions are also included. However, no matter how good our ship is, it is the destination and expedition experience that makes the difference. With only 132 guests onboard Silver explorer it has advantages over some other ships with higher numbers of passengers. In the Antarctic in particular, Silver explorer is permitted to offer landings in over 40 locations and due to the size of the ship, all guests can enjoy up to three landings per day. Due to size, other ships can only offer half the number of locations and only one landing per day. Aboard our expedition ships, you can find a highly experienced team of lecturers and they will travel with you onboard and ashore. With Silversea the lecturers are integrated into the expedition team so they will travel with you, drive the zodiacs and be on hand to answer any questions you may have. On other ships, it is the deck crew that drive the zodiacs who are not experts on the wildlife or geography you may see on route.

What do you look for when creating an itinerary?

Our itineraries are planned at least two years in advance. Our expeditions director, Conrad Combrink, travels the world looking for new destinations. The team look for destinations where there is something to see – be it wildlife, landscape or indigenous populations. Many of our destinations are in fact just grid references on a map – not even towns hamlets or villages. In some parts of the world such as the Antarctic or Arctic, the itineraries are left deliberately open. This is so that the captain and expedition leader can design every day according to weather conditions, wildlife or ice floes. The small size of our ship means that we are able to relocate very quickly if we need to move to see wildlife – something the bigger ships in the region are unable to do as easily.