On The Deck: Philip Ordever

The international luxury travel market has faced real challenges in the last few years. How has Crystal fared in the UK in these tough economic times?

I cannot argue that 2010 / 2011 were challenging, not just for Crystal but for the travel industry in general. We held our nerve over the past two years and made no changes to our investment to the UK trade; we kept sales, marketing & PR budgets at previous levels and maintained our ‘on the road’ team …in fact we did what the text books tell you to do and ‘marketed our way through the recession’. On top of this we ensured that we had the right deployment for the UK luxury cruise market, we re-engineered pricing with “Book Now “savings, introduced all-inclusive and re-energised relationship with the UK trade. The results of these strategies are very positive, with 2012 shaping up to be one of our best for quite a few years.

Other luxury lines have resorted to deep discounts to attract passengers. Did Crystal have to go down the same discount route to attract its customer?

At Crystal we try not to discount and instead offer our guests added value such as stateroom upgrades and onboard credits. However, there will always be the need for some type of tactical pricing to support either a specific destination or a small selection of weaker sailings. Topically, we have just released lowered fares on eight 2012 Med sailings with savings up to £1,650 per person.

Recently Crystal went fully inclusive. What was the catalyst that drove the decision to do so and have fares been increased accordingly?

Our ‘All Inclusive’ is an evolution of Crystal’s luxury services and responds to the desires of today’s upmarket cruisers. While many lines throughout our industry have itemised their services for additional charges, Crystal is maximising the guest experience by eliminating additional transactions, further enhancing the ease and luxury of a Crystal cruise. We believe this service will offer greater convenience, simplicity and comfort. The new all-inclusive offers a luxuriously comfortable guest experience that focuses, as always, on incredible quality and impeccable execution. As a result of the re-engineered pricing and “Book Now” savings, our fares are in many cases lower than ever before making a cruise with Crystal better value than ever.

What tools are available for agents wishing to promote Crystal to gain a better understanding on how to sell and promote your luxury brand?

Crystal’s dedicated agent website – www.discovercrystal.co.uk  – offers agents the chance to catch up on the latest news, offers and incentives as well as providing training, a photo library and videos. Every new agent who signs up is automatically entered into a monthly prize draw to win a £25 high street voucher of their choice. Crystal also has a “Sell 3 Sail Free” incentive whereby agents who make three new bookings on any 2012 sailing will earn a free cruise for them and a partner on any of 50 Crystal departures in 2012. Agents also have access to customised point of sale, roadshow events, tailor-made direct mail and other marketing solutions. Agent training, fam trips and ship visits are also available

We understand the vast majority of Crystal’s UK business comes from south east of England. Does Crystal operate a sales force that looks after the entire country or only select areas?

Not true, our sales come from the four corners of Great Britain and the sales team regularly visit travel agents and tour operators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The company has recently introduced a VIP transfer service and priority check- in. How has this product been accepted by the Crystal client?

Crystal’s clients appreciate the fact that we are constantly innovating and introducing new services that minimise inconvenience and allow them to experience Crystal’s six-star service from the moment they leave home. As this new service was introduced less than four weeks ago it is still too early to measure response but we have already received a fair number of calls from future guests requesting more information.

There has been a lot of talk in the cruise circles about further commission cuts. Does Crystal have any plans to make changes to commissions it pays their agents?

We currently have no plans to cut agent commissions. We sell virtually 100% through the trade in the UK so it’s incredibly important that we support and reward those agents who sell our product. Although Crystal Cruises enjoys some of the highest repeat guest figures in the industry, it is important that we welcome new guests who have moved from the premium cruise lines. Therefore, we recently adjusted our commission levels so that any travel agent booking a new-to-Crystal guest on any sailing will receive 2% additional commission while the booking agent will receive £50 by way of thanks. In addition, any travel agent who has never – or rarely – worked with Crystal will receive a 1% uplift in commission.

Crystal keeps on winning award after award. What continues to make Crystal an award winning line?

Our focus at Crystal has been to make our product the very best in the luxury service business, not just the luxury cruise industry. Through this uncompromising commitment, Crystal Cruises has become the benchmark by which clients and travel agents measure all other cruise lines. Since the launch of Crystal Harmony in 1990, Crystal’s exceptional quality has been recognised by consistently winning the travel industry’s most distinguished and coveted hospitality awards and guidebook ratings. Crystal Cruises continues to earn these honours daily by providing guests with unparalleled service, space, choice and quality.