Sunday November 8, 2009
Cruise appeal
By ROUWEN LIN
When the going gets rough – on land – it’s time to take to the high seas.
STRANDED on the seven seas with nothing but water all around would be any sailor’s nightmare – but that’s exactly what cruise vacationers are looking for.
The average cruise enthusiast, however, will be more interested in what is offered on the ship than with how much water surrounds them.
When you are bored with walking on deck, you can always try rock climbing. After all, if there is a rock-climbing wall, video arcade, beauty salon, casino, swimming pool, disco, bar, fitness centre, spa, ice-skating rink, miniature golf course, theatre, cinema and multiple dining halls on the ship, you will be spoilt for choice.
Michael Bayley, senior vice-president of Royal Caribbean International (royalcaribbean.com) compares a cruise experience on any of its ships to that of a luxury resort getaway.
“Imagine being at a resort for a vacation. A cruise offers the same experience, multiplied by 10,” he says.
Established in 1968, the Miami, Florida-based cruise line operates over 20 ships and carries about four million people on cruises around the world every year.
Bayley says it takes pride in ensuring that everyone, regardless of age or where he is from, will be able to engage with the cruise experience and enjoy himself.
“We call ourselves contemporary multi-generational, which simply means that we cater for everyone, from young kids to grandparents, and across cultures.
Michael Bayley “You can party all night, sleep all day, then order room service and sunbathe naked on your balcony, if that is what you want. You can also opt for a quiet, exclusive vacation with spa sessions and a shopping spree.
“If you are looking for production shows or adventure, we have that, too. We have fantastic award-winning programmes for children. Our crew speaks multiple languages. Our menus and TV programmes have multiple languages.”
A recent Cruise Lines International Association study reports that the North America cruise industry has been steadily growing in the last three decades with an average annual growth rate of 8.4%.
Bayley explains that this growth curve is tapering and the company is therefore set on exploring different markets.
“About 11 million people from North America go on a cruise every year. It’s a big market, but the growth rate is slowing down.
“The market in Asia Pacific, though relatively small at the moment, has potential for growth. The strengthening of the economy and the emergence of the middle class group makes it very attractive for any global cruise company to focus on developing the cruise industry in the region. The market is definitely growing and we are very interested in tapping into it,” he says.
As part of the company’s regional expansion effort, Port Klang has been added to its home port list. A home port refers to the port where cruise passengers board at the start of the itinerary and disembark upon conclusion of the voyage.
Legend of the Seas, a 70,000-ton ship with a capacity of 2,076 guests, will depart from Port Klang starting Nov 29. It offers two- to five-night cruises, and ports of calls include Penang, Phuket. Langkawi and Singapore. Bayley explains that it is necessary to bring cruise ships right to the doorstep of the uninitiated.
“In places like Malaysia, where cruising is not particularly well-known, it’s important that you make the product as accessible as possible. We do have ships in other parts of the region – the closest to Malaysia being Singapore – but we want to provide people a cruise experience without the hassle of flying out to board the ship.”
He predicts that with the growth of the industry in the region, people from other parts of the world will soon flock to Malaysia for their share of the pie.
Times might be tough for the industry, but cruise companies are slashing their prices in an effort to attract more customers.
“It’s a great time for people to go on a cruise now because our prices are lower than they have been for a while due to the economic crisis,” Bayley adds.
Next year, Legend of the Seas will add two new home ports to its list, namely Tianjin in China and Yokohama, Japan. It will also dock at 10 new ports-of-call, among which are Halong Bay (Vietnam), Hualien (Taiwan) , Miyazaki (Japan), Seoul (South Korea) and Vladivostok (Russia).
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