TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS AS HOTELS ENTER THE HIGH SEAS .
SALES & MARKETING
BRAND
AHOY !
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS AS HOTELS ENTER THE HIGH SEAS .
By CHLOE RILEY , ASSOCIATE EDITOR
AS MORE AND MORE HOSPITALITY COMPANIES SET SAIL ( pun intended ) with branded yachts and boats , a question arises : How do you keep the brand going strong once the guest has left the experience of the property ?
For Ritz-Carlton , which will debut three branded yachts starting in February 2020 , the foray marks the first time a luxury hotel brand will venture into the cruising sector .
According to Marriott International Global Real Estate Officer Tim Grisius , Marriott has been looking for opportunities for Ritz-Carlton in the luxury boating and yachting sector for close to 10 years .
“ Most of the opportunities presented to us prior to this one were larger ships . And we always questioned whether we could make it unique and also provide the ultra-luxury experience on a large vessel ,” Grisius says .
Enter this opportunity : Owned by private-equity firm Oaktree Capital
Management and built in collaboration with Tillberg Design of Sweden , the 620- foot “ yachts ” hold up to 298 passengers in 149 cabins . Itineraries include the Caribbean , Mediterranean , Canada and the U . S . eastern seaboard .
“ If you add one more layer to that , these people will be arriving on land in one location where hopefully we have a Ritz-Carlton hotel ,” says Grisius .
FILLING A GAP “ In a sense , they ’ re filling a gap that the ultra-luxury lines have given up ,” says Ross Klein , a professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland and an expert on the cruise ship industry .
“ It ’ s not so much that they ’ re creating a new niche as moving into a niche that ’ s been abdicated ,” he adds . “ The larger ( cruise ) companies have all moved to economies of scale where bigger is better , and they ’ re less oriented to quality than they are to quantity .”
The vessels will have five food and beverage outlets with a Ritz-Carlton-run spa , three pools and a lounge / wine bar ; service will be all-inclusive . While pricing depends on itinerary and season , a seven-day Mediterranean cruise during off-season will start at US $ 5,600 per person .
Some differences from the property level include the staff-to-guest ratio – almost one-to-one – and 24-hour food service .
“ We ’ re trying to provide this experience as being almost like your private yacht and that you can experience things at very different times ,” says Grisius .
Most of Thailand-based Minor Hotels ’ luxury branded boats do evening and overnight trips on the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers . The Manohra Dream holds up to four passengers and offers a two-night , three-day cruise that makes stops along the Chao Phraya at temples and islands that otherwise would be hard to access . Passengers can take onboard
54 hotelsmag . com January / February 2019