Yacht feeling and goose pimples
Klaus Holzmann is Sales Manager Austria & Switzerland for Star Clippers SAM and knows his offer
with sailing yachts perfectly. He emphasizes that a sailing cruise cannot be compared to a classical cruise.
myPrestige: Klaus Holzmann, what is the magic of a sailing cruise?
Klaus Holzmann: There are many magical moments on board a sailing ship but certainly one of the first and most impressive is the “sail
away”, sailing out of the harbour. The chains rattle, the sails are set
and the song “Conquest of Paradise” by the Greek composer Vangelis
sounds through the loudspeakers. That gives you goose pimples and
that very special feeling of a sailing ship.
VOM GAS T FÜR DEN GAS T
FROM GUES T TO GUES T
Has the film series “Pirates of the Caribbean” brought an
upwind to your business?
Of course it has come in handy for marketing purposes. In winter we offer these same routes in the Caribbean. That always
gives good stories to tell.
What do guests love the most?
I think the individuality. Even on the land excursions there is no
group pressure. Many passengers explore the places by themselves. We do, of course, also offer group excursions which are
most appreciated. The motto is always “everything is informal”.
…. that sounds fantastic.
Yes, we can certainly profit from the cruise boom. Nevertheless, in
spite of the high number of bookings, the guests never feel they are
part of a travelling mas s. Even when we are 100 percent fully booked,
there is still enough room for privacy.
If a cruise ship makes the headlines (e.g. Costa Concordia
accident) does Star Clippers also suffer?
No, our guests keep coming back. 65 percent of our clientele
are “repeaters” i.e. guests who return to our ship. Certainly we,
as professional sailors, take such incidents very seriously and
scrutinize our security training in detail.
What type of guests sail with you?
We have two different types of guests. One type has already been on
cruises with large ships and wants to discover something new. As they
say, be closer to the water and experience more yacht feeling. Then
the other type is sailors. These guests love sailing and simply want to
experience the spectacle of a large sailing ship.
// Das neue Online
Reise- & Lifestyle Magazin //
What do you recommend to your guests to prevent seasickness?
That, of course, is always a subject on board and perhaps all
the more on a sailing ship. Caution, a healthy way of life and
the proper medication enable all travellers to enjoy their days
at sea.
ReviewZine
gibt dem Gast
eine Stimme.//
// The online magazine zooms in
on guest reviews // Our motto
is: From
Guest to Guest.//
www.reviewzine.ch
STAR CLIPPERS
SAILING
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Cruises, in general, are booming. The ships are becoming gigantic
and the demands of the travellers always greater. Does Star Clippers also profit from this mega trend?
The demand for our cruises is constantly increasing. We have reached a capacity utilization of 85 percent per annum.
Is this type of cruise still adventurous and romantic?
Certainly, the passengers experience a true sailing adventure.
SAILING
STAR CLIPPERS
Do all passengers stand on deck and watch the scene?
Yes, some just stand and enjoy the scene and others lend a helping
hand, help the crew or admire the bridge of the ship. Incidentally, the
bridge is not out of bounds on Star Clippers, guests are a part of the
whole on board.
Are the sailors more demanding?
Above all, they are interested and we respect this. The results
are interesting discussions and great experiences.