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In the hot luxury market, small cruises and private yacht charters are clear standouts.
Luxury travel is remarkably resilient, bouncing back faster and faster than other travel sectors in the wake of crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. How resilient? This summer, Virtuoso, a consortium of luxury travel consultants, reported that 2023 sales are tracking 47 percent ahead of sales in 2019, itself a record-breaking year.
Two high-end vacation experiences that are showing impressive growth in this hot market are private yacht charters and luxury small cruises.
Just ask for what they sell. in Truckee, Calif. Eric Goldring of Goldring Travel, a luxury specialist, said he was seeing “a lot of interest” in luxury small cruises.
At Fisher Travel, a membership-only agent in New York City, private yacht charters are the preferred style of sailing for our clients, and the agency is seeing a “tremendous increase” in yacht charter vacations among clients of all ages. Vice President Dee Branciforte says.
Tara Shaw, owner of Resfaber Travels in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, says that after sending two groups on private yacht charters to Croatia this year with Via Tours Croatia, she saw an opportunity to grow cruises more for high-end luxury. Customer.
“Especially post-Covid, my clients are looking for something different and unique for those bucket list vacations. Seeing Croatia by boat and taking in everything is an amazing experience. Shaw has booked more private boat charters for next year.
Adaptation to demand
According to research firm Fortune Business Insights, the global yacht charter market, including group and bareboat charter, is projected to expand from $6.83 billion to $10.8 billion by 2020. The company expects “significant growth” for the on-board yacht charter sector in particular, citing “growing demand for superyachts and increasing participation by cruise lines and their hybrid business models.”
One reason for the growing demand for private yacht charters for some high-end travelers is that the number of ships is getting bigger and bigger, with charter specialists such as Via Tours Croatia expanding and expanding fleets to satisfy what President Zvonimir Androjc calls a longing. “True Cruising Experience” For example, many of their 18-cabin, mid-range microyachts have been upgraded to luxury superyachts with 11 to 15 staterooms, high-end amenities and personalized service.
There is also product growth in the small yacht sector, notably the much-anticipated, ultra-luxurious Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, now expected to launch in October.
Starting in 2028, 14 new cruise ships are on the higher-than-usual cruise line. Facilities. Some even provide submarines for underwater exploration.
Nowadays, many small ships and cruise operators are focused on improving sustainability, which is an increasingly important selling point. Ponant, for example, will launch the hybrid-electric LNG-fueled Le Commandant-Charcot in 2021 and is working to build a fully carbon-neutral ship that will carry 100 to 200 passengers.
Another sustainable option: charter a yacht or book a vacation on a small wind-powered vessel, like the one offered by Windstar.
Special experiences
After putting travel plans on hold for the better part of two years, today’s travelers pay close attention to fulfilling their vacation needs. Increasingly, those aspirations center around culturally rich itineraries.
Travelers want access to less-visited destinations, immersive custom experiences like curated wine tastings and cooking classes, as well as outdoor activities, great food and wine, and of course, personalized service.
Itineraries are key for customers booking high-end small cruises, Goldring says. “It’s the service, the restaurant and the itinerary.
“Some places are best explored by land. And sea,” says Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. Smaller ships call at smaller ports, change itineraries en route, and offer intimate shore excursions to bring guests “closer to the people, the customs and traditions,” he said.
According to Androic, Via Tours Croatia offers a concierge-style approach where each charter has a fully customized experience, and each cabin/person can choose their own experiences at each location.
Personalized amenities on Agape Rose Superyacht (12 cabins).
Private yacht charters: All that and more.
Those same attractive features – flexible itineraries, access to off-the-beaten-track ports and exclusive shore excursions – are carried over to private yacht charters, offering greater travel flexibility and access to more secluded ports of call. A yacht charter offers privacy, exclusivity and personal service, non-negotiable features for some high-end clients.
Cruise charter clients also appreciate the lack of rule, says Elizabeth Frales, product manager for luxury operator Kerr & Downey. “There’s this feeling of, ‘Your ship is your choice,'” “Do you want to have fun on board? Dine under the stars? Play in the water, relax in the Jacuzzi, or explore off the beaten track?”
“Our customers really like that you don’t have to plan everything. They can sail at their own pace, and the surfers know those secret coves, the special places that the guidebook won’t tell you about. And you don’t have to go with a group of 20 with the same experience,” says Frels.
Pat Potter of European Travel Leaders in Maple Grove, Minn., sold its first private yacht charter to customers looking to travel to Croatia this summer with a group of 20 family and friends. She’s glad she did.
“My clients really enjoyed their trip, and their guests all had a great time. They had to choose their own itinerary and see and do unique things along the way. The attentiveness of the staff was amazing.
“I definitely recommend yacht charter for luxury clients who want a very personalized experience,” says Potter.
The Mediterranean Sea is very popular for private yacht charters that run to destinations such as Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Italy and Spain. The Caribbean has been popular for a long time.
Now, other cruise destinations have emerged. At Fisher Travel, Branchifort reported a “surprising number of inquiries” for private yacht charters for cruise-related destinations including Antarctica, the Arctic and Greenland.
Epidemic causes: health security, time with loved ones
Amidst ongoing pandemic concerns, both small cruises and private yacht charters appeal to travelers’ desire for health safety, in part by distancing themselves from overcrowded destinations.
On private yacht charters that drop anchor even in out-of-the-way ports, guests are more assured of a crowd-free experience. Like villa rentals, private yachts reduce health risks by reducing exposure to people outside the travel group.
Cruise charters and small cruises also satisfy the epiphany’s desire to spend quality time with loved ones. Both product types are suitable for multi-generational family groups. Yacht charters have a special appeal for couples celebrating Victory Day, families traveling with older children, groups of friends and business clients.
The choice of private yacht charter or planned small cruises depends in part on the client’s objectives. Some customers do both. “I have a client who charters the bigger yachts, but when they’re hosting their girlfriends or employees, they take them on a luxury cruise because it has more social outlets,” says Brancifort.
Frequent rates for both private yacht charters and luxury small cruises are very high. Tauck reports that small cruises are his fastest selling and most frequent product.
Fischer Travel’s yacht charter clients repeat year after year, Brancifort says. “It’s a very special, wonderful and unique way to travel. Once people experience a yacht charter, they are really hooked.
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