Silversea announces record growth of new customers

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises is seeing record growth in new guests who have not previously sailed with the line.  

For the third consecutive year, the award-winning company has enjoyed a year-on-year increase in new guests of about ten per cent. Currently, fifty-four per cent of all guests are new to Silversea, the largest percentage it has ever achieved.

“We are aggressively targeting new-to-Silversea and first-time cruisers by going after a larger share of the lucrative baby boomer market,” said Steve Odell, Silversea’s senior vice president Asia Pacific.  

“We’re encouraging our travel agency partners to check their preconceptions at the door.”  

“Younger people have the money and time to travel, and can appreciate the exceptional value of our all inclusive luxury cruise fares, when compared with land-based vacations.”

“Of particular interest to this younger market is our new expedition vessel Prince Albert II, with its schedule of 2008-09 luxury exploration voyages of South America, Antarctica and the South Pacific including the enigmatic Easter and Pitcairn Islands and the Marquesas in French Polynesia.”

Odell added, “We have also been successful in attracting guests who are new to cruising, by broadening our distribution base to include more travel agents who have an established luxury travel clientele.” 

“Although we do have some concerns about the slow down in the economy in the Asia Pacific region, we are far ahead of where we were in 2007, both in terms of sales and yields, the strength of the Australian Dollar is a major contributor to current sales levels.”

“This region now represents over 15 per cent of all Silversea passengers worldwide.”

Silversea has observed a growing appreciation by first time guests, for the company’s fully inclusive fares which cover all wines, Champagne and drinks plus gratuities throughout the cruise.

“With our new Asia Pacific corporate regional headquarters based in Sydney, we now have a dedicated local sales and marketing team providing improved support for travel agents and we can pro-actively target new sectors of the affluent cruising market.”

“And of course we are dedicating the necessary financial resources to cooperative marketing initiatives that support our agents in their efforts to target this new business.” said Odell.  

Due to strong business from new customers and sales increases in Asia Pacific, Silversea is fully committed and investing aggressively in its future.  

In June, the company launched its first expedition ship, the Prince Albert II.

Extensive multimillion dollar refurbishments are planned for Silver Wind and Silver Cloud in November 2008 and May 2009, respectively.

Silversea’s newest all-suite ship, Silver Spirit, is currently under construction at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard and scheduled to join the fleet in late 2009.  

A Reportby The Mole