CELESTYAL Cruises’ move to year-round sailing with the addition of the Arabian Gulf (CW 10 Jan 2024) has been like starting over again for the line, according to Vice President, Brand, Marketing & Customer Experience Anna Gregori.
The Athens-based cruise line just wrapped up its first season in the region (CW yesterday), which sailed at full capacity, smashing its estimated targets.
Demand for the product was so strong Celestyal extended the season, adding 10% capacity, ahead of Celestyal Journey’s fleetmate Celestyal Discovery joining her in the Arabian Gulf.
The success was not a given however, with the cruise line forced to rethink its entire marketing strategy.
“Who we target in the Gulf is very different to the Greek cruises,” Gregori explained to CW.
“You have nationals and the expat community, and cruise is very new to most of that audience,” she added.
“To Australians, the UK, [and] North Americans, a cruise isn’t new to them, but the destination is, and so how we position the brand is very different.
“To those regions, it’s all about the ship and the facilities, but to those [who] aren’t new to cruise, it’s all about the destinations, so we just have to adapt that and tweak [the messaging].”
The successful first season reinforces Celestyal’s long-term commitment to the region, Gregori added.
“We’re not just passing through – we’ve got a real commitment, a three- to four-year commitment in the region for both our ships,” she said.
Also key to Celestyal’s successful inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf are strong local partners in each destination.
“[It is] really important we have really good partners in all of our Arabian Gulf destinations, and that extends to our shore excursions as well,” she said.
“Part of the research that we did with our audience, our advisors, as well as our customers [found] there was still a little bit of nervousness over what to expect, so for us to partner with those regional experts, we can do it hand-in-glove.”
Learnings from the inaugural season saw Celestyal make a number of changes to its Gulf itineraries, swapping Muscat for Ras Al-Khaimah (CW 05 Mar).
Cutting the longer travel time required to reach Oman’s capital allows Celestyal to prioritise the longer days and later stays its guests enjoy, Gregori said. MS