OCEANIA Cruises believes it had been undervaluing itself for years while selling its proposition as premium as opposed to luxury.
SVP International & Consumer Sales Steve Odell told CW the announcement of Oceania’s fleet renewal, which will see it take delivery of four new ships over the next 10 years (CW 11 Jul), was the perfect marker for the line to push itself into the luxury bracket (CW 05 Aug).
This move will also see its more premier sister brand, Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC), shift up to ultra-luxury.
“We have a luxury brand, when you compare it to what’s around us in the market,” Odell affirmed.
“We have incredibly modern hardware and design, we have excellent staff, we have the best cuisine at sea…why are we calling ourselves upper-premium when we really should be calling ourselves luxury?” he stated.
Oceania is also currently working on a rebranding to fit the elevation of the cruise line’s profile, not dissimilar to the same exercise RSSC underwent at the end of last year (CW 06 Dec).
The shift also better communicates Oceania’s value proposition to consumers, Sales Director James Sitters added, with the “luxury” branding far less esoteric than “upper-premium.”
Meanwhile, Oceania has revealed a selection of Food & Wine alumni will serve as godparents of its newest ship Oceania Allura, which is to be christened in Miami on 13 Nov (CW 11 Jul).
The group of six will include Food & Wine Publisher Tom Bair and Oceania Chief Commercial Officer Nathan Hickman. MS
Pictured is Odell and Sitters with Vice President Sales Lisa Pile.