Explora Journeys is targeting land-based luxury travelers by highlighting the value of ocean travel and redefining its onboard hospitality culture, according to President Anna Nash.
With a significant portion of the luxury market still hesitant to book cruise vacations, Nash believes the niche must emphasize the operational simplicity of its product.
“I think the opportunity that we have is the land-based consumer, those who would never have considered ocean travel before,” Nash said.
“I find that land travel itself seems complicated, and there’s got to be a way that we can lean into that new-to-cruise guest to let them know the true advantages,” she continued.
A major benefit of cruising is the inclusive pricing model, which contrasts with high-end land resorts, she added.
Nash cited a recent stay at a luxury hotel in New York where a basic breakfast for six people cost $800, plus gratuity.
“It’s a horrible experience at the end of your meal, all this transaction work around the receipt,” she noted.
“Our guests can go and choose; everything is included, and there isn’t this math game. There’s a simplicity, a fairness and a generosity in our world.”
Explora is focusing on marketing in order to better communicate this potential to customers.
The result is the brand’s new “Maybes” campaign, which uses messaging to challenge industry stigmas by asking consumers questions like, “Maybe the best hotel isn’t a hotel?”
“It really addresses the stigma in a very quirky and witty way,” Nash explained.
“Maybe we just need to reframe the conversation. I really believe that it will help us in our quest because it is such an incredible, enriching and time-efficient way to see the world.”
The company is also investing in a mix of professionals with experience in both cruising and traditional hotels.
According to Nash, 45 percent of Explora’s shipboard team comes directly from the land-based hospitality industry.
“That gives us a slightly different twist to the culture, to the DNA of the brand,” she explained, highlighting the company’s European roots.
To explore this heritage, Explora partnered with EHL, a Swiss hospitality business school, for training programs.
“We are working with them on a program for our teams to really deliver something quite different at sea,” Nash said.
“It’s working to offer a slightly different twist, a slightly more modern approach, perhaps, to what is traditionally seen on ships.”
She said that this modern approach extends to the brand’s onboard programming and loyalty strategies as well.
Noting that busy professionals desire structured, health-conscious downtime, Explora recently partnered with tennis star Jannik Sinner to launch a new wellness and performance retreat.
Furthermore, Nash stressed that retaining younger luxury demographics requires moving beyond traditional point-based reward systems.
“With the younger generation, you’ve got to be very careful not to be transactional,” she explained.
“You can win them over through emotion, through surprise and delight. If we as a brand can understand why each guest is traveling with us and who they are as individuals, then that’s when we can surprise them; that, to me, is the ultimate service delivery.”
