Page 16 - 2020 European River Cruise Market Report

Select Voyages
‘One Newbuild
Every Year’
Select Voyages is both bull-
ish on the overall riverboat
market and aware it won’t
last forever. The Zug, Switzer-
land-based owner, operator and
charterer is ready to expand its
fleet through newbuilds or sec-
ondhand tonnage but also keenly
aware the riverboat market is in
the midst of a bubble, said Bart
Bos, director of sales.
“The idea is to grow one new-
build ship every year from now on.
We have done it before, and we
know it works. Obviously this is
also part of a bubble, so where will price and itinerary details, he said.
it end no one knows,” Bos said. “We
grow to 12 or 14 ships. Once we’re
86 Cruise Industry News: 2020 European River Cruise Market Report
The William
Shakespeare
there, we get rid of the older ones.
and stay at about 12 ships. That said,
if someone had 12 ships available
right now we’d buy them.”
Select is building the 170-pas-
senger nickoSpirit for Stuttgart,
Germany-based Nicko Cruises
Schiffsreisen. The vessel is due to
enter service June 15, 2020.
In years past, Select acted as tour
operator as well as shipping company,
but now only charters out their ships
and services. The company’s strength
on this front is in flexibility to meet
“We go the extra mile as far as
where we sail and what the possi-
bilities are. We hardly ever say no,”
The Charles Bos said. “We require caterers to
Dickens offers have the same flexibility as we do.
For example, a lot of caterers have
a five-star a drinking package that’s one price.
product. But we try to adapt.”
Line Up
The line currently operates nine
ships. It owns five, bareboat charters
three, and supplies nautical crew
for another.
Select built the 110-meter Wil-
liam Shakespeare in 2014 and the
Charles Dickens in 2015. Both have
a capacity of 152 passengers for
five-star service.
The four-star Serenity was built
in 2006. Also owned by Select, she’s