The Royal Crown – Part Two
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In the second of two articles written onboard eWaterway’s Royal Crown, Cruise News editor Sam Ballard describes sailing from Antwerp to Amsterdam and tries to explain why river cruising is currently undergoing a renaissance.
After boarding the Royal Crown in Antwerp on Tuesday our first impressions were overwhelmingly positive. Built in 1996, and espousing a philosophy of old world luxury, the ship has enough personality to mean it will appeal to a solid demographic of first time cruisers while also being traditional enough to be the perfect antidote to those looking for an alternative to a typical ocean cruise. The reason for this is simple: the Royal Crown is a well thought out product with a clearly defined space in the market. Its appeal is there for all to see and its successes over the past few years aren’t hard to fathom.
In part the Royal Crown’s fortunes mirror the success of the river cruise sector itself. The previously mentioned ‘antidote’ to ocean cruising is a genuine unique selling point for the industry, with passengers wanting their holidays to be more about destination engagement and intimacy rather than disembarking at a port of call with 4,000 plus other revellers each wanting a ‘personal experience’. In brief, that’s virtually impossible. However, with less than 200 passengers – or 94 in the case of the Royal Crown – it’s a far more manageable task.
So with a focus off the vessel’s amenities, the itinerary is typically destination heavy. There are designated calls at Rotterdam, Keukenhof and Hoorn on the way to the final stop at Amsterdam. All calls are designed to focus on areas that highlight a more traditional destination experience. These areas weren’t created for tourists – a la ‘Historic Falmouth’ the purpose built location for Oasis of the Seas – they are genuine working parts of Benelux. These destinations give way to a far more appropriate experience for those wishing to engage with a local culture. And that’s the common denominator of river cruise guests; there must be an ambition and willingness to learn about the destinations. If the passenger doesn’t want to get off the ship then there’s a chance that they won’t get as much out of their experience as they might have done otherwise. It also raises the question whether a ship with more facilities would be better for them. And, as operators like to remind everyone, it’s about getting the right people on the right ships!
Being a shake down cruise we were warned prior that the service onboard may have some creases that need ironing out – which was one of the reasons for the cruise itself – however we saw no evidence of that onboard. In fact the service was of the typically high standard you see onboard ships throughout the industry. Staff were prepared to help and always attentive without being over the top or constricting. The food was brilliant and despite the size of the vessel, three main courses (meat, fish and vegetarian) were always offered. Overall the experience was great – the one downside being the weather – which was bitterly cold for virtually the duration of the cruise and meant the trip to Keukenhof had to be changed because the tulip bulbs hadn’t entered season. However, I’m not sure the staff could do much about that one…
So as a final note, river cruises are very definitely not for everybody. However, they a real option for far more people than you might think. During her presentation onboard eWaterways CEO Daniela Wagner explained the profile of the company and the length and breadth of the product on offer. From coastal cruises onboard luxury vessels to canal cruises through France. The key is to realise that a lot of people are looking for this unique type of holiday – and there is a mountain of choice available. It isn’t for everyone but once a travel agent is able to recognise a potential river cruise or small ship passenger then they are unlocking the key to a very profitable future.
To go back and read The Royal Crown – Part One click here.
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