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CRUISE
Travel Matters speaks to
CHRIS AUSTIN
Chief Sales Officer - Explora Journeys
What was the thinking behind the concept of Explora?
Explora Journeys is a privately owned luxury lifestyle travel brand of the MSC Group and stems from the long-held vision of the Aponte Vago family to redefine the ocean experience. With over 300 years of maritime heritage, creating a luxury brand based on their personal travel experiences was a natural next step. The family have a profound respect for the ocean and have made a significant investment to create a fleet of super yacht style luxury ships.
Tell us about the onboard experience and what can clients expect
A Home at Sea experience. Vibrant, cosmopolitan yet relaxed European luxury which is being created around the core elements of space, privacy, choice and a sense of discovery. Each of our suites, penthouses and residences offer floor
to ceiling windows and very generous private terraces to maximise connection with the sea and to create an Ocean State of Mind experience.
On board, guests will enjoy a choice of nine distinct and totally flexible culinary experiences covering all corners of the world, plus in-suite dining, ten unique bars and lounges, a comprehensive entertainment and enrichment programme, a choice of four heated swimming pools of which one is an indoor pool with retractable glass roof, plenty of outdoor deck space and 64 private cabanas, wellness and spa facilities that include a panoramic running track and casino.
Explora Journeys offers some truly remarkable destinations blending celebrated destinations and lesser known, off
the beaten path locations that focus on a slower, more immersive, pace of travel.
What will be included in the cruise fare and what type of clients should an agent target for Explora?
Guests will enjoy the following generous inclusions:
in-suite welcome bottle of champagne and a bottle of spirit according to their preference, varied dining options across nine distinct venues as well as in-suite dining, unlimited beverages including in-suite mini bar, access to the thermal spa area, on board gratuities and unlimited Wi-Fi throughout the ships. There are additional inclusions and services for our Penthouse and Residence guests.
Explora Journeys has been designed to appeal to the discerning luxury traveller. The extensive research Explora Journeys completed over recent years, indicated our brand will appeal to those who are well-travelled and to those who
are potentially new to luxury ocean travel. We will appeal to multi-generational families with 82 connecting suites available, solo travellers with solo fares from plus 15% to plus 75% and niche small groups with our unique Journey Together Group Programmes.
What support can you offer to agents interested in working with you to sell your product?
Our travel advisors are at the forefront of our B2B2C strategy and we have created a bold portfolio of policies, programmes and tools. We are offering our U.K. travel advisors very healthy commissions, with no NCF’s (Non Commissionable Fares)
the industry’s first Rolling Commission Payment Programme whereby travel advisors can earn commission now on the receipt of deposit funds or when a guest pays in full. All add-ons booked by our travel advisors are commissionable and we offer trouble free move policies and name changes.
We have designed and launched with travel advisor input an online travel advisor centre to support our advisors
to promote our brand. Travel Advisors can find all the information they require including a Knowledge Suite for online learning, Marketing Suite to access all our digital assets, Headlines for news and updates, a Booking Suite and Performance Suite, all of which is underpinned by our extremely generous and flexible commercial terms.
I am also so very proud of the team we are building in the U.K. to support this very important market. Priti Mehta joined our global commercial team in December last year. Priti is Head of Sales U.K. & Ireland and is joined by Andrew Schweitzer, Business Relationships Lead. Both are highly experienced, talented consultative sellers with a passion and commitment to support our travel partners. We will be adding to Priti’s team this year and next too.
Do you have ambitious growth plans for Explora?
Explora Journeys certainly has ambitious growth plans
as we have demonstrated with the recent announcement of two additional ships taking our original investment and commitment from four ships to six. We already have two ships under construction and being a brand that has the utmost respect for the ocean, we have made an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
We are here for the long term and will be supporting our travel advisors to the maximum for the long term too. We invite all travel advisors to join our community and be a valuable part of our journey together.
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