Celebrity Cruises: Travel Sellers Key to New Brand Platform

Solstice-class ships have been a game changer for 20-year-old Celebrity Cruises and the line is riding its Solstice-powered momentum by coming out with what it calls a “new brand platform” – with the tagline “Designed for You” – and the line is “solsticizing” its highly rated Millennium class ships by adding Solstice-class features.

Travel agents are key to the brand’s success, according to Celebrity’s market research, the line’s president and CEO Dan Hanrahan told travel agents, the line’s top customers, and the press during a roll out of the new brand campaign in New York City.

For the trade, the rollout of the Designed for You brand platform includes a sweepstakes and training Webinars on the branding and how travel agents should be using the brand platform to sell more Celebrity cruises, according to Dondra Ritzenthaler, vice president of sales.

Travel agents say they like the changes because it will make what the line’s top sellers called a great brand easier to sell to a wider market of consumers, as Bruce Levy with Pied Piper Travel, New York City, told Travel Market Report at the brand roll out.

“The new campaign will really help sell to a younger demographic…maybe more multi-generational groups as well,” said Lisa Silvestri, Silvestri Travel, Sarasota, FL.

“I love the Solstice innovations that Celebrity is moving to the Millennium Class ships. I think that all of the on board enrichment offerings will be helpful, too. Celebrity is known for their great service and food…but to have so many really new activities onboard to choose from will certainly help sell those sea days, etc. It is great that Celebrity is offering incentives to their travel partners to get out there and sell the ‘Designed for You’ package.”

The launch of the Designed for You brand platform, Hanrahan said, culminated a six-month-long, in-depth market research survey of nearly 10,000 international cruisers, numerous focus group sessions with past guests and travel partners, in-home interviews with some of Celebrity’s frequent guests and prospects, and exhaustive reviews of cruisers’ needs, attitudes and behaviors.

The research clearly defined Celebrity’s target market – namely women, who do the travel planning and deciding, in households with an average $75,000 in annual income or if retired, net worth of $500,000-plus.

The target market loves cruise vacations and is youthful-minded – lots of baby boomers who look in the mirror and see a 34-year-old, as Hanrahan joked.
Celebrity’s average age is a 54-year-old cruiser but that demo is getting younger because the Solstice-class ships and the Celebrity Life cruise activities are beginning to attract a younger customer.

The 50-plus average age, Hanrahan said, is sticking because of the line’s high number of repeat passengers, which does not leave much space for the Gen X and Gen Y passengers the Solsticized line is starting to attract.

As part of the new brand platform, Hanrahan said that the Solstice-class ships will be front and center – that is the central image in the line’s branding campaign online, in consumer magazines, videos and social networking sites.

While the Solstice class is a game changer, Celerbity’s Millennium class ships are very popular – always in the Top 10 in the Conde Nast reader ratings, Hanrahan said.
And to applause from the loyal customers and top Celebrity sellers at the roll out, he announced a $200-million-plus refurbishment program for the Millennium ships, beginning with the Constellation this spring.

The Solsticized Millenniums will include:

     * The addition of Tuscan Grille, the Napa Valley-meets-Italian-steakhouse venue found on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox;
     * Bistro on Five, the creperie introduced on Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox;
     * A Solstice Class-inspired, ice-topped Martini Bar paired with Crush, whose ice-filled table presents a selection of chilled, top-tier vodkas;
     *The Café al Bacio and Gelateria, replacing the former Cova Café;
     * An Enomatic wine bar, the state-of-the-art, Italian designed wine serving system allowing guests to select and serve, at the touch of a button, the wines of their choice by the glass;
     * More sumptuous suites, with all new furniture, flat-screen TVs, upholstery, bedding and carpeting;
     * Restyled staterooms, with entirely new carpeting, flat-screen TVs, upholstery and bedding;
     * New color schemes, carpeting and upholstery reflective of Solstice Class in every public venue, from the Celebrity Theater to Seaside Grill, from the main dining room to Michael’s Club.

Hanrahan said that communicating the Celebrity brand message will be highly focused online because the research found that Celebrity’s customers research online as they plan their vacations.

The research also found that the Celebrity customers are high users of travel agents after their initial research and the line intends to leverage its strong partnership with the travel seller community.

As he has throughout his career in the cruise industry, Hanrahan highlighted the importance of the agency channel to the line’s sales and the Designed for You platform will continue that relationship, he said.

“For 20 years, we have benefited enormously from our relationships with the travel agent community. We look forward to continuing to help them grow their business with new programs and promotions designed for them, and to drive cruisers to capitalize on their expertise when booking their next Celebrity vacation.”