Cordelia: International Guests’ Interest in India Grows

Cordelia: International Guests’ Interest in India Grows

“Over the next two years our focus is on refining and redistributing capacity rather than reinventing the network. Lakshadweep remains a core part of our offering and continues to be one of our most popular destinations,” said Jurgen Bailom, CEO at Cordelia Cruises, which goes from one ship this year to three by the end of 2027.

This year, the Empress will introduce new international itineraries from Kochi, including a five-night Malé and Colombo cruise, alongside a two-night high-seas weekend cruise.

“From Chennai, we will operate five-night Sri Lanka cruises, five-night Visakhapatnam and Puducherry itineraries, and open-jaw 10-night Southeast Asia sailings between Chennai and Singapore in July,” he said.

Heading to Asia

Looking ahead to 2027, the company plans to add more Southeast Asia itineraries with open-jaw seven-night sailings between Chennai and Singapore on the Cordelia Sky, which transfers from Norwegian Cruise Line later this year.

“These itineraries are designed not only for Indian travelers, but also for international guests,” said Bailom.

The Sky will take over the core itineraries currently operated by the Empress, initially sailing from Mumbai when she enters service in October.

“The intent is continuity, not disruption,” he added. “The Sky allows us to operate these high-demand routes at a larger scale, with greater capacity and more balcony cabins.”

The Sky is approximately 25 percent larger than the Empress.

“As our deployment evolves, the Sky will move to Kochi and continue operating the itineraries that the Empress has established there, while benefiting from the ship’s size, speed and operational flexibility,” Bailom said.

The Sun will join the Cordelia fleet in 2027, sailing from Mumbai. The Sky will then move to Kochi, and the Empress will shift to sailing from Chennai on a near year-round basis.

“This creates a balanced, multi-homeport network across India with both domestic and international itineraries.

“The speed capability of the newer ships provides greater flexibility to introduce additional ports from existing homeports,” Bailom said.

International Appeal

“We are seeing growing interest from international travellers who want to explore India and its surrounding regions without the complexity of multi-city travel,” Bailom explained.

“Weeklong itineraries such as Southeast Asia sailings, Sri Lanka routes and extended regional cruises allow us to position cruising as a gateway into India, rather than just a domestic holiday format.”

Bailom said that as of early 2026, the company was well into planning its 2028 deployment.

“Port infrastructure and operational reliability are the primary considerations,” he explained. “A successful itinerary delivers across multiple metrics and blends destination discovery with meaningful onboard experiences.

“We focus on creating well-paced journeys that offer a mix of marquee ports, leisure days at sea and immersive shore excursions, ensuring the overall experience feels enriching rather than rushed.

“From a long-term perspective, success also means repeatability. If an itinerary can be operated reliably across seasons and becomes easy for the trade to sell, it becomes part of the core network.”

Everllence and Plastic Fischer Fight Against Plastic Waste

Everllence and Plastic Fischer Fight Against Plastic Waste

Everllence has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with social enterprise Plastic Fischer, which will see the clearing of rivers near Everllence locations in India of plastic waste.

Plastic Fischer is a Cologne-based startup that combats ocean plastic pollution while creating jobs in emerging countries. As part of the partnership, regular joint-collection campaigns with employees will take place at Everllence locations in India.

Everllence said in a press release that the partnership will enable Plastic Fischer to collect and recycle between 450 and 500 tons of plastic over the next three years.

A total of seven floating barriers will be installed in Vadodara and Bangalore to capture plastic from the river. The startup will also use the funding to open two material-recovery facilities to sort and recycle the collected materials.

In the first year, these measures are expected to create 20 local jobs.

Uwe Lauber, CEO of Everllence, said: “Protecting oceans and waterways is especially important to us. Plastic Fischer has been carrying out impressive work in this field for many years, and we are proud and happy to support their mission.”

Karsten Hirsch, CEO and founder of Plastic Fischer, said: “We are very pleased to take our next big step with Everllence and expand into two new locations at once.”

“This long-term support will help us build infrastructure and drive sustainable change on-site. We are proud to have earned Everllence’s trust to build a flagship project with a strong local impact together,” Hirsch added.

Michael Melzer, head of experience communications and responsible for donations and sponsorships at Everllence, said: “What convinced us about Plastic Fischer, in addition to our shared commitment to protecting waterways, was its local approach.”

“Together, not only can we fight plastic waste, but we can also make a contribution to local economic development around our Indian sites. Furthermore, our employees in Bangalore and Vadodara can volunteer in the cleanups; it’s a great cooperation,” added Melzer.

Plastic Fischer uses barriers called TrashBooms to capture plastic directly in rivers.

Non-recyclable waste is processed in cement plants, serving as a more environmentally friendly alternative to landfill or incineration, as it produces no residues like ash and simultaneously replaces fossil fuels.

The Alang Fleet: These Five Ships Will Be Scrapped in India

Five cruise ships are in the process of being scrapped in India following the COVID-19 pandemic which has accelerated the retirement of cruise ships.

Karnika
Capacity: 1,578
Tonnage: 70,130
Year built: 1990
Last Cruise Line: Jalesh Cruises

A victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jalesh Cruises was shut down by its owners in October. As a consequence, Karnika, the company’s sole vessel, was sold for scrap in November.

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Ocean Dream
Capacity: 1,022
Tonnage: 36,674
Year built: 1982
Last Cruise Line: Peace Boat

The Ocean Dream was beached on New Year’s Eve, ending its 38-year seagoing career. Previously operated by the Peace Boat Organization, the vessel was replaced by the newer and larger Pacific World, the former Sun Princess. 

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Marco Polo 
Capacity: 800
Tonnage: 22,080
Year built: 1965
Last Cruise Line: Cruise & Maritime

After Cruise & Maritime Voyages went into administration, the Marco Polo was auctioned in October. The new owners planned to use the ship on charter deals, looking into options that even included transforming it into a permanent hotel. None of the deal materialized.

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Grand Celebration 
Capacity: 1,800
Tonnage: 47,262
Year built: 1987
Last Cruise Line: Bahamas Paradise
Operating for Bahamas Paradise since 2015, the Grand Celebration was sold in November. While the cruise line initially denied the sale, the 1987-built vessel set course to India, arriving in Alang on January 11.   

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Satoshi (ex-Pacific Dawn)
Capacity: 1,590
Tonnage: 70,000
Year built: 1991
Last Cruise Line: P&O Australia

Sold by P&O Australia in October, the former Pacific Dawn was set to become a floating tech hub off the coast of Panama. The plan, however, fell through in December and the ship, now named Satoshi, was sold to Indian breakers.  

The Marco Polo Is Getting Scrapped

The classic Marco Polo is heading to the scrapyard in Alang, India, according to a source familiar with the ship.

"The Marco Polo is headed for the beach," they said.

Other sources said potential charter deals included using the ship as a floating accommodation vessel and even converting it to a permanent hotel. None of the deals materialized, however.

Following the demise of Cruise & Maritime Voyages earlier this year, the classic, 1965-built vessel sold at auction for just $2,770,000.

A former ocean liner, the Marco Polo was built in 1965 as the Aleksandr Pushkin for the Leningrad/Montreal route.

After serving its original purpose until the 1970s, the vessel started to sail as a cruise ship under charter agreements.

In 1991, it was sold to Orient Lines and renamed Marco Polo. In Greece, the vessel was rebuilt as a true cruise ship, also receiving new engines.

Zen Cruises to Start in India with Pacific Jewel

Zen Cruises to Start in India with Pacific Jewel

Another new cruise line is entering the fold as Zen Cruises announced today it had purchased the 1990-built P&O Pacific Jewel and intends to start service in 2019 out of India.

The cruise brand is owned by Essel Group, which describes itself as a "multi-faceted business conglomerate, with a legacy of over 90 years."

The company today announced the appointment of industry veteran Jurgen Bailom as President and CEO of the Group’s upcoming cruise line business, Zen Cruises Private Limited.

"Bailom will steer the company on a course to captivate Indian cruise passengers with an offering par excellence," the company said.

The Pacific Jewel entered service in 1990 as the Crown Princess after being built by Fincantieri. It also served as the A'Rosa Blu, AIDAblu and Ocean Village Two before moving to P&O Australia as the Pacific Jewel in 2009. It will wrap up its service career with P&O in March.

Bailom was previously at the head of Grupo Vidanta Cruises prior to Essel Group. He has also held senior corporate director positions within several of Royal Caribbean’s brands.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Essel Group which has done pioneering work across sectors and consider it a great opportunity to be at the helm of India’s first cruise company. India has a 6,632 km long coastline along nine states and two union territories which presents the tremendous potential to promote and grow cruise tourism in India. We intend to take the cruise liner experience to a new level for people in India, and I look forward to unveiling our plans soon," Bailom said.

No further information was released. 

Avalon expands to India with Ganges cruises

For 2019, Avalon Waterways has packaged Ganges River cruises in several itineraries.

For the cruise portion, guests board the 56-passenger Ganges Voyager for a six-day, roundtrip cruise from Kolkata.

The cruise heads north from Kolkata to visit Kalna, where passengers will take a rickshaw ride to the historic terracotta temple complex, and smaller villages where they will observe brass-making, saree weaving and idol making. Avalon will also offer a visit to a farmer’s home and to a rescue shelter for cows, in addition to the region’s stately sites, such as the Hare Krishna centre in Mayapur.

The Ganges Voyager is an all-suite vessel with accommodations ranging from the 260-square-foot deluxe suite to the 400-square-foot Maharaja suite. There is air conditioning throughout, a lounge and bar, a restaurant, gym, two spa treatment rooms and a partially shaded observation deck.

Avalon joins a handful of other river cruise companies and tour operators that have begun offering Ganges River cruises in recent years. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection launched its Ganges program in 2016, and G Adventures started selling Gange's cruises in 2015.

Royal Caribbean and STB in Marketing Deal to Promote Singapore

Royal Caribbean and STB in Marketing Deal to Promote Singapore

Royal Caribbean International has signed a first-ever multi-million  dollar  marketing  collaboration  with the  Singapore  Tourism  Board  (STB)  and Changi Airport Group (CAG) to promote cruising out of Singapore and, in turn, attract the cruise line's largest number of overseas fly-cruise guests here.

The tripartite collaboration – which runs between 2015 and 2018 – is estimated to pull in over
170,000 overseas visitors to Singapore to sail on Royal Caribbean’s cruises over that period, resulting in a projected growth of over 50 percent.

This will be done via a series of marketing campaigns, research studies and channel development activities, such as partnerships with the media and trade, in markets not only within Asia such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, but also beyond the region in Australia, Europe and North America.

Royal Caribbean also plans to increase its number of sailings from Singapore during this period to over 40 a year. Currently, the cruise line’s 3,840-guest Mariner of the Seas makes around 30 voyages annually. Her next Singapore season which will be the largest ever starting from this

October will feature more long cruises of seven to 15 nights, aimed at attracting more overseas fly-cruise guests.

Sean Treacy, Managing Director, Singapore and Southeast Asia of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. said: “Having deployed ships here regularly for the last seven years, Royal Caribbean now looks
forward to its next phase of significant growth in Singapore. Our three-year deployment plan is our strongest commitment ever to this market and we see great potential in Singapore as a
source market and regional cruise hub. We highly appreciate this collaboration which will be a tremendous support for our business goals in Singapore and Southeast Asia, as well as the strong efforts of the Singapore Government for being so proactive in driving the cruise business in the country.”

Said  Neeta  Lachmandas,  Assistant  Chief  Executive  (Business  Development  Group),
Singapore Tourism Board: “The tripartite collaboration is a significant development not just for Singapore but also for Southeast Asia. We hope Royal Caribbean’s commitment will inspire new cruise itineraries around the region to offer more reasons for travellers to take to cruising, and also motivate our neighbouring ports and destinations to invest and realise fully the tremendous potential of the Asian cruise industry.”

Providing a link between Royal Caribbean International, Singapore and its regional neighbours is Changi Airport’s strong connectivity to 320 cities worldwide, along with some 6,700 weekly flights, giving Singapore a strategic advantage to effectively tap fly-cruise traffic from across the globe and serve as a cruise hub for Asia.

CAG’s Senior Vice President for Market Development, Mr Lim Ching Kiat, said: “This collaboration represents the synergistic efforts by CAG, Royal Caribbean and STB to effectively tap fly-cruise traffic from across the globe and serve as a cruise hub for Asia. Changi Airport will continue to  leverage  on  its  network and  work with airlines  and  travel  agents to  promote fly-cruise packages through Singapore.”

Norwegian Star to sail Asia and Australia cruises

Norwegian Star in Cabo San Lucas.

By Jerry Limone 

Norwegian Cruise Line will sail to destinations in Asia and Australia for the first time since 2002, operating voyages from six ports in fall/winter 2016-17 on the Norwegian Star.

Itineraries will depart from Istanbul, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand. Highlights include the line’s first visits to India and the Persian Gulf, a series of Southeast Asia cruises and two Australia/New Zealand voyages (one 12-day and one 19-day cruise). The Southeast Asia cruises feature overnight stays in Bangkok.

Also in winter 2016-17, the Norwegian Epic will return to Florida after more than a year in Europe, sailing eastern and western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral. The Norwegian Jade will replace Norwegian Star in Tampa, mainly sailing an itinerary that visits the Mexican Caribbean; Roatan in Honduras’ Bay Islands; and Harvest Caye, Norwegian’s new private destination in Belize.

Starting next summer, the Norwegian Spirit will replace the Epic as the line’s year-round European ship, sailing Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona, Venice and Istanbul.

In addition to Norwegian’s previously scheduled Panama Canal cruises in February, the line has added two 14-day Panama Canal sailings from Los Angeles and Miami on the Norwegian Jewel, on Feb. 5, 2017, and Feb. 19, 2017. The Caribbean cruises go on sale Aug. 24.

Caribbean sailings for fall/winter 2016-17 will go on sale Aug. 19, and all other destinations go on sale Aug. 24.

Asia’s Largest and most revolutionary cruise ship Quantum Of The Seas makes maiden call at Cochin

Asia’s Largest and most revolutionary cruise ship Quantum Of The Seas makes maiden call at Cochin

Quantum of the Seas

One of Royal Caribbean International’s newest and most revolutionary cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, has visited its first Asian port today in Cochin, India. The 18-deck, 167,800 gross registered ton ship is the largest ever to call at any Indian port and with the highest number of guests onboard, totalling close to 4,000 from around the world. She is on a 14-night cruise from Dubai to Singapore which has also called at Muscat and will next visit Penang.

 
Traditional plaque exchanges are conducted with Captain Srecko Ban of Quantum of the Seas with Dr. Unnikrishnan Nair, Traffic Manager Cochin Port Trust and Mr Keki Master, Sr Vice President of J.M.Baxi & Co to commemorate the ship’s maiden call, in the presence of local government officials, media, business partners as well as TIRUN Travel Marketing, Royal Caribbean International’s exclusive representative in India.

 

Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive of TIRUN Travel Marketing said, “We are thrilled that Quantum of the Seas has finally arrived in Asia today which is a huge milestone for Royal Caribbean. This is the ship that will change everything, in pushing the boundaries, elevating cruising to be among the top vacation choices and reinforcing our brand as an industry leader. The Quantum Class is the next generation of cruise ships filled with innovations in entertainment, technology and culinary that take guests to new heights on the high seas, which we are sure will unleash a new wave of excitement and cruise boom among Indian vacationers.”

 
Quantum of the Seas introduced many firsts-at-sea features such as the North Star elevated glass capsule, RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator and the Bionic Bar. She also features transformative venues such as the Two70 multi-purpose multi-level room, which offers 270 degree panoramic views out of the back of the ship and the SeaPlex indoor activity area, which is the largest active indoor area at sea that features bumper cars, rollerskating and even a circus school.

 
With 18 different restaurants on board, guests will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining. Guests can look forward to dining at specialty restaurants created in conjunction with award winning chefs Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz and Devin Alexander, or at one of five complimentary restaurants available onboard.

Every room on Quantum of the Seas comes with a view thanks to the introduction of Royal Caribbean’s Virtual Balcony available in all interior staterooms. Multi-generational families now also benefit from new Family-Connected staterooms, which connect three different stateroom categories into a special layout with separate bedrooms and bathrooms for all.

Making a return are signature features found on other Royal Caribbean ships such as the H2O Zone kids’ aqua park, rock climbing wall, FlowRider surf simulator, Adventure Ocean children’s programme, Royal Babies and Tots Nursery and DreamWorks Entertainment.

Quantum of the Seas is currently on her 53-night epic Global Odyssey which departed from New York en route to Shanghai where she will homeport year round. As part of her Global Odyssey, she will also be embarking on Jun 12 on a 3-night round trip from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), followed by her 9 night long cruise on Jun 15 from Singapore to Shanghai, calling at Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong and Xiamen.

Pandaw to introduce Ganges cruise in 2015

Pandaw River Expeditions is introducing a new river cruise for 2015 on India’s Ganges and Hooghly rivers on the 40-passenger Rajmahal.

The 16-day itinerary will begin with a three-night land tour from Varanasi to Patna. Passengers will embark the Rajmahal in Patna on day four of the itinerary and sail toward Kolkata. A detailed itinerary can be found here. There is one Pandaw departure of this cruise scheduled for Oct. 27.

The Rajmahal was built in Kolkata in 2013 and features climate-controlled staterooms with en suite bathrooms as well as in-room refrigerators and coffee and tea makers. The onboard restaurant will serve Western and Indian cuisines. There is also a spa on the main deck, a sun deck with open and shaded lounge chairs and a small library and saloon.

The cruise price includes an airport transfer in Varanasi, all meals during the cruise, excursions, port fees and government taxes, porterage, English-speaking tour guides, drip coffee and tea, bottled water, a cruise director and crew gratuities. It excludes laundry, visas, drinks, fuel surcharges and gratuities for local guides and drivers. 

Pandaw River Expeditions' 40-passenger Rajmahal will sail a 16-day itinerary on India’s Ganges and Hooghly rivers.

MSC Cruises to sail to Asia

MSC Cruises will be making a splash in Asia for the first time ever, when MSC Orchestra sets sail on an all-inclusive voyage from Dubai to Perth next year.

In 2015, the company's 33-night cruise – departing in February – will stop off in Mumbai and Cochin, India; Colombo in Sri Lanka; Langkawi in Malaysia; Singapore; and Bali, according to Travel Weekly.

The colourful schedule will also take in the best of Australia in the final leg of the month-long cruise, with stops scheduled in Cairns Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle.

Highlighting the emphasis placed on Asia during the voyage, Singapore represents one of two scheduled overnight stops, with Sydney making up the other.

According to the company, there has already been keen interest among passengers in the new itinerary.

Giles Hawke, MSC's managing director for UK and Ireland, told the news provider: "We have had a number of our past passengers asking for an itinerary which will take them to the Far East and Australia and this gives them exactly what they are looking for."

Preview 2014: Destinations

By Gay Nagle Myers

Twirl a globe and randomly stab it as it spins. Chances are that wherever your finger lands is a place that someone, or lots of someones, will be traveling to next year.

That said, however, a number of unknowns remain: What's in? What's out? Who's going where in 2014? Does travel next year signify a return to old haunts, or will consumers throw off the bowlines, leave the safe harbors and set forth on new pathways?

A random sampling of travel agents revealed that there clearly is no single answer or set answer; it's pretty much a mixed bag across the board. 

Mary Ann Ramsey, president of Betty MacLean Travel in Naples, Fla., which specializes in multigenerational adventure travel, responded from Cuba, where she was taking part in a people-to-people program.

She said she's had queries from clients who wanted to experience, firsthand, Cuba, Cubans and the people-to-people programs.

The Galapagos Islands are also on her clients' radars, especially since the launch in late September of the 100-passenger Silver Galapagos, Silversea's expedition vessel.

Cold Antarctica is another hot destination for Ramsey's agency.

"Seabourn Quest's new voyages to Antarctica this winter are bringing luxury to an unspoiled continent," she said.

In terms of trends, Ramsey reported an increase in demand and bookings for privately guided programs in the U.S. national parks and in western Canada.
Multigenerational travel on African safaris is big at SRH Travel in Greensboro, N.C.

"We're seeing quite a lot of interest there, as well as in new resorts and lesser-visited Caribbean islands," said Shannon Haynes, the owner and travel consultant.

Europe has picked back up, she said, as has Disney, with its newly renovated Magic Kingdom.

"Travelers who are familiar with Disney parks are excited to try out the MagicBands [the all-in-one gadgets that serve as ticket, room key and more] and the new restaurants, as well," Haynes said.

Some of the old favorites are making a comeback in itineraries next year.

Allison Harris, co-partner in the Travel Corner in Williamsburg, Va., said that national parks, travel to Hawaii and cruises to Alaska are more popular than in the recent past.

"Our clients are diverse, well-heeled and have the wherewithal to travel where and when they want," Harris said.

River cruising has been and remains a big seller, she said, adding, "The small cruise ships, too, are getting a lot of respect from our older clients who don't want all the glitz and gizmos of the super-large ships."

River cruising also looms large at Cruise One in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

"There's a lot of awareness of river cruising in Europe, but less availability even though there are more ships," said Mara Hargarther, the franchise owner. "Clients are so surprised to find that many ships already are full for 2014."

Most of her clientele book luxury ship accommodations "because it is the ship, not the destination, that is most important for them."

Hargarther has branched out into niche cruising for specialty groups.

"I take a whole group of knitters, for example," she said. "We have classes and instructions as we cruise our way to the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada and throughout Europe."

Whatever the formula, it seems to be working. Hargarther said her business is up 42% year to date, "and we're breaking records all over the place."

For Dan Ilves, vice president of leisure sales and marketing at the Travel Store in Los Angeles, "Europe always is hot. France is very strong for 2014, and river cruises have shown the greatest increase year over year. They're through the roof. In fact, it's hard to get space, especially for families or small groups. I've hit the wall several times on that."

Greece is showing "a bit of activity, and so are Fiji and Tahiti, in terms of hits on our website."

The South Pacific looms big for Terry Bahri, travel specialist at En Route Travel in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

"Bookings are way ahead for 2014, with a lot of interest in Fiji, Tahiti and private island resorts," Bahri said. "Although Bali never recovered from the bombings in 2005, my clients go everywhere else. I'm booking India, Vietnam and China. Africa is a big seller next year."

What her clients want most, she said, are special experiences.

"One couple visiting the Caribbean befriended some local islanders and were invited to share a dinner at their house," she said. "That was what they talked about when they returned home."

Experiential travel is the buzz phrase that represents a large chunk of the bookings at Strong Travel Services in Dallas, owned by Jim and Nancy Strong.

"I'm always surprised by the variety of requests we get," Nancy Strong said. "There's a lot of interest in Africa, especially Namibia, Rwanda and Uganda to see the gorillas."

The agency received calls for Christmas travel to India, Brazil and the Caribbean with the caveat that it be upscale, private, unique, enlightening and new within those destinations, according to Jim Strong.

"We look for the wow factor when planning these trips for our clients," he said. "If it's Paris, then we find the new hotel, a special driver, a guide who will take them behind the scenes and to an off-the-beaten-path restaurant."

Food is a big factor in travel these days, Nancy said: "For many of our clients, the most important questions when we are booking their travels are, 'Where will I eat?' 'What will I eat?' and 'What will I experience?'"

Noting that the agency is making more lunch and dinner reservations than ever before, the Strongs dubbed the growing passion for food "a new cultural phenomenon." 

Genesis of a river cruise

By Michelle Baran

It's high noon in New Delhi at the tail end of the monsoon season, and it's difficult not to be distracted by the mounting heat as we tour Humayun's Tomb. Our still-jet-lagged group is trying -- and admittedly largely failing -- to stay tuned in to the explanation of the historical and architectural significance of the site when I hear a Polish-accented voice ask our tour guide with total focus, "And how many steps are there?"

I glanced over to see Wanda Kowalczyk, vice president of product development at Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, taking notes on a red clipboard that would be her constant companion during much of the two weeks we traveled through India as part of a scouting trip hosted by Haimark Ltd.

Kowalczyk noted every little factoid about the destination, from descriptions of the monuments to the hotel amenities to, yes, even the exact number of steps that must be climbed to reach certain sites -- steps Uniworld's clients will have to climb if the company decides to introduce an India itinerary in partnership with Haimark.

Wesley Bosnic, senior vice president of strategic development at Uniworld, explained, "We have to keep in mind the profile of our guests. The expectation from our guests is that they trust Uniworld; they trust the brand."
Bosnic was traveling with Kowalczyk on a two-week preview trip that would help Uniworld and several other potential partners decide whether to charter a Ganges River ship that Haimark will launch in 2015 and develop a corresponding India itinerary.

"Obviously," Kowalczyk chimed in during our interview onboard a train from Jaipur to Agra toward the end of our journey, "the services are very important: the hotels ... transportation, quality of the guides. We need guides who tell a story. You look to have some Unesco [World Heritage] sites, great museums, as well. And to have fun!"

After years of destination reconnaissance, product development teams like Kowalczyk and Bosnic know exactly what they're looking for. Having pored over guest feedback, they have learned what their customers want -- and what they definitely do not want -- from a vacation, and they factor that into every decision they make about creating and building itineraries.

Depending on the company, the process can be extremely refined, a precise checklist that product development staff take with them to determine if a new destination or itinerary is fit for their travelers. Or it can be a bit more fluid and intuitive, with looser parameters.

But what struck me most as I got a rare glimpse behind the curtain of the product development methodology (normally companies only want to have the media see the complete and polished package) is just how much effort and emotion go into vetting itineraries, an exercise that rarely gets much exposure due to its very behind-the-scenes nature.

Deciding on new destinations

The very first step in product development is determining which destinations are worth the time and energy to scout out. Operators take their inspiration from myriad reference points.
Pam Hoffee, vice president of product and operations for the Globus family of brands, wrote in an email: "New destinations or itineraries start from many sources: trade requests, consumer media coverage, customer suggestions, tour director suggestions, etc. Once they are agreed upon, our product team starts the process of vetting the itinerary and turning an idea into a vacation. We start with a lot of online research, talking to tourist boards, hotels and cool attractions in the region, to start to understand what there is to see and do."

Not surprisingly, many operators rely on "people on the ground" -- operators, guides and destination marketing organizations -- to tip them off to interesting new destinations, sites and attractions.

Haimark is building its business on discovering new and emerging markets in which to develop product with its river cruise vessels, then partnering with larger tour operators to sell it. In essence, Haimark actually pre-vets emerging destinations for larger tour operators and serves as a bridge between the operators and the destinations.

Haimark Managing Partner Tom Markwell said the company has to address a host of questions and concerns before it decides to invest in a destination and sell it to potential partners.

"First of all, what's the airlift like?" Markwell said. "How easy is it to get in and out of this place? If it's not easy to get there, you're already reducing a large number of passengers. Then, is there life along the river? Is it overly touristic? Are there authentic experiences, or are they going to see just sand banks? That's a large part of validating whether a river cruise is justifiable. If there's no life, architecture, people-to-people experiences, it's not going to work."
Scouting new destinations, of course, depends a lot on which demographic the company is targeting: their age, physical ability, budget, discerning tastes, level of adventurousness. Those and numerous other qualifiers are all integral to deciding where and what to explore.

For companies that have built their business on going farther off the beaten path than their competitors, scouting new destinations means getting innovative.

"We spend a lot of time researching different destinations and finding out which is the next one," said Scott Avera, vice president of product development at General Tours World Traveler.

General Tours has built its legacy on taking travelers to countries that are off the mainstream travel market's radar. For one thing, the company keeps an eye on new destinations for the European source market, because, Avera said, Europeans tend to venture into emerging destinations before U.S. travelers do.

Another thing that tips off the General Tours team to emerging destinations are places that clients book through the tour operator's custom travel department.

"Those people tend to want to be in those destinations first," Avera said. When the company detects a critical mass of custom tours being booked in a new destination, he said, it's usually a good sign that it's time to look into developing a brochure product for it.

General Tours President Bob Drumm recently scouted Sri Lanka as a potential emerging market, and consequently the company is introducing the destination for 2014.
When it comes to new destinations, almost no place is off limits for adventure tour operator G Adventures, which already sends clients to 110 countries around the globe. Finding new places to sell means continually pushing the envelope.

"Our customers, they can be a bit hard-core," said Jeff Russill, vice president of innovation at G Adventures, which just introduced the Philippines and Sierra Leone to its product mix.

Whether or not G Adventures will scope out a new destination isn't dependent on the airlift or the hotel infrastructure.

"No. 1 is safety," Russill said. "We're an adventure travel company, so we have to be even more on guard than anybody else. That's the cost of entry for us; that's table stakes."

Asked if some destinations in the world simply aren't compelling enough to check out, Russill responded, "Every country has something that's going to interest someone."

The checklist

Once it has been decided that a destination is worth exploring, out comes the checklist, however formal or informal it might be, to determine which elements of the itinerary will stay and which will go, as well as if and when the itinerary gets developed, contracted, marketed and, hopefully, sold.

"That guide will not be taking Uniworld clients around," Kowalczyk whispered to me about a tour leader in India who had rubbed a few of us the wrong way with some curt comments and flippant remarks. Kowalczyk's spot decision about a potential supplier is indicative of the observations made on the road that inform contract decisions further down the line.
Uniworld serves a high-end clientele, so it has set the barometer for service and amenities on its European river cruises rather high. As the company seeks new and emerging destinations to enter, it has to be sure it can maintain brand consistency with its European product.

Not surprisingly, before all the other elements are assembled, Uniworld first has to be sure there's a suitable vessel for its passengers in any new destination.

Asked what first entices him and Kowalczyk to scout out a new destination, Bosnic said, "It is the hardware. And when I say it's the hardware, it's the experience onboard. We want to make sure that the onboard experience is as close as possible to [our European experience]. Whatever we do, we want to be confident that we are doing the very best in the destination."

Working with third parties in destinations outside Europe means that Uniworld has to go in and make sure that, on the ship and off, its standards are upheld.

Markwell, who is working to sell exotic product in places like and Cambodia to upscale partners like Uniworld, observed that different partners have different priorities. Some, for example, want to be sure there is Western food available, while other companies push for more local cuisine.
He is also sure to communicate that certain things that might be expected in established markets just aren't going to be available farther afield. For example, he said, river cruise ships in India and Southeast Asia just can't offer dry cleaning or direct-dial phones. Part of the product development process, he said, simply comes down to managing expectations.

Good guide, good food

Perhaps one of the destination must-haves most consistently emphasized by product development teams is a knowledgeable and personable guide, one who will sell the destination and the experience and, most importantly, make it a memorable trip.

"A definite no is if there's not a good guide in that area," Avera said, echoing a sentiment that has practically become an industry-wide maxim. "Without a great guide, packaged travel just doesn't work."

In Avera's case, that condition tops the criteria of a company that seems willing to go almost anywhere in the world.

On the other hand, niche travel companies that cater to adventure-seeking customers are less concerned about the destination's tourism infrastructure (they've found ways around that) than they are about good guides and safety conditions.

In order to go into less-developed regions of the world, they often simply create their own infrastructure.

G Adventures, for example, will do home stays or set up campsites in areas where hotels are not sufficient. And in West Africa, the company uses its 150-passenger vessel, the Expedition, which sails from South Africa to Morocco, to provide an alternative to the minimal land accommodations available in that part of the world.

But even more rugged travelers have their standards. Russill noted that no matter how rudimentary the accommodations, it's important to most G Adventures customers that the accommodations be clean. WiFi availability is also becoming increasingly important as travelers of all ages and backgrounds become more attached to their mobile devices and social networks.
Food presents another interesting challenge. Bringing people to remote corners of the world means not having full control of the quality and sanitary condition of the food being served or of the hygiene of all the staff who participate in its preparation, which could result in travelers getting ill.

In areas where the tour operator can't be confident about the restaurants or dining options generally available, General Tours has been forced to get creative and have a local expat host guests for a meal at his or her home.

For its part, G Adventures relies on those trusted, all-important guides to steer travelers toward local eateries and away from touristic restaurants in order to avoid food-borne illnesses.

"Most Westernized restaurants in far-out countries, those are the ones that you're going to get sick at," Russill said. "Eat where it's busy with locals, because then it's freshly made."

Clearly, General Tours' and G Adventures' travelers are cut from a different cloth than clients of a more mainstream or upscale tour operator would be. While an adventure operator's product development team might be scoping out a roadside eatery in Yunnan province, product development managers at a more traditional upscale brand might be comparing tasting menus at five-star resorts in Marrakech.

But no matter what kind of traveler they're serving, the goal is the same: to create and build an itinerary that delivers customer satisfaction.

From approval to print

One of my favorite anecdotes from traveling through India with Uniworld's Kowalczyk and Bosnic came after a hair-rising rickshaw ride through the packed streets of Varanasi, en route to the Ganges River bank to witness the evening's spiritual ceremony.

As we descended from our carriages, half terrified and half exhilarated at having survived the utter havoc of the holy city, Kowalczyk told me of a similar white-knuckled ride they experienced on rickshaws when scouting out Hanoi for Uniworld's Mekong River cruise.
Back then, Kowalczyk concluded that such rides would be a bit too much excitement for Uniworld guests. But Bosnic countered, "They're going to love it!"

"And he was right," Kowalczyk admitted. "They love it."

Reconnoitering a destination and deciding whether or not it will make a good packaged travel product for consumers is only one piece in the process of creating a successful itinerary.

After concluding the trip in India, Kowalczyk and Bosnic said they would head back to Uniworld's headquarters in Encino, Calif., to prepare a presentation for the rest of the company.

"We enjoyed [the India product]," Bosnic said. "It's great, but what type of commitment? What kind of volume? All of that requires a little more research."

Having ventured out and experienced the product themselves, it seems only natural that product development teams would get a bit emotional about the destinations they have visited. But they also realize that just because they enjoyed certain places doesn't always mean those destinations would work for their clients.

I asked if Bosnic and Kowalczyk had ever been disappointed by a decision the company made not to create product for a destination they felt had potential. Bosnic immediately threw out Myanmar.

"We really liked Myanmar," he said. "We thought it was a destination that was different enough from Vietnam and Cambodia. But the shareholders felt that it's still a little early to get in there."

Once they've done the reconnaissance, product development teams hand over their research to other tour departments, which do additional research to decide if it can become a viable, sellable product. If they decide to move forward, the process moves on to pricing, marketing and selling the new itinerary.

"The product manager creates the itinerary and hands it off, along with some notes of hotels they'd like to see in the mix," Globus' Hoffee said. "We have a separate contracting team who then source the hotels and other vendors to bring the vacation to life."

The product development team members represent the front line, and their job is only the beginning of a much longer process than sometimes can take several years to complete.

But their very existence on the payroll at any tour or river cruise operation is a testament to how hands-on the product-building process is. While an operator could probably build a rudimentary itinerary with a few phone calls and email queries to some suppliers, there would be no guarantee that those suppliers or the destination itself would actually deliver. Firsthand immersion is really the only way to find out.

As we traveled through India, we heard stories about bygone emperors' food tasters, whose job it was to test the meal for assassination-by-poison by putting their own lives on the line. It struck me that product development teams are a bit like food tasters. While a negative outcome is far less extreme, it falls to them to test every bit of the product for safety and viability before it gets consumed by travellers.

Behind the scenes, creating a new river cruise

By Michelle Baran

I'm not on your traditional river cruise. And I don't just say that because I’m sailing along India’s Ganges River, a waterway that generally conjures up images of people bathing in its brown waters and of spiritual ceremonies along its banks, not a of luxury river cruiser gliding past its shores.

The cruise I'm on is unusual because it is an inspection cruise for Haimark Ltd.’s 56-passenger Ganges Voyager, slated to set sail here in 2015. A group of representatives from various river cruise and tour companies are scouting the experience using the slightly older 56-passenger Bengal Ganga, operated by Indian company Heritage Cruises. 

Consequently, I’m getting a rare glimpse into the world of river cruise product development. Representatives from Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Scenic Cruises and Travel Indochina are here to see what Haimark could offer their clients in terms of land experiences and food and beverage, Since the hardware is still being built, they can’t experience the new ship, but Haimark has brought its culinary director onboard to produce the exact menus that would be served on the Ganges Voyager, and the itinerary we are sailing is the exact itinerary the Ganges Voyager will sail in 2015.

The result is an evolving dialogue about what Western visitors might want and expect from a cruise in India. The hope is that a river cruise vessel with upscale accommodations and a first-class culinary experience (minimizing the risk of severe stomach issues India is notorious for), coupled with the rich culture and history of West Bengal will appeal to river-cruise veterans who are looking to extend their experience in Europe or Asia to another destination.

What is interesting is the nonstop discussions on the passenger experience: Is there a better way to see Kolkata than through the windows of a tour bus? Is it better to visit Delhi at the end of the trip when travelers are more rested? Are there different interactive experiences or onboard lectures and classes that could enhance the learning opportunities?

Some of it is guesswork, and some of the ideas are developed from experience and feedback gathered from river cruises and tours elsewhere in the world.

Do people want to see poverty in India? Well, that’s part of the India experience, right? How much Indian food versus Western food should be on the menu? Well, there should be a bit of both on offer, right?
 

It’s an evolving process, but getting a behind-the-scenes look at the amount of thought and effort that goes into the product development offers, at the very least, a certain degree of confidence that planning and executing an itinerary is not something that is taken lightly. It’s an intense and difficult task, and I've gained additional respect for it now that I've gotten to witness it firsthand.