Oceania Cruises is eyeing new ways to keep its solo travellers entertained while sailing the seven seas.
According to Nikki Upshaw, Head of Sales for Oceania Cruises, the majority of solo cruisers with the upper premium line are female, aged between 50-70 years.
Oceania Cruises’ freshly minted ship, Vista, features half a dozen Solo Veranda Staterooms on the Concierge Level, which at 25 square-metres are an oasis for solo cruisers wanting a space of their own without paying the full rate for full-sized stateroom.
Demand has been so hot for Vista‘s new purpose-built solo staterooms that Oceania Cruises isn’t listing the category type online and has been accepting waitlists for some departures.
Recently, Oceania Cruises also converted more than a dozen state staterooms to solo berths on its Regatta Class ships to deal with the popularity.
“We’ve not been surprised, but we’ve certainly been pleased with the uptake,” Upshaw told LATTE of the popularity of the Concierge Level Solo Veranda stateroom while onboard Vista last month. “We do find there is a market in our age group of solo travellers. We have some programming for solo travellers, but not a lot, so we’re looking at our options now.”
A number of cruise lines in the same high-end market have Gentleman Hosts, or ‘Ambassadors’ onboard who dance with solo ladies or join them at dinner so they are not alone. Upshaw didn’t state if this was the path that Oceania Cruises would also choose, instead telling LATTE, “we’re looking at everything at the moment”.
Upshaw’s advice to travel advisors with clients wishing to secure one of Vista‘s solo staterooms is simple. Get in really early for when the new season programs are released, because they will not be around long.