OREANDA-NEWS. March 17, 2016. Princess Cruises announced today an unprecedented destination initiative that combines the cruise line’s deep destination expertise with a groundbreaking collaboration with local experts in key regional cruise destinations, designed to provide guests with the most meaningful, authentic and exclusive experiences ashore. Debuting in regions throughout the world, Global Partners + Local Experts will launch this summer and feature partnerships with Cruise Europe, Cruise Baltic and MedCruise.

The Global Partners+ Local Experts program is the first of its kind in the industry, and is yet another element of the company’s recently announced “Come Back New Promise” featuring a multi-million-dollar array of new product innovations offering guests enriching vacation experiences by connecting them with different cultures and each other in unique ways.

The innovative partnership aims to inspire the line’s guests by sharing the passion and pride the company’s port partners have for their destination, while taking full advantage of the suggestions and creativity of those partners who know the destination best.  Global Partners + Local Experts will feature exclusive destination content and shore experiences designed in partnership with a network of local experts to highlight the most authentic and inspiring experiences in each port.  The experts include partners from ports, tourism boards, tour operators and port agents.

A special feature of the program is the filming of the individual partners sharing their thoughts, experiences and recommendations about the places they call home. The footage will be used in a number of interesting ways including before the cruise on direct e-mails as well as onboard for port enhancement presentations.

Here are some examples of footage used in pre-cruise direct e-mails:

Experience Glasgow:
Meet Andrew Hemphill, the Port Director for Greenock, the port for Glasgow.  Andrew is part of the Cruise Europe team and one of the line’s Glasgow local experts.  A lifelong Glaswegian, Andrew describes his favorite place, Glasgow Cathedral. View here.  
 
Experience Helsinki:
Meet Kim and Jan Long, tour operators in Helsinki.  They are part of our Cruise Baltic team and are Helsinki local experts. Kim and Jan are brothers, and are the head of a multi-generational family-owned tour company with over 20 years of local experience. View here.
 
Experience Florence/Livorno:
Meet Giovanni Spadoni the Commercial Director of the port for Liovorno. Giovanni is part of our Med Cruise team and one of our Tuscan regional experts. Giovanni describes how Livorno is the gateway to  many places and experiences: View here.
 
A full video playlist is available here. 

In addition to the film project the program will include a number of other destination-based elements including local speakers; exclusive guest experiences in port; new tour programs and tours; partner port guides and walking maps; new port welcome and departure experiences; and an insider’s guide including “cool things” made in each port.

“Our research has revealed that our guests want to authentically connect with the destination, people and culture,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. “And while Princess has always been a destination leader, this is a powerful new way to showcase our expertise by enhancing the guest experience in each port both before and during the cruise. Through engaging stories from people who live there, exclusive guest experiences and expert recommendations, we want to inspire our guests and help them create lifelong memories.”

The cruise line’s first new destination partnerships are with the three leading port and cruise associations in Europe. Cruise Baltic is the partner for Regal Princess Scandinavia & Russia cruises, Cruise Europe is the partner for Caribbean Princess British Isles cruises, and MedCruise is the partner for Royal Princess Mediterranean sailings. All three programs will debut during the upcoming 2016 summer season. 

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel consultant, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), or by visiting princess.com/onboard.