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Thatcher Brown on the 'ahhh' factor and what sets Dream Cruises apart

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Thatcher Brown - 'Our ship is luxury ... like walking into a Gucci purse' (Photo: Anne Kalosh)
Genting Dream's Zodiac Theatre was designed with 1,120 seats. But when mock-ups revealed people weren't able to move with ease in the aisles, capacity was reduced to 999.

'The difference between "ugh" and "ahhh" is luxury,' Dream Cruises president Thatcher Brown said, sinking back in his chair to show how comfortable theater-goers will be on his new ship.

'We have 999 seats because our ship is luxury ... It's like walking into a Gucci purse,' he riffed.

Brown was speaking to Asian reporters. They'd asked how Dream Cruises differs from 'luxury lines like Royal Caribbean.'

Brown set them straight. Royal Caribbean's selling point is innovation, he said, adding he takes his hat off to the company.

'For us, we compete on service. If you want to experience luxury, Dream Mansion is going to be quite different from what you see in the market today.'

This 'ship within a ship' has two decks of suites, butler service and exclusive amenities. Sister company Crystal Cruises' head butler is training the Dream Mansion butlers. A ballet instructor was even brought in to teach correct posture.

Brown pointed to the 2,000 crew for fewer than 3,400 passengers and the 46% space ratio. 'Genting Dream's is much higher [than other ships],' he said.

The Dream Cruises chief isn't just ushering in a new ship and a new brand. He's educating Asian media—along with travel agents and consumers—about cruising.

'We have to shift from price to advice,' he told the reporters. 'Value is more important than price. Time is much more important—the luxury of being with your family and parents.'

If travelers seek a luxury experience on a big ship that gives lots of choices but also intimacy and 'real Asian heart-felt service,' Genting Dream is for them, he said.

Parent company Genting Hong Kong has years of experience from running Star Cruises and land-based integrated resorts.

'No other brand can say they've been in the market as long as we have, catering to the market, understanding the market,' and that gives advantages like being able to hire a good Malaysian chef or a good Chinese chef.

Brown shows what Dream Cruises will offer by taking his butlers to trade shows.

This month the line deployed a legion of butlers for an Asian trade partner incentive and media trip to Europe, where agents and reporters toured Genting Dream at Meyer Werft and visited MV Werften's Wismar yard to see where parent Genting HK will build its river and expedition yachts, its Exclusive-class ocean ships for Crystal and its Global-class mega-vessels for Star Cruises.

Brown himself, accompanied by a small army of dashing, white-gloved butlers, met travelers' flights at the airport—a memorable VIP greeting indeed—and butlers accompanied the group, assisting in their Hamburg hotel, on the motorcoaches and even at the shipyards and on tour. Butlers escorted a charter flight with the guests to embark river vessel Crystal Mozart in Vienna, where the group experienced Crystal's luxury product on the Danube.

They were wowed.

One agency owner who's sending hundreds of clients on Genting Dream's repositioning voyages from Europe to Asia gasped when asked about the butlers. 'Fabulous!' he said.

Extolling other features of Genting Dream, Brown cited 'the largest Asian spa at sea ... very authentic,' with the fabulous shoreside spas of Shenzen as a comparison. Refreshments will be served, and families can go together.

The ship caters to families in many ways, including six private dining rooms within the main restaurant. There are more than 100 connecting staterooms, and ample children's and family activities, indoors and out.

Genting Dream has plush karaoke rooms, with sophisticated and elegant food and beverages. Mahjongg rooms will serve refreshments, too.

The 35 food and beverage outlets feature Chinese regional cuisines, Malaysian, Japanese and Western options. Providing guests with things that are familiar and comfortable gives them the assurance to try things they may not know, like the fine-dining Bistro, a restaurant by Australian celebrity chef Mark Best.

It's not just offering the right dining choices but also getting the rhythm of the food and beverage service right. The dining room has to be open at the right time and the service tempo has to be fast.

When it comes to entertainment, Genting Dream offers a 'balanced and appealing portfolio' that's 'relevant to Asian guests,' Brown said. The partnership with 'China's Got Talent' is 'a coup.'

Plus, activities will include a fashion and style program featuring a style icon and guest speakers on self-enrichment. 'There will be opportunities for our guests to participate and feel beautiful from the inside out. This appeals to the newly affluent market in an intelligent way,' Brown said.

The Genting-owned nightlife brand Zouk is one of Dream Cruises' efforts to entice a younger, affluent crowd. The indoor-outdoor space has areas to lounge or dance, with a tall LED screen and other elements to make a high-tech, multimedia, sensory experience. There will be fireworks on cruises of at least five nights.

In surveys following trade shows, among the most memorable selling propositions ranked by travel agents are the food, fireworks and the Dream Mansion.

While Brown sums up his job as 'an ambassador for luxury,' he has a special challenge: 'To always reference the Asian perspective because I'm from New York. I have to listen very carefully to the needs of the guests and be Asian-centric and use my team around me.'

By basing Genting Dream in Guangzhou (Nansha) in southern China, Dream Cruises is courting a new market. Though Hong Kong isn't far away, travel agents from there said mainland Chinese would find Nansha port more accessible, while Hong Kong residents would be less likely to travel to Nansha to embark a cruise. And the Western cruise operators so far have sailed their ships from northern ports like Shanghai and Tianjin.

Brown hopes at least 40% of his customers will be new cruisers.

Unlike most of the Western lines, Dream Cruises—like sister brand Star Cruises—doesn't rely on the charter model but works with agents to sell FIT and group business. 'That takes a huge amount of courage,' Brown said, adding that he has a great sales team.

One big focus is extending the booking curve. Chinese travelers tend to book very close to sailing, two or three weeks from departure.

Brown isn't worried about China's economic slowdown. The economy is still growing at a phenomenal 7% or 8% annually. Genting HK's travel partners want another product to sell, and if the economy is cooling, that means the short-haul cruises Dream offers will benefit; they're an opportunity to capture customers who may stay closer to home.