Taking on five ships — four newbuilds and acquiring a coveted prize, Silver Endeavour — the brand added more capacity than other luxury lines during the pandemic. And in 2023 it introduced the dramatically different Silver Nova, with sister Silver Ray due at mid-year. Silversea is known for over-delivering on the product side and it's important to deliver commercially, too, especially considering Royal Caribbean Group's ambitious targets.
Applause for the promotion
'I applaud the increased responsibility given to Massimo,' said Alex Sharpe, president & CEO, Signature Travel Network. 'He has had a significant positive impact on the planning and deployment of pricing and promotional programs since his arrival, which certainly fits with his newly expanded role.'
And Silversea President Barbara Muckermann, to whom Brancaleoni continues to report, praised his 'strategic mindset and laser-sharp focus on results.'
Brancaleoni was known for his revenue management prowess during his long earlier career at Costa Cruises, where he also held sales leadership positions, ultimately SVP global sales.
Rare combination of revenue and sales
Cruise lines typically don't combine revenue management and sales. But in Brancaleoni's case, he's grounded in both, enabling him to 'maximize the symbiotic relationship between the two, for the benefit of the brand and our travel advisors.'
The benefit to travel advisors is 'the way we market the product and intersect the booking curve with a compelling and tailored value proposition to maximize our go-to-market strategy.' This creates healthy demand and, therefore, strong pricing. For travel advisors, it means higher commission and return on investment.
The sales and revenue disciplines each generate a lot of data, Brancaleoni continued. He believes understanding both the sales KPI and the technical revenue management KPI can help to develop a much more effective commercial approach.
'Thanks to the great partnership with revenue management, I can maximize this even more,' he said, for example, to help engage travel partners and allocate resources effectively.
A strong colleague in Roberto Verdino
With Branceleoni taking on revenue oversight, Monaco-based Roberto Verdino, SVP revenue management, now reports to him. But there's no restructuring or need for it; Verdino's 'managing very, very well,' Brancaleoni said, praising his 'competence and great capability.'
Given Brancaleoni's Costa background, the past year at Silversea has afforded the chance to work more closely with North American travel advisors. He's found this found 'very interesting' and a 'rich experience.'
He doesn't see any great differences with what the North American trade value and the way to effectively engage with them and seek their support. And he's learned from them, too.
Brancaleoni spends the majority of his time in Miami, 'the center of the most important source market,' but travels often, visiting Silversea offices worldwide.
The joys of luxury
He's delighted to be in the luxury/expedition segment which is growing at a faster clip than the overall industry between 2023 and 2028.
'I'm really happy,' Brancaleoni said, adding that it's been an honor to help launch a beautiful ship like Silver Nova, which many have called a game-changer, and sister Silver Ray coming soon.
He's also grateful to Muckermann and to Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty for the opportunity to prove this sales and revenue combination can work well, 'because it's not common.'
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