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Columbia Group’s COLUMBIA blue aims to strengthen cruise and super yacht sectors

The Columbia Group is extending its reach in the leisure and lifestyle markets, with one holding entity - COLUMBIA blue - combining various business lines and brands in the super yacht and cruise sectors.

Holly Payne, Editor Video Production and Deputy Editor

March 26, 2021

2 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

While Columbia Cruise Services (CSS) and Swiss Ocean will purportedly be ‘maintained and further developed,’ COLUMBIA blue is intended to provide a 360 degree turnkey service solution, comprising asset management, concierge, events and hospitality training. 

Md Olaf Groeger, who is overseeing COLUMBIA blue alongside md Norman Schmiedl, said it will ‘enable us to merge proficiencies and resources so we can constantly improve the quality of our services and expand the service portfolio for our clients.’ 

Schmiedl added, ‘For our cruise and super yacht clients it will remain business as usual as they continue to be served by the same dedicated client-facing teams: only now we will be able to offer them so many more tailored solutions from across the Columbia Group.’ 

A 'fluid approach' plus wider projects

He went on to add, ‘COLUMBIA blue offers a platform for novel projects and business development… A cruise project might benefit from involving yacht expertise while a private client may appreciate the services for his diverse assets be they a yacht, plane or a private residence. Whatever the case, COLUMBIA blue will be able to offer a one-stop turnkey solution.

‘A yacht owner might appreciate our holistic service approach that includes our aviation services or value the option to rent a private residence. By embracing all our leisure activities under one umbrella company, we can apply a fluid approach without diluting the strengths of our individual brands.’

Columbia Group president and ceo Mark O’Neil added. ‘There will be no lifestyle and leisure project which cannot be considered and then delivered to the highest quality standard.’

Group structure 

Groeger and Schmiedl will be supported by Swiss Ocean md Christophe Ceard, as well as CCS md’s Ralf Koelpin and Claudia Gummert-Koch. Julia Siebert, Andre Bloemendaal and Alexander Lisnychy have also been promoted to vp’s within the Group.

 

About the Author

Holly Payne

Editor Video Production and Deputy Editor

Holly is Deputy Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review & Seatrade Cruise News and has experience managing a range of highly successful international business and consumer titles. With a flair for video reporting and a history of overseas work documenting people and places of diverse cultures, Holly brings a variety of skills to the Seatrade Cruise portfolio.

Holly’s academic credentials include oral and written Arabic language skills (intermediate-advanced), an MA Multimedia Journalism with NCTJ accreditation, and a BA (Hons) Degree in Classical and Archaeological Studies with English and American Literature.

 

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