Several luxury suppliers showcase products in Vancouver
Luxury is often implied by long, leisurely means of travel – and some of the most luxurious travel products available were recently presented to travel advisors in Vancouver.
A select group of agents gathered in the Loft at Earl’s in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown district to hear from the reps of three international suppliers who specialize in the art of no-hurry travel in opulence. Baxter Media’s Ted Davis was in attendance.
It is not high-end hotels or resorts that are on offer, but rather ways of travel that are lavish and unrushed, and that echo old-world values.
For example, Rovos Rail grants access to the exclusivity of bygone days of rail travel, offering a variety of train routes around Southern Africa.
One example is the itinerary between Cape Town in South Africa and Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. The “luxury expedition” train operates for 13 nights, with nine stops in total, including two national parks. The trip has a list price of US$9,400.
With roots in the Blue Train that set service standards for rail tours in South Africa, Rovos maintains traditions like over-large cabins, baths in the deluxe suites, dining car dress codes and historic period rail cars. Rovos has been a family-owned business for 35 years, helping to lend a more personal touch to the service.
Riverside Luxury Cruises rep Peter Ouzounov said the owners of the river cruise company identified a gap in the market that could be filled by a luxury vessel that was much larger than the competition.
Hence the construction of the Riverside Mozart, which is roughly double the width of other river cruise ships at 23 metres wide. Others are typically 11 metres wide, said Ouzounov. This allows the design of much larger suites, while maintaining a relatively exclusive passenger count of just 160 guests. The Mozart started sailings on the Danube in 2023.
The company has two other ships that have more typical dimensions. Yet larger cabins are also the norm on these vessels, meaning the maximum number of passengers on the Riverside Ravel and Riverside Debussy is 110 – about 80 less than competitors. With exclusivity comes services such as in-suite bars, suites that reach up to 880 sq. ft. in size, Michelin-level dining, an onboard bakery, 24-hour room service and seven lounges. There are 50-plus itineraries.
The third partner at the event, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, invites guests to discover the pinnacle of small ship luxury cruising onboard their Hanseatic vessels. This fleet of intimate, five-star ocean liners and expedition vessels offer unparalleled cruising experiences.
A trio of the ships – the Hanseatic Nature, Inspiration and Spirit – have been designed to transport a relatively small number of passengers into challenging polar waters, in comfortable luxury. Each of these expedition ships have a passenger capacity of just 230 people (housed in a selection of 120 outside cabins/suites), and are relative feather weights, at just 15,650 gross tonnes. But they are heavyweights in terms of their ability to weather rough waters and ice, and have specifications that allow them to navigate through both Arctic and Antarctic waters.
Those seeking such an adventure can, for example, consider the so-called “emperor’s route” of Antarctic cruises. This one sails between Ushuaia, Argentina and Christchurch, New Zealand, from Jan. 28 to Mar. 2, 2025 (32 days).
“It is a very unique itinerary that not many expedition operators do,” said Beaudoin. She noted that an extra four per cent commission is being offered to advisors who book this cruise (INS2502) before Sept. 30 this year.
