Remember the good old days, when friends and family could go on board a cruise ship to say farewell to loved ones about to head off on a voyage?
Well no, actually neither do I, but we are about to find out what it is all about thanks to Princess Cruises, which is daring to be different with a new Bon Voyage Experience.
I dread to think what the for-your-own-safety-and-security brigade think about the idea, but essentially around 50 friends and family will be able to go on Princess ships on embarkation day with their cruising buddies for a look-see at the ship, a four-course lunch and wine, and "even" (to quote Princess) a souvenir photo.
In all they'll get about four hours on board before the tearful farewells and all for $39 per person, which can be put towards a future cruise with Princess.
And that's what it's all about. A new way to rustle up business.
I say new, but it reminds me of the test-drive lunches Thomson Cruises is launching in April. The difference is the test-drive lunches are available to any Thomson and First Choice clients on a land-based holiday near one of the Med ports Thomson's ships visit. And they are not available on turnaround day.
For now Princess' Bon Voyage Experience is only available in the US, starting with Sapphire Princess in Los Angeles and Crown Princess in Fort Lauderdale on March 6 and then rolling out across other ships including Coral, Emerald, Island, Ruby, Golden and Sea Princess. It'll also be on Sapphire, Golden and Royal Princess in Alaska starting in May.
So why not in Europe and the UK? Surely if they can do it in the US, where security has gone mad - yes, even more mad than in the UK - we can do it on this side of the Pond?
Or are we also now running scared of our own shadows? Let's hope not.
I await news of the start of the European season with interest.
Jane Archer
