- APT Travel Group has had an incredibly successful launch for its two new Australian-designed river ships.
- The company managed to steal a march on Celebrity River Cruises, which launched ticket sales just afterwards, selling out in five hours.
- But APT CEO David Cox has a warning for buyers: Beware of Luxe Washing, not everyone is really as luxury as they seem.
Fresh from a trip to Europe, APT’s CEO David Cox is riding high after the successful launch of the company’s two newest river ships, APT Solara and APT Ostara. Though he didn’t manage to sail aboard on his latest trip – “I was only in the UK office this time, so not so lucky” – he’s been buoyed by the reception.
“It’s been a fantastic response,” Cox tells Cruise Passenger. “We’re sold out this year and sales for next year are above expectations. We think this concept that we’ve come up with — of seven dining options and six dining venues — has been a real winner. Customers just like the idea of choice and not going into one main dining room every night.”
That sense of choice has proved to be transformative. Once thought to be constrained by the size of Europe’s locks, river ships are now being reimagined. And in Cox’s view, APT is leading the charge.
Pioneers and Pretenders
Competitors have been quick to follow. Celebrity Cruises, for example, has recently announced six dining venues on its new river product.
Cox isn’t fazed. “Copied is the greatest form of flattery, isn’t it?” he laughs.
But he also draws a sharper distinction. “There’s a lot of luxe washing going on,” he says pointedly. Borrowing the phrase from the world of “greenwashing,” Cox accuses some brands of claiming a luxury mantle without delivering the reality.
“So what do I mean? Why have we raised the luxury level? Well, it’s the dining venues, it’s using architects to design the textures and feel on board. It’s going and visiting a palace where the princess who lives there takes you around. It’s Vienna, where we go to the Liechtenstein Palace for a concert — and it is the best palace in Vienna by a long way. That’s luxury. And not everybody can deliver that.”
For Cox, luxury is not just about glossy marketing and big boasts. It’s in the small details: the fact that on APT’s ships, the crew-to-guest ratio is just 2.5 to 1.
“In the morning the staff know your coffee order. At night they know your favourite drink. That’s how you raise the standard — not only through the food, but through that level of service.”
More Ships on The Horizon
Demand has been so strong that Cox confirms APT won’t stand still. “There are certainly plans to grow. We won’t stand still — we will evolve. We would fully expect that there’ll be more ships coming.”
And not just in the familiar Amsterdam–Budapest corridor.
The Balkans program has been expanded with new seven- and 14-night itineraries to meet repeat demand. The Douro has also become a hot ticket. “We’re seeing a lot of people that have done Amsterdam to Budapest come back and do the Douro,” Cox says. “They tend to do Spain and Portugal land before the seven-night Douro cruise. The food, the wine, the climate — it’s going super well.”
APT has also rethought shore excursions, tailoring them to Australians’ preferences.
“Some people want long city tours with all the history. Others just want to know where the pub is, the café and the bakery, and get a couple of stories about why the town is famous — then have free time.
“That’s the tailoring. We’re designing these cruises for Australians.”
Egypt, Resilience and Return
One of the standout growth destinations is Egypt, where APT’s sister brand Travelmarvel is preparing to launch a new ship next September. Cox sees renewed demand.
“Egypt is remarkable. It’s seen as a safe destination now, which is extraordinary given what’s going on nearby. There’s a resilience now among Australian travellers. There can be a major event, and within a month, they’re back.
“Egypt has the pyramids — one of the wonders of the world. And the government has really focussed on tourism. With the new museum open, it’s terrifically well organised. The Nile is made for river cruising.”
Cox has sailed the Nile himself. “When you’re at these places and they’re 3,000 years old, it really is once-in-a-lifetime. It’s out of this world.”
Travelmarvel’s Reinvention
While APT pushes the very top of the luxury ladder, Travelmarvel continues to strengthen in the premium four-star segment. Small-group touring has just been launched, with groups capped at 24.
Cox insists the brands remain distinct.
“APT is five-star, all-inclusive luxury. Travelmarvel is four-star premium. They’re 25 to 30 per cent different in price, and we don’t shy away from that. APT we’re pushing to the top of luxury — hence why I refer to luxe washing. And hence why we’ve done a rebranding of APT, and we’re about to launch a rebranding of Travelmarvel. They’re very different.”
The customers differ, too. “They’re the same age — over 55 — but APT’s customer is usually well-educated and likes the finer things. Travelmarvel’s customer tends to be self-made, value-conscious, and looking for the best deal. We strategise carefully around that.”
Ocean Alliances For Extensions
Cox is also looking to the high seas. APT has entered a strategic alignment with Seabourn, particularly in the expedition space.
“It’s a planned strategy to align APT’s river cruise luxury experience with Seabourn’s ocean cruising. Antarctica, the Med, the Kimberley — it’s all done with Seabourn.”
While competitors like Scenic have invested heavily in building their own ocean vessels, Cox is cautious. “Building ocean ships is a big exercise and a tough model to make money out of. We don’t count anything out, but right now, we probably put that on the back burner.”
Instead, APT sees promise in small ship and coastal cruising. “There’s the romance of the small ship — you can get to ports the big ships can’t. That’s definitely on our radar. We already have a number of small-ship products, and I would see that growing into the future.”
Coach Touring: Still Vital
Despite the glamour of rivers and oceans, Cox is quick to defend the enduring relevance of land touring.
“There’s ocean cruising, river cruising, and land cruising. There are destinations where the only way to reach the highlights is by land. New Zealand is a classic example — you can’t get to the icons by river or ocean. Canada’s the same. So there’s always a place for coach touring. Is it as sexy as river or ocean cruising? No. But it gets you to some of the greatest places in the world.”
With a new coach fleet in New Zealand in the works, APT is doubling down. “We’re laying the foundations for double-digit growth year on year — whether that’s in camps, ships, or coaches.”
The Next Five Years
Looking ahead, Cox is bullish. “We’re quite ambitious with our growth targets. I see significant growth. I see continued investment. We’re laying the foundation for double-digit growth year on year.”
And through it all, he’s adamant that APT’s true differentiator will remain authenticity in luxury.
“Consumers are smart and well informed, and they spot luxe washing when they see it. For us, luxury is when the crew know your coffee in the morning, your cocktail at night, when you dine in a palace with the princess as your host. That’s real luxury. And not everyone can deliver that.”
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