Widgety’s Sales Director Sandra recently spent two nights on a FAM trip aboard Poseidon Expeditions’ Sea Spirit, sailing from Llandudno to Greenock, and visiting Northern Ireland.
She saw the Giant Causeway from the sea, went on the ribs to find the wildlife – Puffins, seals, and dolphins, and even had time for a quick interview with Kate Statsenko, Head of International Sales at Poseidon Expeditions.
Sandra: Hi Kate.
Kate: Hi Sandra! Welcome aboard the Sea Spirit.
Sandra: It’s beautiful! I’ve never been on a Poseidon Expeditions vessel before, and I must admit, it has exceeded my expectations totally.
Kate: That is exactly what we want to hear.
Sandra: It’s such a warm ship. Even after just being here for a few hours, you feel like part of the family. It is really noticeable how much the staff enjoy being aboard and being part of this voyage. Your management is doing a fantastic job. Now, it’s only 144 cabins, isn’t it? Or am I wrong?
Kate: It’s actually 54 cabins, with a maximum of 114 guests.
Sandra: Right. So, what are the advantages of being on a smaller, more boutique ship compared to a larger one?
Kate: That’s a very good question. There are a number of advantages, but the most important one is the passenger capacity. We have an absolute maximum of 114 guests, though in most cases we are around 100 because we have solo travelers in single cabins.
The main reason a small ship is advantageous in the polar areas is that you get the absolute maximum experience. When we go to polar regions, we have to follow quite a few rules for operations. One of the most important ones is that you can only take 100 guests off the ship at a time for activities. With Sea Spirit, we don’t need to introduce rotations; we take all the guests on land or water at the same time. On bigger ships, guests might only get 40 minutes before being rushed back. Here, you get two to three hours. When you step foot on the Antarctic continent, time flies. You don’t want to be rushed.
Sandra: Does it also mean you can get to places that the bigger ships can’t?
Kate: Absolutely. That is advantage number two. Smaller ships have access to small and fragile harbors that the bigger ships don’t. I also believe that Poseidon Expeditions is striving for a smaller footprint for every guest.
Sandra: Can you tell me about the sustainability measures: cleaning up, citizen science, using marine gas oil, and why sustainability is such a high priority for Poseidon Expeditions?
Kate: We do quite a few initiatives regarding sustainability and conservation. Because we go to the ends of the earth, places that are literally untouched and remote, this is the only way to do it. Preservation is a huge part of what we do.
We do a lot of presentations on the ship before our guests get off because we want them to understand the area and treat it as fragile. We want them to leave only footsteps in the snow and take only memories. We have no single-use plastics on the ship, multiple recycling processes, and we literally take away everything we bring. We leave nothing behind.
Sandra: What would you say are the Unique Selling Points (USPs)? If I were training a travel agent to sell Poseidon Expeditions, what are they?
Kate: The biggest one is the “luxury of time.” If you are traveling to Antarctica, you want the maximum experience without being rushed. If you are adventurous and want to be outdoors as much as possible, you will have that on a small ship.
I also want to mention the expertise of the guides. That is what makes every trip special, and we are very proud of them.
Sandra: I’m surprised by how highly educated and experienced they are. I’ve enjoyed the presentations; sometimes lectures can be boring, but all of them have been so much fun.
Kate: Exactly. It’s on their shoulders to make the trip unique: the landings, the zodiac cruises, and the presentations.
Sandra: What is your favorite part of working for Poseidon Expeditions?
Kate: I’ve been with the company for almost 15 years. Now, with all the experience I have, I really love to share it. My main role is sharing the Poseidon Expeditions experience with the trade, educating travel agents and telling them about our products. Having the opportunity to invite travel partners aboard so they can see it for themselves, rather than just hearing me talk about it, is the best part.
Sandra: What is the one thing people get wrong about Poseidon Expeditions, or don’t realise till they step on board?
Kate: I think sometimes they think we are too small or we aren’t known enough in the market. That sometimes means they don’t have enough confidence because they don’t know our history or exactly what we do.
Sandra: You’ve worked with Widgety for a few years. What does that partnership mean for Poseidon Expeditions?
Kate: It gives us the opportunity to make our travel partners’ lives much easier. They can easily get the content, and the innovations Widgety is introducing help them reach us and learn more about us. I think one of the coolest features is getting that content so easily.
Sandra: Well, I’ve really enjoyed my time on Poseidon Expeditions; it has been an absolute eye-opener. I can’t wait to go on a trip, so I’ll be phoning you very soon! Thank you for such a lovely experience.
Kate: Thank you! That was very nice.
