Gautam Chadha may be the perfect man in India to represent the interests of Silversea cruises. His drooping eyelids, somewhat clipped accent, and the fire and verve with which he waxes lyrical about the best things in life "" all this makes him the perfect spokesperson for luxury.
When it is tentatively put to him that the luxury sector is not universally accessible (only 40,000 in India cruise at all, and the people who will cruise on Silversea will probably make up a minuscule percentage of this number), he rears back as if wounded.
"But it's always been like that in India," he cries. "Think of the maharajas! Think of their fabulous wealth! You think luxury is a modern phenomenon?"
"The only thing that's changed recently," he says, warming to his subject, "is the fact that it's all open now. I've been selling cruises for 12 years; back then, being wealthy was something you had to hide. Now, it's no longer a matter of outrage to own a Mercedes, to have money, and to spend it."
When Tirun Travel Marketing, of which Chadha is chief executive, started distributing Royal Caribbean Cruises, they had purchases of only a few hundred a year. Now, claims Chadha, refusing to give exact numbers,cruise sales have leaped to thousands. ("With the emphasis on the "s" after 1,000," says the irrepressible Chadha).
Silversea cruises are possibly the last word in luxury when it comes to a holiday on the water. They have a fleet of four ships, two of which have a capacity of 286 (140 suites) and the other two 376 (180 suites) "" compare this with the average capacity of a cruise liner, which is 3,000.
According to Chadha, these cruises "follow the sun. Pleasant climates are where their itineraries are. For instance, in our summer, the ships will be in Europe (in the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, or the Norwegian fjords), and in the winter they'll be cruising the Caribbean, South America, the Indian Ocean or Australia."
Generally, these trips will cost $500 a day per person, but they can go up to $1,100. This is exclusive of air ticket to the port of departure and also visa and other miscellaneous expenses ("Inconsequential," scoffs Chadha), but includes meals, sometimes drinks, access to swimming pools, movie halls and other entertainment, among other things (if you want a facial at the spa, though, you'll have to pay extra).
Children are "not encouraged" so there aren't many activities for kids, but if you're looking for a romantic holiday (and are not averse to dipping into various fixed deposits and college funds), you'll be welcomed with open arms.
Silversea may be the snootiest, but it is definitely not the only player in this segment. Tirun Travel themselves represent three other cruise companies "" Royal Caribbean (its oldest tie-up), Celebrity Cruises and Island Cruises.
Royal Caribbean is somewhat more friendly (and easier on the pocket) than Silversea, and popular amongst families. There are basketball courts, rock climbing walls, an ice- skating rink and golf course on board "" all inclusive in the price of the cruise.
Celebrity is slightly more subdued, and it caters to older clients, whereas Island Cruises, a British product, is more easy-going. All of these cruises, according to Chadha, cost roughly the same, ranging from $100 to, at the very most, $800 a day per person.
And of course no treatise on cruises would be complete without Star Cruises ("Their customers don't come to us, and ours don't go to them," says Chadha darkly), which sails mostly in South-east Asia, still the favourite destination of the Indian traveller.
"Star Cruises caters to consumers of all segments: families (including kids), honeymooners, elderly couples and corporates," says Sumit Banerji, sales and marketing manager, East, North India & Nepal, Star Cruises, who refuses to comment on the entry of Silversea into the Indian market.
Star is in the process of opening up an India leg, which should sail from Mumbai in early October this year. And industry insiders say that Star Cruises are not the only ones cashing in on the untapped India cruise market "" quite a few international players plan to open in India at the end of this year, mostly sailing from Goa or thereabouts; and the Oberoi Group has a cruise in Kerala, which will take you sailing through its famous backwaters.
So, especially with the skies opening up and air fares settling down, the cruise segment in India is all set to take off. This is compounded by the fact that tourists are now getting more sophisticated, and they've done all the land-bound sightseeing and have visited all the conventional tourist spots "" now they're ready for something new.
"A cruise vacation, once seen as an option limited only to the rich and famous, is today considered an integral part of a vacation of even a higher income middle class Indian family," says Banerji.
And he doesn't think this is because of the super luxury segment either: "It's thanks to cruises like Star Cruises, which have pioneered the concept of mass cruising with easy accessibility and affordability."
Silversea may be the one to rule them all, but don't think that representing them in India is without its problems.
"The problem with luxury is that once too many people catch on, it no longer becomes desirable. The first people who will try it will be the adventurous ones, and the ones who follow are the me-toos. Of course, the me-toos actually make up the bulk of the market, but once there are too many of them, they saturate it."
But we can calm down "" the market is large, the pay-offs are equally large, and since 52 per cent of his clientele are repeat customers anyway, Chadha is probably not going to lose any sleep over what is essentially a luxury problem.
