Cruise line representatives uncover the secrets of Northern Europe on FAM Trips

In October, Cruise Baltic organised two FAM Trips for cruise line representatives, highlighting destinations in Northern Europe well-suited for both smaller and larger vessels. To promote the Baltic cruise product and extend the season, the cruise network challenged the representatives to think outside the box and uncover unique autumn and winter experiences of 12 destinations.

All destinations have their own unique experiences, places, and culture. Some are known and even famous across the world, while others are well-kept secrets ready to be uncovered. In October, Cruise Baltic hosted two FAM Trips which focused on seasonal experiences during autumn and winter, and invited representatives from European, American, and British cruise lines to uncover the secrets of several cruise destinations in Northern Europe.

“For many years, the Baltic Sea region has mostly been known for St. Petersburg. The city has been the main attraction for many cruise lines entering the Baltic Sea region, which is one reason why many destinations in our region are well kept secrets to this day. With our new strategy and narrative, we are trying to challenge this by inviting cruise line representatives and guests to uncover the secrets of Northern Europe,” says Klaus Bondam, Director of Cruise Baltic.

Cruise Baltic is a network of over 30 ports and destinations in the Baltic Sea region, and the FAM Trips is a vital tool to promote destinations in the region towards the cruise lines’ itinerary planners and shore excursion teams. The aim of the trips in October was to extend the season by showcasing possibilities in the region throughout the autumn and winter with a focus on themes such as medieval history, gastronomy, vibrant city life and stunning nature in golden colours.

“For me, the interest of a FAM Trip is to be able to see the destinations and meet the people involved, allowing me to get a visual and understand the ins and outs of the destinations visited.  It also gives me the opportunity to have an idea of possible new destinations. We see the destinations from another perspective, and it allows us to see beyond third-party offers. Then, back at the office, I can discuss possibilities and work closely with our other teams to come up with what’s best for our guests, and answer to their expectations,” says Charlotte Krantz, Product Development – Shore Excursion at Ponant.

The FAM Trips took place on October 3-9, 2023, and October 12-17, 2023. The first FAM Trip focused on smaller ports and destinations with visits in Arendal, Malmö, Karlskrona, Kalmar, Helsingborg and Nyborg. Whilst the second trip brought attention to larger ports and destinations with visits in Oslo, Kristiansand, Kalundborg, Copenhagen, Roenne and Stockholm. In between the two FAM Trips, the Cruise Baltic network gathered in Aarhus for three days of knowledge sharing. Several cruise line representatives attended the meeting and contributed with their perspectives to the discussions and challenges faced by ports and destinations in the Baltic Sea region.

Cruise Baltic will continue to use FAM Trips to showcase different destinations in the network in the coming years and market the Baltic Sea region as a cruise destination. Next year’s FAM Trips will take place on February 29-March 5, 2024 (TBC), with focus on smaller ports and destinations and on October 17-22, 2024 (TBC), for larger ports and destinations.

The article Cruise line representatives uncover the secrets of Northern Europe on FAM Trips first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.