The Intrepid Group has launched the world’s first carbon neutral cruises under the Peregrine banner.
Peregrine Adventures hopes that its new range of ten carbon-offset adventure cruises will start a sea change of sustainability in the multi-billion dollar cruise market.
“The only thing in common between us and the big cruises is the water itself,” Intrepid Group managing director James Thornton told Travel Weekly.
There are ten itineraries, on small ships ranging from 31 passengers to 50 passengers.
“We want a small ship adventure cruising approach, with a more engaging itinerary than a conventional cruise in a smaller group size environment so we can focus on the destinations itself.”
The cruises will be in Croatia, Costa Rica and Panama, Spain and Portugal, Cuba, Iceland, the Seychelles, and the Greek Islands.
Each night will be spent in port and will enhance a local and sustainable approach.
“A cruise company will want everyone to stay and spend on board. The key proposition for these adventure cruises is getting off the boat,” Thornton said.
“We will ensure that when we are in port we visit as many local restaurants and cafes, as opposed to everything being done on the boat itself.”
The cheapest itinerary will be $1955 per person in the Greek Islands, which works out as $300 a day.
“This is a pretty keen price point against other equivalent yacht ships,” Thornton said.
As for market, Thornton said that Peregrine attracts anyone with an adventurous mindset. But, the typical customer is around the 40-60 year age demographic.
Thornton doesn’t wish to discount younger travellers however. “At that price point it’s an attractive proposition,” he said.
Thornton recently travelled on the Greek Island cruise with 29 members of Intrepid staff, and cited a night in Mykonos as a key differentiator on the style of travel.
“We docked in port. The gang plank goes down, we stroll through town, watch sunset, and have drinks and dinner. But out at sea was a massive cruise ship, and everyone was being ferried back on big zodiacs to have dinner on the boat.”
As for the company’s foray into cruising, Thornton said Intrepid taps into trends and adds their style of travel.
“The one thing we’ve always done well is we have taken a style in vogue – food or cycling and now cruising and put the Intrepid Group way of travelling onto that style. We approach it with that experience led attitude.”
