When an editor referred Swarovski Optik North America to KPI during the inaugural Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America, both companies were ready to look to the horizon. It is fitting that their collaboration led them to work with Seabourn on their robust new expedition itineraries.
KPI worked with Swarovski Optik North America to bring extra value and ideas to new expedition lines or itineraries. They highlighted what Swarovski Optik products can do to “elevate” the adventure cruise experience. Seabourn was one of the first companies they worked with. Prior to COVID-19, KPI and Swarovski Optik North America were exploring with them what this might look like in practice.
How did the collaboration work?
With expedition itineraries, the idea is always to maximize the cruiser’s adventure and ability to “See the Unseen”. This is Swarovski Optik hallmark for their legacy brand. KPI and Swarovski Optik would get the guests familiar with the use of these powerful tools by partnering with the expedition crews (as product specialists and nature mavericks). Then, the cruise passengers would have an enriched interaction with on-board naturalists and other guests via their shared wildlife experiences. The goal was to create lifetime memories in the process.
Better together
Everyone involved wanted to aim for something extraordinary that could give the guest on board something special. Using that as a basis – Swarovski Optik committed to giving the guests the best visual experience, helping to cultivate experts in their field for activations on board that tied into the itinerary and cruise. This gave KPI the opportunity to do what they’re best at – creating opportunities for new business development between brands. It was a win-win for all until COVID changed timeframes and plans.
Who benefits from collaboration?
We asked KPI how everyone could benefit from combining their talents in a collaborative project? They told us:
Collaboration builds strength. We’ve found it generally works more dynamically because everyone is committed to “the group’s” outcome – ensuring that expectations are met and ideas can become reality. Swarovski Optik North America was extremely open minded and could back up their product performance to enhance its use in different ways. For KPI, it’s what we do. Bring concepts that facilitate potential growth or impact and for the cruise, gave them something different/ special and memorable – keys to standing out in today’s marketplace. Seabourn also wanted to round out their new expedition itinerary with a superlative customer experience. This kind of collaboration put everyone in their own swim lanes but with the same goal in mind.
We asked KPI how they felt Cruise Ship Interiors helped in forming this and other partnerships. Here is Kimberly McNatt’s warm response:
The cruise industry is small. I’m relatively new to it. Darelynn has been in it for many many years internally and externally. CSI has proven itself to be a great “Master of Ceremonies” helping the industry connect in different ways with each other. As we move through COVID and these partnerships can be resurrected there is every reason to expect strength, change and opportunity. For us, CSI is a vessel for all of the industry to come together for the betterment of cruising, travel and lifestyle options.