Andrea DeMarco was recently promoted to the position of president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. She was formerly Regent's chief sales and marketing officer; prior to that, she worked in investor relations and corporate communication roles for parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
DeMarco succeeds Jason Montague, who will now serve as special advisor to the company.
Here, we ask DeMarco about the significance of her new position, and what it means for the brand, its customers and its partners moving forward.
How does it feel to be the first female president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises?
It truly is an honor for me to take the helm as the first female president in our 30-year history. Representation is always important — as we connect with people, we feel we can relate to [them]. I hear often from the many talented women across our organization both shoreside and shipboard how seeing women rise to leadership positions at our company and across the industry has inspired them. I want to continue to inspire them and the whole Regent team around the globe.
Ever since being welcomed into the Regent family in 2021 as chief sales and marketing officer, I’ve been amazed by how strongly the brand is loved by our guests and travel partners. This is a result of the unrivaled talent of our teams at sea and across our global offices. I truly believe that we have the best team in the industry and am excited to lead the company into what is a very bright future.
As president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, my No. 1 goal is to provide as many opportunities for our travel partners as possible for our mutual success.
What is your vision for the luxury line moving into the future?
For more than three decades, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has been elevating ocean travel, becoming the world’s leading and most-inclusive luxury cruise line. I cannot wait to build on the incredible success of the last 30 years, taking our company to the next level.
Integral to this mission is the support of our valued travel partners, and we are committed to invest in their success.
When I was chief sales and marketing officer, I launched a number of initiatives to do just that, including our “Grow Your Regent Business” webinars, which provide actionable, data-driven strategies and insights from industry-leading research to help grow travel partner revenue and profitability. Each 20-minute webinar is packed with tools, tactics and tips backed by a robust customer segmentation study we carried out.
In addition, travel partners have access to post-webinar tutorials hosted by Regent’s in-house marketing experts, who can offer additional support in maximizing marketing efforts, providing insights on direct mail and database maximization, email marketing, digital prospecting, social, video and event strategies.
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Andrea DeMarco, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Credit: 2023 Regent Seven Seas CruisesBesides the upcoming new Seven Seas Grandeur, what’s on the immediate horizon for loyalists of the brand?
One thing that we have not made such a big thing about historically is our culinary credentials, and by this I don’t just mean the exquisite dining found onboard our ships.
We already have many programs for guests to enjoy that help them explore the culinary culture and history of a destination, from our specially curated Gourmet Explorer Tours to our onboard Culinary Arts Kitchen classes.
But in the coming months, we’ll be putting a spotlight on our current culinary immersion options for guests, as well as unveiling some exciting new experiences.
What would you tell travel agents who are new to the brand?
The thing to remember is that we are the only truly all-inclusive cruise line — it’s a key part of the overall “Unrivaled Experience” that Regent offers. Throughout Regent’s 30-plus year history, we have been at the forefront of including as much as possible into the cruise fare to allow our guests to concentrate on spending their time on truly relaxing and deciding what they want to do in the next wonderful destination.
And let’s not forget that we offer the highest average commissions in the industry which equals huge earning potential for our travel partners.
We offer more than 2,000 free unlimited shores excursions across 500 destinations; round-trip air; Wi-Fi access; unlimited beverages, including fine wines and spirits; specialty restaurants; transfers between airport and ship; pre-paid gratuities; free valet laundry; and even more inclusions in Concierge Suites and above.
This means that our travel partners know that they have a product they can trust to completely satisfy their luxury travel client’s needs, meaning they will come back to them time and again to book Regent.
And let’s not forget that we offer the highest average commissions in the industry, which equals huge earning potential for our travel partners.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the trade community at this time?
First, there’s never been a better time to sell luxury cruise, as we have just experienced our biggest-ever wave [season] launch day with our current promotion, Upgrade Your Horizon, where guests receive a two-category upgrade, reduced deposits on more than 400 voyages to over 500 ports of call through May 2025, plus savings on select European itineraries.
Secondly, I just want to reiterate that our travel partners are truly a key priority, and an integral part of my vision for the Regent brand. We are so thankful for all the amazing support we receive from the trade community, especially those who have been voting for us in the many awards we won at the end of 2022.
If any travel advisors are interested in expanding their luxury cruise business, or are not yet working with us, get in touch as we’re here to help you succeed. As president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, my No. 1 goal is to provide as many opportunities for our travel partners as possible for our mutual success.
