Caroline Smith reveals why Regent Seven Seas Cruises' partnership with an F1 team is driving its appeal to a new audience

As the Aston Martin Aramco Spotlight Voyage set sail last month from Barcelona to jewels along the Mediterranean coast, including Monte-Carlo, Saint-Tropez, and Valencia, Regent Seven Seas Cruises Chief Marketing Officer Caroline Smith shared her take on the changing cruise market, the value of the right brand partnerships, such as Regent's innovative partnership with Aston Martin Aramco, and the traveller's desire for a luxurious and immersive experience.

Why partner with Aston Martin Aramco?

“At Regent Seven Seas Cruises, it starts with product. It sounds like a cliché, but it really does, perhaps more so than any other industry. We're in the business of experiences: our guests are paying for that experience, rather than a tangible product, so we offer unrivalled experiences in every single touchpoint, and we're always looking for more. Partnerships like the one we have with Aston Martin Aramco allow us to deliver those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

"Why did partnering with Aston Martin Aramco appeal so much? Because of the luxury element. We're in the business of ultra luxury, as is Aston Martin, so it was the one brand that really stood out. Not just the Formula One team, but the road car brand and the heritage and everything that brings as well. This is a brand that is associated with luxury wherever you go in the world.

Caroline Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises

"Off the back of what we're doing with Aston Martin Aramco, and with brands like Fabergé where we're showcasing a Fabergé egg as a permanent exhibit at sea on Seven Seas Grandeur, we've seen the benefit of what can be achieved by offering unrivalled experiences to guests. It isn't something we can do alone. We need to tap into other like-minded companies.

"It enables us to offer those once-in-a-lifetime exclusive moments. We've been doing lots of enjoyable small-scale things to date, but this will shift up a gear with our first Aston Martin Aramco Spotlight Voyage, hosted by Aston Martin Aramco driver squad members Pedro de la Rosa and Jessica Hawkins aboard the Seven Seas Splendor.

"This is really at the heart of our partnership. Of course, there is a wider, global brand awareness that comes from partnering with an F1 team, and that's fantastic – but when it comes to showcasing both brands, our 10-day Spotlight Voyage takes things to another level, and truly immerses people in something for which they have a passion."

The changing face of cruises

"The interesting trend we see is that there remains a huge desire to travel, but people want to travel better. They're travelling for longer, they're travelling in higher suite categories and they're spending more on their trips. A lot of people are choosing to travel for special occasions: wedding anniversaries, big birthdays, events of this type.

"To cater for this, we recently commissioned a new class of ship: Prestige. It's 77,000 tonnes – 40 per cent larger than any other ship we have, but carrying only 10 per cent more guests. What that's talking to is the trend that people desire more space. It began perhaps five years ago and continues to increase. We've seen a huge demand for higher suite categories, and so with Prestige we have a close to 9,000m2 suite on board. We have two-storey suites with floor-to-ceiling windows like a Manhattan loft apartment. It is spectacular.

"The class holds 822 guests and 630 crew, but it will never be crowded. That's what people are looking for – in the cruise specifically, but really across travel generally. People want to travel better, they want these luxury touchpoints, personalisation, exclusivity.

"Themed itineraries, such as the Spotlight Voyages, are coming through in the trends as well, which is great to see. It's an exciting time to be in the luxury category of travel, and we're fortunate we can cater for a lot of these trends. Destination immersion is a significant trend: it's not about simply visiting a place, it's more about getting off the tourist trail with local experiences off the beaten path. With our Epicurean Spotlight that might be visiting a food market to buy local produce to cook later. It's that kind of experience people are looking for."

The Aston Martin Aramco Spotlight Voyage

"The Aston Martin Aramco Spotlight Voyage fits into the broader trend across the travel industry for themed itineraries. Increasingly time-poor travellers want to indulge their passions and interests, and so the combination of significant destinations, and immersion in a subject, while travelling the world, is extremely popular. In the case of this Spotlight Voyage, it's a chance to dive deeper into F1 and Aston Martin Aramco, with incredible off-ship experiences and enrichment and lectures from team members on board. There's an audience that thinks this is the perfect holiday. I think it's very cool.

"Departing from Pedro's home city of Barcelona on 22 July, they were treated to an exclusive look into the fascinating inner workings of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, while sailing the Mediterranean in all-inclusive luxury.

"Meet-and-greets, masterclasses and Q&As with the team; the chance to get up close to the Aston Martin Aramco F1 car on board and jump behind the wheel of an Aston Martin simulator; a race-themed shoreside experience in Monte Carlo. This was a truly unique experience.

"We have around a dozen Spotlight Voyages in the programme at the moment. We've had cruises themed around whisky; around ancestry; we do Epicurean Spotlight voyages with Michelin-starred chefs, and we've just completed a very popular one on golf with Annika Sörenstam. F1 is riding a peak of popularity all over the world, so naturally it's going to pick up a lot of interest on board – but equally it's absolutely the case that it has generated appeal to fans of Aston Martin and the F1 team.

"This is bringing on board a slightly different audience. It has appeal to motorsport fans, to Aston Martin Aramco supporters, and perhaps, overall, a slightly younger demographic than we usually see – though it hasn't alienated our existing audience. We appeal to a highly intelligent, highly accomplished guest who will love the F1 lectures we'll be doing aboard the cruise, so I think we're onto something really special in terms of guest satisfaction. The cruise itself is an experience, but if everyone can enjoy their downtime immersed in this enrichment opportunity, that's what offers something extra special."

Formula One builds recognition

"Demand for ultra-luxury cruising is high, and we study a huge amount of data gathered across many channels. Statistical modelling aids us in deciding where to allocate resources across different channels, and it's notable that sponsorships have really popped in that model.

"We have a very loyal following of returning guests, but we're now seeing a lot of what we class as first-time Regent travellers. That's a huge mark of success, really what every business wants. The modelling looks at everything from brand awareness trackers, brand health metrics, call volumes, forward bookings, booking curves – and our partnership with Aston Martin Aramco is the biggest factor for us in attracting new guests into the brand."

The future

"Our new ship class launches in December 2026. It features a lot of innovation and caters to the trends we're seeing. In addition to the headline changes – more space, four new suite categories – there is a wealth of response to more subtle trends.

"More relaxed dining within the luxury environment is one such subtle trend. Our dining venues have been more of a formal experience, but guests are increasingly interested in casual options: more sharing plates, more outdoor spaces. People still want the Michelin star-worthy dining experiences – but perhaps not for all 10 nights of a cruise. We're interested in offering choice."

To learn more about our partnership and set sail with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, click here