The rising star of cruise tourism, Miray Cruises CEO Vedat Uğurlu, who draws attention with his innovative steps and visionary perspective in the sector, shared his company's success journey and his predictions about the sector in a special interview we conducted as Cruise&Travel Magazine. Uğurlu sincerely answered the questions about changing travel habits especially after the pandemic and the cruise tourism of the future. We are sharing the details of a pleasant and inspiring conversation with you.
The rising star of cruise tourism, Miray Cruises CEO Vedat Uğurlu, who draws attention with his innovative steps and visionary perspective in the sector, shared his company's success journey and his predictions about the sector in a special interview we conducted as Cruise&Travel Magazine. Uğurlu sincerely answered the questions about changing travel habits especially after the pandemic and the cruise tourism of the future. We are sharing the details of a pleasant and inspiring conversation with you.
1. Mr. Uğurlu, can you tell us about the beginning of your career?
In 1990, I was working at a 5-star hotel in Istanbul. Then, in April, I came to Miami and started working as a bellboy at Royal Caribbean. I came to Turkey in 1996. I both established my own travel agency and provided personnel flow to international cruise ships to provide hotel personnel for these international ships in order to provide ship and hotel life training. In 2001, I operated a gambling ship in Miami. In the following processes, in addition to the passenger business, I started operating a river ship in Europe. In 2020, I bought my own ship to tour the Greek Islands.
2. What was the inspiration behind your stepping into the maritime sector?
As a sea lover, the cruise sector was a sector that I went to without question. I think there was a series called Aşk Teknesi at that time and I would watch it with great pleasure and be very impressed. I went to the ship completely by chance and could not stay away from the sea after that.
3. What are your goals as Miray Cruises for 2025? Are there any new investments or operational strategies planned?
First of all, we are renewing our ship and we have serious investments in this area. Apart from this, we are scraping the ship from top to bottom as it was the first day it was built and starting from scratch, we are restoring the interior/exterior cabins, common areas and the exterior appearance of the ship. In addition, we plan to continue by purchasing our second ship in order to meet this increasing demand for the Greek Islands and to respond to this demand.
In addition, as we have operated river cruise ships in Europe in previous years, we definitely want to re-enter the river cruise business in the following years when we find a ship we like.
4. Have there been any changes in Miray Cruises’ fleet or service approach recently? Are there any innovative services you plan to offer to customers in the future?
Of course there have been and still are. In line with the customer satisfaction surveys we follow every year, and the suggestions and demands we receive from our tour operators and business partners, we provide innovative services on our ship in terms of operation and architecture. We attach great importance to the needs of not only our Turkish passengers but also our passengers from Latin America and Europe who are our guests, so we make our investments in a way that will meet the demands of our passengers from all cultures.
In addition to these, we are opening new bars and a la carte restaurants on our ship and on our deck. We will be able to provide more capacity by increasing the number of cabins.
5. The maritime industry has undergone a major change after the pandemic. How did Miray Cruises go through this period and how did you adapt to the general changes in the industry?
The Covid period was very difficult for us, as it is for every company. We bought our ship 2 months before the pandemic started. We were going to Spain for Dry Dock service. We were sailing at sea when the pandemic bans came. We were stuck in the middle of the sea for 42 days with 400 personnel. Since we had employees from more than one nation on our ship, we waited for their countries to accept them. There were people who got sick on the ship. It was a very difficult process for us.
6. Can you give us information about Miray Cruises' plans for different markets and destinations? Do you have growth targets, especially in new regions such as Asia or North America?
We don't have any different destination plans at the moment, but who knows what will happen in the future. We have potential in both markets. Although people's interest in us is quite high, especially in North America, South America, the Far East and Asia, the percentage of passengers we host is below the supply. We are sure that our passenger numbers will increase in the coming years.
7. What do you think about the impact of new players entering the sector in 2025 on Miray Cruises? How is the competitive environment shaped?
We shaped our Greek Islands Tours according to customer demand and brought them to their current state. That's why our tours are in a boutique style. Think of them as a "tailor made" outfit, which is a tailor-made outfit for you according to your wishes.
There may be those who offer Greek Islands tours, but we do not have new competitors in our category who do it in our style.
8. Passenger experience has become even more important in the sector, especially after the pandemic. What innovative strategies do you plan to implement as Miray Cruises in this regard?
People's longing for a holiday has increased even more after the pandemic. The cruise sector has become more attractive due to the increase in hotel accommodation prices in the domestic market. The age range of our audience, which was mostly elderly before the pandemic, has decreased to young people in their 20s and young families with children. Our guests with children, who see that we have a Kids Club service on our ship for families with children, leave the ship very pleased with these services. Couples who leave their children at the Kids Club can have fun and spend time with the activities on the ship. The fact that 0-16 age groups do not pay a ticket fee is another reason for families with children to choose us... When young people realized that they both had a holiday abroad and a cruise holiday that was more affordable than the domestic market, they created more demand. For this reason, we opened bars and game rooms for young people on our ship. Santorini and Mykonos are very suitable for young people's entertainment concept as destinations. However, apart from young people, we always have religious groups with high age ranges who visit Greece. They also leave this service satisfied with the cultural tours we organize. Our ship renews and shapes itself to meet the demands of people of all ages and races.
Denizcilik sektöründe uzun yıllar deneyime sahipsiniz. Bu sektördeki en büyük değişimin ne olduğunu düşünüyorsunuz?
Türkiye cruise sektörünü önceki senelere göre diğer milletlerden çok daha sonra tanıdı. Türkler daha çok otel tatiline aşinaydı. Tüm dünya ile arasındaki gelişim bu şekilde özetlenebilir. Mesela Amerikalılar ve Avrupalılar senelerdir cruise seyahatine çıkarken Türklerde her yaştan insanın cruise turları ile tanışması diğer milletlerden çok daha sonra oldu. Ve tepkileri çok güzel oldu. Türkler cruise tatilinin çok pahalı olduklarını düşünüyorlardı fakat oteller ile karşılaştıklarında fiyatın çok makul olduğunu gördüler ve kruvaziyer tatiline talepleri birden arttı. Bizden sürekli başka rotalar istediklerine dair mesajlar alıyoruz. Bir kez gelen müşterilerimizin sonraki senelerde de tekrar geldiklerini gözlemliyor, gemimiz ile ilgili güzel yorumları bizimle paylaştıklarını görüyoruz.
Cruise sektörü sadece tatil talebi anlamında yükselmekle kalmayıp, meslek seçimi olarak da Türk gençlerimizden yoğun ilgi görmektedir. Katılmış olduğumuz “Kariyer günleri” fuarlarında; Türk gençlerinin denizcilik sektörüne çok ilgili oldukları ve tercih ettiklerini fark ediyoruz. Güverte ve Makine mühendisliği öğrencilerine gemimizde staj imkanları sağlayarak bu ilginin yükselmesine destek veriyoruz.
10. As a CEO, how do you make decisions that will shape both Miray Cruises and the future of the industry? Which elements are most important to you?
I always consult with our business partners and get their feedback before making these decisions. This year, we consulted with our business partners in Greece. There is a saying I learned in America and have made it a philosophy of life. “What went well what could be done differently”. In other words, what happened and what can we do better?
The feedback we receive from passengers guides our next steps. Therefore, we provide surveys to our customers, get their ideas and make improvements in the following years.
11. Mr. Uğurlu, do you take time for yourself to travel amidst your busy work schedule? What is the thing that appeals to you the most about your travels?
Unfortunately, I have not been on vacation for many years. Because I do not see myself as deserving of a vacation unless I achieve the goals I want in my job. I have not been on vacation for about 10 years because I think it would bother me in my conscience. I usually take daily mid-term breaks on my own ship to the Greek Islands. Or I go to the village house I had built for my mother in Kayseri, my ancestral homeland. This vacation is much more inspiring and relaxing for me.
12. Do you have any personal favorite routes regarding cruise tourism? Which destinations impress you the most and why?
The Greek Islands tours are at the top of the cruise tours that impress me the most. The history, culture, attitudes of the people towards tourists and the aura of the whole country have always attracted me. I guess I have always felt close to each other because we are culturally similar.
13. What are your favorite features about the tours offered by Miray Cruises? Can you tell us how these features affect a maritime expert like you?
The best part of a cruise vacation is that you have the opportunity to constantly change destinations without having to pack and carry your suitcases... It eliminates the biggest disadvantage of vacations, the fatigue factor while traveling, and allows our guests to enjoy only the enjoyable moments. The opportunity to visit more than one destination abroad at an affordable price with the opportunity to eat, drink and stay in the comfort of a hotel plays an important role in our guests' choice of cruise tours.
In addition, the professionally guided tours we offer on the islands of Greece and in Athens; In addition to teaching our passengers about Turkish-Greek culture, history and mythological heritage, we also offer our guests the opportunity to see the best beaches, popular nightlife and the best seafood restaurants in the world.
For example, wines made from grapes grown in volcanic soil are the best wines. To taste these wines and see its unique black beach, Santorini with its blue domes, Mykonos to witness its dynamic nightlife, Rhodes, a city full of history that makes you feel like a knight is about to appear from somewhere at any moment, Athens, the capital of thousands of years of Greek culture, mythology, history and civilization, Patmos, where the steps of Christianity were taken, and Syros, the capital of the Cyclades Islands, which is identified with sea, sand and sun, make Greek Islands Tours a satisfying holiday in every way.
14. What are the factors you value most when traveling? How do you balance comfort, discovery, culture, food or rest?
As I mentioned before, I haven't been on long-term vacations for a long time. However, a peaceful environment that will not tire me is one of the most important factors for me in my understanding of travel. I seek seclusion and serenity in the places I go, I write and compose my own songs there. However, in addition to this, the special nights I organize for myself and my friends are also considered vacations for me. Singing my favorite songs with my friends at those moments means taking a break from life for me, it creates a vacation effect on me.
15. Cruise tourism offers a different experience compared to other forms of travel. Where do you think cruise tours fit into today's travel trends?
While people used to prefer hotel vacations, we now see that they are shifting to cruise vacations. One of the biggest reasons for this is the interest of people who realize that they can join the tour by paying 3-4 nights of accommodation on a cruise trip with the price of 1 night's accommodation in hotels, and the sector is rapidly increasing. In addition, while you have to hang out in fixed places at the hotel, on a cruise vacation, you wake up to a different destination every day and in addition to the activities on the ship, you have the opportunity to witness different cultures in the destinations.
16. Finally, what advice would you give to someone who is going on a trip, especially a sea voyage? What preparations, expectations or tips can help make a cruise vacation more enjoyable?
My first advice would be to take someone you love very much with you. No matter how beautiful and special the holiday destinations are, if the person next to you is an unhappy person who will not understand these, those special moments will not be enjoyed.
