Richou Travel : Hervé Renoux tested the "Louis Cristal" in Greece

TourMaG.com - How would you respond to some comments made by Hervé Renoux which are mostly also shared by the other passengers onboard?

Clément Mousset: "We are still in a kind of test run. I am aware of the shortcomings mentioned by Hervé Renoux, I also spoke with other travel agents on board. I will make sure to fix flaws quickly.

In terms of transportation, for example, we would like to deepen our relationship with our partner Aegean Airways to consider reserving seat-blocks in 2015.

Our transport strategy will also change based on the departure airport. For some, we also have a partnership with Lufthansa.

As regards to the one night accommodation in Greece before boarding, we’re working to find the best hotel transfer option so as to optimize its positioning in Athens or at the boarding harbor.

As for the boat, while its renovation is deemed very successful already, it is still unfinished. Some areas will be modified in the fall to increase passenger comfort, with a modernization of some cabins and public areas.

The route that pleases many will be repeated next year and in the summer also. We will take off Bodrum in 2015 and extend the stopover in Cesme.

We will keep the Greek product with the flavors of the islands. We just launched the first survey of the season and we will, of course, adapt to feedback from passengers.

We would also like to offer alternatives for food, an international cuisine that will vary the tastes and meet the requirements of passengers.

At the service level, this is the first cruise of the season. Our crew members are boarding with recruits from different nationalities and this should reach the level of other cruises in the coming weeks.

It is clear that the ship's officers take very seriously the comments on the service time and we will also adapt to various international sensitivities.

Concerning Internet access, free access is impossible given the cost of the satellite and the problem of slowness is related to the boat’s positioning. This service is not required and reserved to passengers who are in dire need of internet. We provide more of an emergency service rather than guaranteeing fast wifi.

It terms of shows and entertainment, there will be improvements with sound and light system to further highlight the performers. We should keep shows around Greek folklore and Cuban influence without any big change expected but we remain attentive to customer requests.

I confirm that we can not have a highly extensive entertainment program during the day since the journey offers many stopover keeping us from getting overly sophisticated in this sector.

I also want to add that, for the first time, I feel like a cruise leader and Tour Operator at the same time. Greek cruises offered by our competitors have no choice but to leave from Venice with reduced stopover time to just mornings in Mykonos and Santorini.

We, however, offer the main Greek islands but also other completely unprecedented destination in such cruises like Chios, Symi, Kaos, Milos...

This is possible due to the size of the vessel (160 meters long and 900 passenger capacity), which allows for fast landings that provide longer stopover time. All for a call price of 619 euros including taxes and tips.

If we compare to the General Terms and Conditions of other cruise lines, we are at 570 euros (minus than 49 euros for tips), in other words we offer a route at an excellent value for full immersion and discovery of Greece... "