AKTG’s VP Sales Australia and New Zealand Susan Haberle sat down in an exclusive interview with Karryon a year in her new role, to talk about the importance of meeting the needs of a new market and the power of personalisation.
One of the biggest changes for Haberle in her new role as VP, Sales & Partnerships Australia & New Zealand for A&K and Crystal has been moving into luxury ocean cruising.
“I have worked across river and expedition, but getting knowledge on luxury ocean cruising for me personally has been a big shift, and it’s been great to focus on a different area of the market.”
There has been no shortage of significant announcements since Haberle expanded her role to include Crystal a year ago.
Crystal revealed it’d build its first new ocean ship in 25 years, Crystal Grace, which will have a “first-of-its-kind” residential-scale Owner’s Suite, and launched a collection of 10 new A&K and Crystal voyages debuting in 2027 following a sell-out 2026 season.
The inaugural voyage will launch in August 2026 with a 12-day joint Mediterranean expedition from Rome to Venice aboard Crystal Serenity, and in 2027, A&K will offer six cultural voyages, including Hong Kong to Yokohama, Lisbon to Portsmouth, a variety of Mediterranean routes and a Canadian exploration.
The partnership between A&K and Crystal means Crystal guests have access to curated land adventures, a move Haberle says makes “perfect sense as people seek more immersive experiences on land”.
“The take-up has been really strong, and now we’re looking at 2028 and 2029, and we will add on more options, so we’ll be looking at Africa and South America, and doing a lot more on those continents, as well as Asia and Europe.”
She says the advantage A&K has is that it owns more than 65 DMCs in more than 40 countries, some which have been around for more than 60 years, so with that comes “unrivalled black book access”.
The changing luxury traveller
While Haberle might be new to ocean cruising, she’s no novice to the industry, having worked in travel for more than three decades, and she says now more than ever, we’re seeing a shift in the way a luxury traveller wants to experience the world.
“The luxury traveller has changed significantly. While ship facilities will be important along with service, they are moving away from the new bright and shiny and are more concerned with how the experience makes them feel.
“They want itineraries that are unique and to do something they haven’t done before and more and more bespoke experiences, including private shore excursions created just for them.”
She says while the age is also getting younger, we have to adapt and have more active-style experiences for that demographic.
“Whether it’s pickleball or a golf range, they want to keep active, also the footprint they leave is becoming more important, as is varied dining, healthy options and decreasing alcohol.
“The next generation of luxury traveller may never own a home, so they’ll spend on travel, and while it used to be a privilege to do two or three trips a year, these days it’s part of your DNA, and it’s standing out and offering them something that’s going to suit their needs.”
The key to success
“For me success is about the right partnerships in market and putting in the right planning to get results, so the next few years it’s about relationships and quality of product,’ she says.
She says AI is an area we have to tap into, but it can’t match personalisation.
“You have to embrace AI and use it effectively, so there’s a lot of time-efficient enhancement, but you need the balance of human touch and a customer focus with the technology.
“For example if you’re in Lisbon and there’s this little restaurant in an alley across the main square and you know it has the best peri peri chicken and it’s where it’s made, that is what you can’t get if you go to AI.
“So the travel advisor becomes more relevant because it’s confusing and overwhelming, and they can offer a very personalised experience, and it’s a great opportunity for advisors to show how valuable they really are.”
As for success for her personally, she says ultimately, her biggest joy in the job is seeing her team succeed.
“I’m thrilled about the team we’ve been able to put together, and we’re now seeing and feeling the momentum. You have to build the right foundation to create a solid partnership, and then the sales will follow.
“I love the respect everyone has in the industry, and we’re all growing together, and I don’t think that’ll ever change.”
For more information, see A&K and Crystal Cruises.
