High Net Worth Clients Rate Radisson Seven Seas, Disney Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises Best in Customer Experience

Business Wire, May 3, 2006

NEW YORK -- According to the new Cruise Lines Luxury Customer Experience Index survey (LCEI), from the New York-based Luxury Institute, Radisson Seven Seas (recently renamed Regent Seven Seas to match its sister luxury hotel brand), was rated best in delivering customer experience by its wealthy customers. Disney Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises rated second and third, respectively.

High net worth customers rated 11 of America's largest cruise line brands based on their direct individual experiences. These included: Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Windstar Cruises.

"The voice of its own wealthy consumers validates the recent move to change the name from Radisson, a mainstream brand, to Regent, a luxury brand," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "This was a rare brand whose experience far exceeded its legacy name. The experience delivered by the new Regent Seven Seas was rated best by high net worth customers who have experience with the brand. It is the cruise line that best meets the needs of its wealthy clientele, has the best attitude, as measured by the enthusiasm, courtesy and trustworthiness of employees, and best responds to questions or problems needing resolution. Consequently, the brand was rated by customers most worthy of a significant price premium, and rated tops in the critical retention and customer referral metrics."

As the trusted Voice of America's High Net Worth consumers, the Luxury Institute is the pioneer in developing objective, independent customer-centric performance metrics for the luxury goods and services industry. The new Luxury Customer Experience Index survey (LCEI) complements the Luxury Institute's reputation survey (Luxury Brand Status Index survey-LBSI). For the luxury cruise lines LCEI, the Luxury Institute surveyed a nationally representative statistical sample of more than 2,000 households with a median income of $296K in gross annual income and median net worth of $1.8 million (including home equity).

About the Luxury Institute

The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and objective research institution that is the trusted voice of the high net worth consumer. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary quantitative research that guides and educates high net-worth individuals, and the companies that cater to them, on leading edge trends, wealthy consumer ratings and rankings of luxury brands, and best practices. To reach the Luxury Institute, please call 646-792-2669 or go to www.luxuryinstitute.com.