‘It is a bit amusing to see the luxury hotel companies act like they have created a new genre of travel at sea,’ the veteran senior cruise executive said. In January it will be 40 years since Kurtz became founding president of Sea Goddess, the first yacht-like modern luxury cruise brand.

Sea Goddess introduced intimate ships that provided an innovative experience with all-inclusive pricing, open seating dining, no tipping, itineraries packed with smaller destinations, extended stays in port, anchoring rather than docking and a water sports marina. The Sea Goddess loyalty program was called Yacht Club.

Younger clients

‘The ships provided a unique travel concept that earned a loyal following among its clients who were much younger than typical luxury cruisers and more likely to be first time cruisers, and eventually the travel trade,’ Kurtz said. ‘Many of its revolutionary and innovative product features have been copied by others over the years.’

Already in 1979, Marjorie Merriweather Post’s former sailing yacht Hussar V had been converted into the Sea Cloud cruise ship, but Kurtz said it had only a few top-level accommodations and limited itineraries.

When Sea Goddess burst on the scene, it dazzled. The New York Times wrote: ‘At a cost of more than $1,000 a night for a two-passenger cabin, the Sea Goddess is one of the most expensive ways to escape the cares of the world. Operators of the Norwegian-registered vessel say a trip aboard the Sea Goddess is like being a…