Whether he's regular customers is characterized solemnly, with his Crew, talked shop, or of the Excellence-ships Karim Twerenbold raves, with 34 years, the youngest Patron in the Swiss travel industry, is committed and competent in the matter. And with a lot of respect for the family company that this year, the 125. Celebrates birthday. Pieces of fillet in addition to the impressive Bus fleet by the ten Excellence river cruise ships, marketed by Twerenbold, a subsidiary of the travel Agency mittelthurgau,are.

when did you spent the last Time for a holiday on a ship?
2019, it was a honeymoon – not on the water, but in the heat of the country. However, I was increasingly by the day on our ships on the way. This, above all, in my experience as a managing Director of the shipping company.

Are the river cruise ships are floating nursing homes?
on The contrary. There are more and more younger guests on Board, but also families with children. River trips are in view of the many advantages of an age-independent Form of travel.

cruise ships are spinning as the dirt. They are, as the shipowner, a climate killer?
We will be thrown to the injustice in a pot of sea-going vessels. Our ships are already since a long time with heavy fuel oil, but with gas oil, Green Diesel, on-the-go. You to put, obtain shore power wherever the infrastructure allows it.

The Excellence of the Empress, the on 12. June will be baptized in Basel, comes with Clean-Air technology. How to clean river trips?
in fact, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by more than three-quarters, of the fine dust emissions by 90 percent. This is for the benefit of the environment.

you Put yourself under pressure to replace old ships faster?
It is on a river ship is not possible to try a further technical development on good luck. Together with our Dutch shipyard, we are constantly making improvements, particularly in the case of the Eco-balance. As the world's first passenger river ship, the Excellence Empress about Clean-Air technology, a catalyst with a particle filter has. These we build in the future for the new ships. We are already examining how we can convert the rest of the fleet.

To make the legislature pressure, so that cruise ships to become cleaner?
I think liberal and restrictive when it comes to new laws. Each market participant must carry out its responsibility independently. This requires no new laws. Sustainability is not limited to Ecology, but also on social and economic aspects. But old dirt skid, the black Soot discharge not shot, definitely belong on the water.

How far are you with the remodeling of your fleet?
The process is running, a corresponding, large project was in the pipeline. Per ship, we invest between 400'000 and 500'000 Swiss francs. Now, we want to clarify what is feasible. What is possible is to be done by the end of 2021. Since we are not developers of environmental technologies, we can't tell where the journey will lead. We know, however, there is a lot to Do, and we deal in ship newbuildings continue with the theme of the pollutant emissions-intensive.

The Excellence Princess belongs to Twerenbold fleet. Photo: PD

ten upgraded ships cost several million francs. How to bring this money?
By own means. You are well-invested because we are investing in the future. It is our responsibility to act. Just economic sustainability makes it possible that we can't afford such an investment in environmental technologies, even if we have 1 to 1 pass on the costs to the customers. Of course, we hope that our customers appreciate this Effort, because they, too, want to travel eco-consciously.

How ecological is it, that the Mittelthurgau-vessels are accompanied by buses, which take passengers on shore excursions?
Our vehicles are, on average, 3.5 years old. As of this year all buses with low-emission Euro 6 engines are fitted. Per passenger, we need to 100 kilometres on average only one litre of fuel. Better for the environment than it is in modern buses Europe can not be fast traveled to.

How well the business is run in the new year?
We are cautiously optimistic for the group as a whole. By the end of February, 70 percent of the bookings should be done. Sales we not disclose.

Twerenbold celebrates the 125-year anniversary. Since 2013, she lead the company operationally, since 2016 is also at the top of the company. You know, with a 34 at all the whole operation?
even as a teenager I worked on a regular basis. I have driven buses cleaned and later. In 2011, I joined as a project Manager for Twerenbold. Important for me was that I had to do in the operating business with my father, nothing. I didn't want to "make it clear from the beginning, to be un fils à papa". In 2013, the then CEO Pascal took trips Wieser Vögele and in the same train, I have full operational responsibility. It has remained that way. 15.December 2015 my father died in a self accident with the bike. So the strategic as Chairman of the Board was added in addition to the operational management. Without a Team that has been working for many years together, would not have both to create.

you Switzerland, as the market gradually to small?
We still see potential. The market is healthy. The baby boomers are getting older and interesting for us. It would be a fallacy but in the end, to think we could continue as in the past. The concept of "Genuine and Exclusive", two years ago launched, to meet individual needs. Today, the number of excursions from the ship is greater. The customer can choose between many activities.

Shake is also a tried-and-tested Standards?
As a direct provider, we feel the needs of the guests very carefully. The Excellence Standard will be transferred to each new ship and product, and more developed. No ship is like the other. In the further development of our entire market is knowledge. The ships have a fixed Dimension. The standard cabins are 16 square metres in size. My mother Nazly to each ship, a new color and designs new Designs. Our first boat only had a Restaurant. The Excellence Princess is a Restaurant at the rear has been added with a Steakhouse. In addition to the main and to the rear of the restaurant now complete, two Wine Tables the offer on the Excellence of the Empress. Can you also visually. Here is a high-class food is served with wine pairing. A further Innovation on the Empress will be the first Sushi Bar on a river boat. And on the sun deck, we celebrate a new "Bar and BBQ"concept.

all of This looks like an ocean liner?
That's right. We like to be of other concepts inspire you and break you on, our Size and needs to shut down.

What are you looking forward to 2020, in particular?
I am pleased together with our employees and customers on the 125-year anniversary. For this, we have 6. March the Scala, Milan, for a concert rented. To hear Verdi's "Il Trovatore". Already the history of the great jubilee of employees. In the autumn I am looking forward to the Bamberg Symphony orchestra at the KKL in Lucerne.

www.mittelthurgau.ch, www.twerenbold.ch

Created: 17.02.2020, 16:25 PM