Catching up with OAT’s Senior Vice President of Hospitality for our small ships
As Senior Vice President of Hospitality for our small ships, it’s Franco Guerriero’s job to ensure smooth sailing on every departure. And it’s a job that he does quite well: OAT’s Treasures of the Aegean: Greek Island Cruise, Athens & Istanbul, Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece, and Cruising the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina Small Ship Adventures have encountered continuous success and maintain a high level of excellence each year.
OAT offers several types of small ships throughout the world—and each holds a maximum of 50 travelers. They’re uniquely suited for the different waterways and regions we explore—and we own and exclusively manage the M/V Artemis, M/V Athena, and M/V Arethusa in the Mediterranean.
Franco was responsible for the conceptualization, design, and overseeing of the building of OAT’s small ships—from the internal décor to setting up the trips’ itineraries. “When we were in the initial planning stages for the design of our small ships, we tried to create a warm environment for our travelers,” shares Franco. “Our ships have an intimate club feel and the ship provides an incredibly pleasant experience for our travelers.”
But Franco isn’t a one-man team: He works with several different groups—including hospitality and dining staff—to ensure the best service and experience for OAT travelers on all of our Small Ship Adventures. And they do this with the help of OAT travelers: He and his team look at each post-trip survey to see what aspects of the trip can be improved.
“I really consider our surveys my Bible,” says Franco. “If a traveler gives us a ‘good’ on their onboard experience, I want to know why it wasn’t excellent.” And in order to deliver the best trip experience, Franco and his hospitality staff are constantly reviewing these surveys.
“One of the major concerns we were hearing about from travelers on our Eastern Mediterranean cruises was the lack of regional food during our meals,” says Franco. “So we sat down with our chefs and hospitality staff and redesigned our menus to always include a regional dish at each meal.”
Franco is quite passionate about OAT’s small ships and the unique experiences travelers will discover during their adventures. “There are so many reasons travelers should come to the Eastern Mediterranean,” says Franco. “The size and cozy ambiance of the ships, OAT’s small group size, the comfort of your cabins, the fantastic countries, and well-balanced itineraries are just a few reasons to come visit. And if that isn’t enough, we have some of the best Trip Leaders in the business. Come enjoy your time cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean for a truly wonderful experience.”
Enjoy the comfort and luxury of OAT’s small ships on our Treasures of the Aegean: Greek Island Cruise, Athens & Istanbul, Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece, and Cruising the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina Small Ship Adventures.