Setting a higher standard in tour and charter is getting a little easier, now that MCI is making high luxury a standard option with its LX Series. Based on the top-of-the-line E4500, the LX brings together some of the market's most sought-after amenities, such as leather seating and spacious galleys, into three appealing packages — Sport, Club and Luxury.

"Operators are looking for ways to differentiate themselves from the competition," says Brent Maitland, vice president of new markets for MCI. "A higher-level coach can do that, and bring in more revenue at the end of the day."

Maitland and his team think the LX is primed to do just that for operators, taking the guesswork out of conversion-level specs and eliminating the headaches that often come with overseeing conversions. "We're taking the lead in offering this coach as a factory product," says Maitland.

While the LX coaches may impress with their conference seating areas, upgraded spiral entryway, Corian surfaces, wood-grain details and other niceties, there's room for further customization according to customer preference. "We're trying to create a vision for people," say Maitland. "If the customer is looking for something different than the three specification packages offered, depending upon the scope of the work, either MCI can do the work itself or we can refer them to a number of reputable coach converters."

Holland America Lines is one customer that's buying into that more luxurious vision. The operator, which runs land-based tours for its cruise ship passengers, has taken delivery of three LX coaches. All are destined to serve high-end groups who will no doubt appreciate the stand-out amenities.

While the LX Series coaches are indeed priced higher than their counterparts, Maitland thinks that MCI customers will see considerable value. "We've spent the time pre-selecting the fabric, materials and features, which can be very time-intensive if you're doing it yourself. When you order a traditional conversion coach, it's like managing a project. We simplify the process. Plus, because we've designed the interior and we build in quantity, we can offer advantages. If a customer were to convert one of these coaches to the same specifications, it would cost more and take significantly more time.

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