26 | CRUISE NEWS
Cruising For All: Average Passenger Age Drops by 11 Years
www.nitravelnews.com
THE average age of a cruise guest has come down by 11 years since 2019, according to cruise specialist
cruise.co.uk. The findings, which analysed almost 500,000 pas- sengers, show that for bookings made to date in 2024 the average age is 55 years old, compared to 66 years old in 2019.Factors attributed to the decrease include the growing trend for multi-generational travel and cruise’s growing appeal to younger audi- ences, driven by new ships featuring family-friendly attractions and itineraries showcasing destinations worldwide. In similar findings,
Cruise.co.uk’s online-only sister company, Seascanner, has also seen a decrease in their average booking age, with passengers booked in 2024 to date averaging 42 years, three years younger than bookings seen in 2022. Seascanner recently marked its three-year anniversary and was launched to cater for increasingly younger passen- gers. Tony Andrews, managing director of
cruise.co.uk, said: “These findings are clear evidence of cruise’s growing appeal to a wider audience. As new ships and itineraries emerge, passengers of all ages are discovering that a holiday at sea offers a host of one- of-a-kind experiences, both onboard and ashore, with activities designed to appeal to all tastes. When coupled with unbeatable value for money, it really does make cruise the go-to getaway for more people than ever before.”
Celestyal's inaugural Arabian Gulf season launches in Qatar
CELESTYAL has confirmed its flagship, Celestyal Journey, has arrived in Doha, Qatar, to start the line’s maiden Arabian Gulf season. The season begins with two specially themed F1 voyages, which will take in the Qatar and Abu Dhabi grand prix events. Celestyal Journey departures will comprise a series of seven-night ‘Desert Days’ itineraries, sailing roundtrip from Doha, up to March 2025. Each cruise features calls to the iconic destinations of Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, an overnight
stay in Dubai Marina, as well as visits to the lesser-known destinations of Khasab and Sir Bani Yas Island. Celestyal
Journey will sail from Doha for three
consecutive years throughout the winter seasons, following a collaboration between Celestyal and Visit Qatar. Celestyal Discovery will join Celestyal Journey in the
region at the end of 2025. She will sail three-night ‘Iconic Arabia’ cruises roundtrip from Abu Dhabi, calling at Doha,
Khalifa Bin Salman (Bahrain) and Dubai Marina.
Much-loved Soap Stars Set to Join Guests Onboard Themed Sailings with Ambassador outstanding
AMBASSADOR Cruise Line has unveiled a rollcall of British Soap Star royalty set to join guests for an upcoming series of ‘In Conversa- tion With…’ themed sailings, which will take place on selected cruises onboard Ambience and Ambition throughout 2025. Further adding to
Ambassador’s entertainment offering, celebrities
set to sail this year include Coronation Street, Brookside and Emmerdale favourites including Claire Sweeney, Catherine Tyldesley, Dean Andrews, Sue Cleaver and Beverly Callard. Each will be joining guests onboard Ambassador’s fleet of small-to-mid-size ships for very special ‘In Conversation With…’ talks and ‘meet and greets’.
MSC Cruises Adds Additional Benefits to Aurea Experience Across Fleet
MSC Cruises is increasing its offerings with additional privileges for guests booking a suite within the Aurea Experience across the fleet. MSC Cruises offers four distinct experiences, Fantastica,
Aurea and the
MSC Yacht Club, along with dozens of cabin types across its fleet, designed to provide the ultimate comfort for all guests.
Whether guests want to book an interior cabin along with the Bella Experience for maximum value or opt for a luxury experience with the 104 square metre Owner’s Suite in the cruise line’s exclusive MSC Yacht Club, MSC Cruises offers cabin types and experiences to suit every guest’s needs. Now the cruise line is rolling out additional advantages for guests booking a suite with an Aurea Experience across its fleet. On top of the existing benefits of the Aurea Experience including premium services, My Choice dining flexibility, wellness-focused amenities and access to the luxurious MSC Aurea Spa thermal area, booking a suite with an Aurea Experience now brings additional benefits to help create an unforgettable cruise holiday. From their embarkation throughout their entire journey on board, Aurea Experience suite guests will be immersed in a unique zen experience from being welcomed with a bottle of prosecco, then heading to the MSC Aurea Spa to enjoy the thermal area before returning to their suite, where plush wellness amenities await them, along with luxurious bedding
and a pillow menu to fit their needs for a restful sleep. Newly introduced benefits for guests booking a suite with the Aurea Experience also now includes: Priority disembarkation Priority tender boat access – in ports with a tender
service One minibar refresh – first set of minibar
refreshments free of charge An in-suite Nespresso coffee machine – with coffee
pods replenished daily Venchi daily turndown of chocolates Elevated in-suite amenities – including 100%
cotton bathrobes, plush slippers, premium bed linens, enhanced Dorelean mattress and bespoke bath products from MED by MSC, MSC Cruises very own dedicated toiletry brand. Complimentary
ironing – two complimentary
ironing services per stay These additional benefits apply to all suites with
an Aurea Experience booked for sailings commencing from 1 July 2025.
February 2025
Celebrity Cruises Announces Launch of New Immersive Space Onboard Celebrity Xcel
CELEBRITY Cruises’ Celebrity Xcel is replacing the much-loved Eden with a new concept. Introducing The Bazaar, a brand-new multi- level, multi-sensory space, described as ‘the epicentre of excitement on board and will introduce authentic experiences that extend guests’ time “on shore” to enjoy destinations in an unconventional way’. A first of its kind concept, each day, the three-storey space will transform, introducing new ways for guests to immerse themselves in the destinations called on throughout their sailing. The Bazaar comes alive to blend guests’ on board and in port experiences in an elevated, authentic and unique way throughout sailings; from a market featuring local artisan products and hands-on craft experiences, to destination inspired festivals specific to each itinerary, regionally inspired culinary experiences, and unforgettable entertainment. “The Bazaar is a truly one-of-a-kind space designed
to seamlessly blend ship and shore and transform the way guests experience
destinations,” shares
Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Celebrity Xcel intentionally extends the destination experience onboard through a continued authentic offering between ports of call, allowing guests to take the destination with them.” Four unique Caribbean destination-inspired festivals
– each linked to a destination where the ship is sailing – will immerse guests in the cultures of ports they visit. Every festival will bring a destination to life in a myriad of ways, including local food and beverage offerings, crafting experiences,
retail enrichment activations,
destination-inspired cooking and dance classes, pop- up entertainment, performances from local musicians, and other Caribbean-inspired activities. As Celebrity Xcel heads to Europe in 2026, The Bazaar will transform to feature festivals, markets and culinary experiences inspired by Mediterranean destinations. On sea days, Market at The Bazaar invites guests to
These all-new themed cruises join the long list
of engaging and interactive activities conceived by Ambassador prior to the cruise line’s first- ever sailing to create unforgettable ‘Ambassador Moments’. Since April 2022, guests have revelled in the company of a diverse range of famous personalities including Comedian
Tim Vine,
Olympic Gold Medallist Tessa Sanderson, legendary jockey Bob Champion, opera singer Lesley Garrett, the Chase’s Shaun ‘The Dark Destroyer Wallace and Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett, X Factor winner Sam Bailey, cricketing legends Graham Gooch, Jonathan Agnew and the inimitable Henry Blofeld and more. Guests sailing on this year’s itineraries will have
Bella,
the unique opportunity to go behind-the-scenes with the talent while onboard, with the celebrities set to share inspirational and sometimes surprising stories of the experiences that have shaped their lives. The sailings will also offer travellers the chance to get up close and personal during appearances that will also provide the perfect photo opportunity!
take the cities they visit with them. Guests can excite their senses with unique and engaging displays from local artisans who will come onboard to showcase their crafts, skills and traditions, and even teach guests how to make their own local creations. As with all experiences at The Bazaar, the offering at the Market will change throughout sailings to reflect each of the four festival themes. Depending on the festival theme, guests can expand their palate with activities including rum and chocolate pairings and local hot sauce tastings, dive deep into the destination’s culture with experiences like live basket weaving demos, and find one-of-a-kind keepsakes from local vendors such as an authentic Caribbean mask shop, traditional Mexican leather hats, embroidery stations, and more. New destination-inspired dining options in The Bazaar will delight palates with local cuisines. An open kitchen concept, Mosaic, will serve reimagined and elevated dishes, inspired by the regions Celebrity Xcel is sailing, enhancing guests’ appreciation of the incredible places they have visited. For something extra special, guests can delight in
an industry-first Chef’s Table experience at Mosaic. Celebrity’s global culinary leadership team will each develop a dish inspired by their native cuisine, plated and presented in an elevated way. The Chef’s Table experience at Mosaic serves a diverse, multi- course tasting menu of childhood favourite dishes representing all continents, each perfectly paired with wines from Celebrity Cruises’ award-winning selection.
Over Half of First-time Cruisers Looking to Spend More Time at Sea
AN annual survey from cruise specialist cruise.
co.uk has revealed a growing appetite for cruise holidays, with 54% of new-to-cruise guests looking to increase the proportion of their holidays spent at sea. The findings were revealed as part of a survey of over 8000
cruise.co.uk and seascanner.
co.uk customers. The top reasons cited for an increased interest in cruising over the next two years include retirement and more free time (23%), avoiding the hassle of flying (19%), value for money (18%), and the convenience of visiting multiple destinations in one trip (15%). The survey also found an impressive 94% of first-time cruisers reported being either satisfied or very satisfied with their cruise experience.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
