More than a cruise
The sailing may be the centrepiece, but adding hotels, tours and experiences can turn a cruise into a more personalised – and valuable – trip, saysKaye Holland
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icture the classic cruise- and-stay holiday and you might imagine a
couple of nights in a Barcelona hotel before a Mediterranean sailing, or a week on a Caribbean beach after disembarking. However, the concept has now evolved well beyond a simple hotel bolt-on. It can encompass everything from rail journeys to overland adventures and wildlife experiences, thus creating a multi-centre holiday. Think of a Rocky Mountaineer
train journey through Canada prior to an Alaska cruise, the thundering majesty of Victoria Falls followed by an African river sailing, or several days exploring Japan before embarking on a multi-country voyage through
10 SEPTEMBER 2026
Asia. Some itineraries can stretch to three or four weeks. For agents, the attraction is obvious: cruise-and-stay offers more scope to use their expertise and tailor the itinerary – earning both customer loyalty and extra commission.
BUOYANT MARKET Cruise-and-stay holidays are gaining traction at a time when cruising itself is booming. According to industry body Clia, UK and Ireland ocean cruise numbers passed a record 2.5 million in 2025. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Iglu Cruise of almost 4,500 respondents found that 40% intend to cruise more in 2026 than in 2025. There is also evidence that
customers are increasingly interested Cruise-and-
stay offers more scope to use expertise, earning both customer loyalty and bonus commission
in spending more time ashore. Gary Slade, head of tailor-made at Iglu Cruise, told Travel Weekly: “Our customers are looking for immersive experiences in-destination and choosing to extend their cruise with a stay more than ever before.” The appetite is particularly evident on long-haul itineraries.
David Smith, managing director of The Cruise Line, says: “Destinations including Australia, the South Pacific, South America and the polar regions are requested in 25%-50% of our bookings.” If Only has also released a ‘mini- peaks’ Cruise & Stay campaign, providing trade marketing materials pairing sailings from the likes of Seabourn, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection with luxury hotels, transfers and ‘signature experiences’, plus a chance for agents to win a spa break for bookings made by November 30.
AGENT OPPORTUNITY Andy Harmer, managing director for Clia UK & Ireland, says: “Cruise- and-stay is a great opportunity for the trade because it allows them
travelweekly.co.uk
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