CRUISE & STAY Budapest
Add on in Alaska Gemma Withers, senior business development manager, Holland America Line “With our Alaska itineraries ranging from nine to 17 days, agents can tailor experiences to suit different budgets and styles. Our Alaska Cruisetours offer a deeper way to explore,
combining an Alaska cruise with a Denali National Park tour. Highlights include the McKinley Explorer train, the chance to spot wildlife and a stay at the newly expanded Holland America Denali Lodge. Agents can learn more through Holland America’s Online Travel Training course.”
Know your audience Claire Stirrup, managing director UK and Ireland, Celebrity Cruises “When selling a cruise-and-stay holiday, the key is understanding what your customer wants from their time ashore, as well as at sea. Ask about their preferred pace and budget, then
use a pre or post-cruise stay to add depth to the overall experience. Our City Stay experiences on ocean cruises, and Before and After Stays on river cruises, offer a way for guests to explore a new destination while continuing to enjoy the premium experiences and hospitality they find on board.”
Give added value Jayne Lambert, key account manager, Globus family of brands
“My tips when selling cruise-and-stay are to understand how adventurous your client is, whether there is a particular start or end destination they are interested in, and to think about the
whole journey, rather than each element separately. Avalon Waterways can help with extra hotel nights, flight options and transfers on qualifying air-inclusive bookings, or even add on a Globus tour for a longer trip. Plus, don’t forget the value already built into a cruise. With included excursions, onboard gratuities, dining and drinks with meals, so much is already taken care of.”
Focus on interests Mark Henderson, head of product, Cruise Plus “First ask why the clients are travelling – is it for culture, wildlife, a celebration or pure downtime? Then build a pre or post-cruise experience to match. The ports of call are not the whole story, and
a cruise-and-stay lets clients slow the pace. It allows time to experience attractions and destinations in depth, plus it adds breathing space for long-haul travel and moments you can’t guarantee in a few hours ashore.”
56 10 SEPTEMBER 2026 Don’t forget the ❝
value already built into a cruise, with
excursions, gratuities, dining and drinks
with meals already taken care of
Be creative Molly-May Gough, cruise travel expert, Iglu Cruise “Leave plenty of time between different elements of the trip, particularly before the cruise. If in doubt, add extra nights to the pre-cruise accommodation to ensure the whole holiday is relaxing.
We don’t want any customer to feel rushed, uncertain or worried about the next part of their itinerary. Second, don’t be afraid to suggest new and novel ideas, upgrades or added excursions. Your customer may be celebrating something special, have a healthy holiday budget or be splurging on a memorable experience.”
Double your money Matt Dunne, head of reservations, Major Travel “Cruise is our fastest-growing category this year, and we launched our
new cruise platform on Major Go in response to growing demand for a simpler way to build cruise-and-stay holidays. Consider clients’ budget, interests and flight timings when recommending a stay. In our experience, the average booking value of a cruise with a stay attached is more than double that of a cruise alone, yet this remains under-sold.”
Sell the experience Denise Walker, product and travel relationship manager, ITC “Cruise-and-stay is particularly compelling in the luxury market, where clients are looking for experience-rich itineraries, rather than simply adding a few nights before or after a cruise.
Agents should start by understanding the client’s interests, preferred pace and expectations around hotels, transfers and experiences, then look at how the land and cruise elements complement each other. In South America, combining an expedition or luxury cruise with a stay at Iguazu Falls is a top-selling option.”
McKinley Explorer, Alaska
travelweekly.co.uk
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PICTURES: Steve Dunlop; Emma Paolino; Nicola Howes
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