DESTINATIONS REASSURING CLIENTS | CRUISE
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Cycling in Cologne, AmaWaterways; artist’s impression of AmaWaterways’ AmaDahlia; Virgin Voyages, Sea View cabin on Scarlet Lady; brown bear and cubs, Russia, with Aurora Expeditions PICTURES: Michel Verdure; Richard I’Anson
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“WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN ‘NEW-TO-RIVER’ GUESTS AND MULTI-FAMILY GROUPS” Jamie Loizou, managing director of AmaWaterways, says:
While we may not have all our ships on the rivers for early spring sailings, our bookings for summer, autumn and the Christmas markets season in particular are very strong. Returning guests make up a large percentage of bookings but we are also seeing an increase in new-to-river-cruise guests. These travellers are drawn to certain destinations off the beaten path, such as the lower Danube itinerary from Budapest into Romania. Multi-family groups are becoming more popular and we are also seeing an uptick in guests adding our pre and post-cruise stays. We are adding two new ships on the Rhine and
we have repositioned two more ships in France, with two new itineraries to delve deeper into historical and culinary experiences in the Brittany and Burgundy regions. We are also very excited to launch Egypt cruises in September 2021, which are almost 70% full already.”
“THERE’S A MOVE TO PLANNING, BOOKING AND LOOKING FORWARD TO ONE INCREDIBLE TRIP A YEAR” Monique Ponfoort, chief executive of
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Aurora Expeditions, says: We’re witnessing very positive pre-registration numbers for our 2022 Global & Arctic programme,
travelweekly.co.uk There is a strong
desire for travellers to reconnect with the natural world and to do so on small-ship expedition voyages
featuring bucket-list destinations such as Alaska, the Russian Far East, Raja Ampat and Baja California. Our new Greenland, Northwest Passage and
Svalbard voyages, all in 2022, are also attracting considerable interest from UK trade partners, as is Antarctica with the arrival of our second purpose-built expedition ship, Sylvia Earle. I’m hugely optimistic about the future of expedition
travel. Our research indicates there is a strong desire for travellers to reconnect with the natural world and to do so on small-ship expedition voyages. There is a move towards planning, booking and
really looking forward to one incredible trip per year, rather than taking several smaller holidays, and we expect this trend to be a major contributor to the recovery of our industry.”
TW TRADE NEWS
Oceania Cruises has introduced an online platform for agents, Oceania Trade Connect, providing access to training, marketing assets and the OLife rewards programme. Agents will also be able to connect with the Facebook community on the Oceania Trade Insider page.
AmaWaterways has added a Danube training course to its Travel Agent Portal, in addition to its existing course. Complete the course and make a reservation with deposit within 90 days to earn a £25 Love2shop voucher.
Cosmos has a new river cruise programme (separate from sister brand Avalon Waterways), with eight itineraries on sale from mid-December covering the Douro, Rhine, Elbe and Volga. Agents can expect a variety of incentives.
Norwegian Cruise Line has put its 2023 summer programme on sale – the earliest the line has ever released its itineraries – with destinations including Alaska, Canada, New England, the Caribbean, Mediterranean and northern Europe.
10 DECEMBER 2020 39
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