ROUND TABLE Sales leaders from P&O Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Seabourn and Princess Cruises


Carnival UK sales bosses hail strong start to the year


C


arnival UK sales chiefs have reported a “positive start” to the year, with “strong


demand” for all-inclusive packages and a lengthening booking curve. Representatives from the group’s


five sister brands said they were in “a strong forward-booked position”, with several highlighting that they were ahead of internal targets. Ruth Venn, P&O Cruises


associate vice-president of sales and distribution, said wave sales trends had been “quite value driven”, with the debut of the line’s all-inclusive packages “very positively received”. She added that onboard credit


and low deposit messaging had also “worked really well”, with “key trends” including new-to-brand customers and sales of Norwegian fjords and Caribbean itineraries. Seabourn UK and EMEA sales


director Tom Andrews described the wave period as “a crescendo”, with


Looking at sales by


departure year, we’re ahead of pace of our internal targets across all three sailing years


the first two weeks of January “a bit slower” before “gathering pace” into February. He said: “Looking at sales by departure year, we’re ahead of pace of our internal targets across all three sailing years [2026, 2027 and 2028].” Andrews highlighted “great


engagement” with an Asia-focused booking incentive, with more prizes than expected having been awarded. Karen Farndell, associate vice-


president of sales and marketing for the UK and Ireland at Holland America Line, similarly saw “momentum building” into February with a lengthening booking curve. “We are so well sold for 2026 that


we are now seeing bookings for way out in 2027 and 2028,” she said. Farndell noted “an increase in


uptake” for all-inclusive packages, alongside a successful trial of offering free car parking at Dover. Princess Cruises’ sales director for the UK and Europe, Yasmin McKechnie, said the line was “on track to deliver on ambitious targets” and had taken “a big learning from last year” to simplify its offers. She said fly-cruise sales were


“dominating” the wave period, with the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Alaska popular for 2026 and 2027, and Asia for 2027. Cunard associate vice-president


of EMEA sales Iain Baillie said a 5% deposit deal and 10% off certain sailings had seen “great demand” from new and seasoned customers. He added that the average


duration of newly booked voyages had lengthened from 12 nights last year to 14 nights this year.


Brands to host record-breaking 4,000 agents this year


The five sister brands plan to host 4,000 UK and Ireland agents in 2026 – the highest number in their history. Sales chiefs for the lines emphasised the


importance of getting the trade on board to experience the product first-hand. Speaking about the number of


agents who have been on board, P&O Cruises’ Ruth Venn said: “It is incredible. We were quite shocked when we figured [the total] out. We are proud of that number.” She said the team had expanded its


Shine At Sea education programme to three dates and increased the number of regional ship visits. Holland America Line’s Karen Farndell


12 12 MARCH 2026


Yasmin McKechnie, Princess Cruises


said the cruise line would host more than 400 agents across two ships in six ports, in addition to hosting its first family day. Princess Cruises’ Yasmin McKechnie said the line plans new “destination experiences” to tie in with its fly-cruise ambitions, alongside nine ship visits and two fam trips for 45 agents each. Cunard’s Iain Baillie said getting on board was always “the number-one request” from agents. The line has


doubled its UK fam trip programme with three fam trips from Southampton.


Seabourn’s Tom Andrews, meanwhile, said the


line’s ship visit programme was already oversubscribed, only a week after launching.


Lines describe family de


Lines agreed there had been “encouraging trends” in family bookings in the past year. P&O Cruises’ Ruth Venn said the


brand would “continue to evolve” its family proposition to offer “more choice and flexibility”. She said five-berth cabins and more


family-friendly sailings on adult-only ships was “very much a multigenerational play” to appeal to past passengers to bring children and grandchildren on board. Venn noted family demand during


the wave period had been “encouraging”, particularly for Easter and half-term, with many planning further ahead to secure “added value”. Holland America Line’s Karen


Carnival UK sales leaders with Travel Weekly’s Ella Sagar (centre)


Ruth Venn, P&O Cruises


travelweekly.co.uk


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