FRONTLINE
sharon thompson owner, Thompson Travel, Portadown, Northern Ireland
With the wheels in motion for another
successful January, cruising is still high on the agenda – but I’ve witnessed a sea change. It’s not just the Med and new-to-cruise market proving popular, there is a growing desire to explore farther-flung lands by sea. We are finding in certain age
groups that customers can be a bit dubious about the idea of raw fish in Japan, or guinea pig in South America, so they are opting to explore these places on cruises, safe in the knowledge that their ships will offer traditional foods should the local cuisine in the destinations they’re visiting not be to their liking. We held our 22nd travel show in early January and were delighted to have leading cruise companies including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania and others in attendance, all of which had something different to offer.
POPULAR OPTIONS Ocean cruising is always in demand, and while the original ships of fleets hold huge appeal for some, we’ve noticed customers wanting to book on to the latest ship regardless of where they are sailing. Meanwhile, multigenerational experiences remain popular as a way for families of different ages to travel together, do their own thing and meet for meals, trips and entertainment.
34 22 JANUARY 2026 AGENT
Cruising continues to rise in popularity with our clients, but insurance for far ahead bookings is a problem
INSURANCE ISSUES It is hard to believe that cruises are on sale as far ahead as 2028. Are cruise companies aware that it is unlikely travellers can get travel insurance that far in advance? In fact, we have noticed, especially for those aged over 65, that insurance has become much more difficult to purchase in recent years for travellers who wish to book more than a year in advance. I know that cruises can be changed, but with the uncertainty around health, family circumstances and so on, many are being put off by not being sure if they are covered. While £100 deposits
might not seem a huge loss if they have to cancel, if you have a family of five or a multigenerational family looking to save and pay the cruise off, it can be a hefty amount. I wonder if there is a way that cruise companies booking so far in advance could give agents some sort of cancellation allowance beyond one year prior to departure, or until flights come on sale, so we can do the right thing by customers who genuinely cannot travel, or allow them to move their cruise with zero deposit? This isn’t only an issue for the cruise industry: it also applies to many long-haul escorted tour operators offering early booking for tours more than a year ahead. No one books a trip to cancel it, and we have very few occasions where it arises, but is that because those who wish to book early don’t do so just in case, I wonder? On the flip side, it would be good to find an insurance company willing to offer protection to those who do wish to book early should a cancellation be their only option. I guess it’s unlikely we’ll see cruise lines make these changes any time soon. Nevertheless, what seems more certain is that cruising’s popularity will continue to rise in 2026. Happy booking and happy sailing.
RIVER CRUISE REMAINS STRONG
River cruise also continues to grow, with Rhine sailings that incorporate Christmas market visits and itineraries that feature stops at Dutch bulb fields among the top picks. I have to praise Riviera Travel for maintaining its value-for-money cruises, which seem to have our customers returning for more. Riviera
offers regional flights and hotel add-ons and this has been a huge success, particularly for Budapest. On a related note, I’m delighted to say that we were the top-selling agent for Wendy Wu Tours in Northern Ireland in 2025. Along with its excellent offerings in the
Far East, the added touches of cruising on the Yangtze in China and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam make Wendy Wu’s tours hot favourites with our customers.
Riviera Travel’s Riviera Rose
travelweekly.co.uk
AndreaJenniferColin Clare Helen AndreaJenniferColin Clare Helen diary diary
Sharon Sharon
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