WINTER SUN
The summer weather might have had its ups and downs, but this winter is looking hot, hot, hot as far
as sunshine sailings are concerned. The winter cruise market has long been
split into two camps: Christmas market-goers strolling the cobbled streets of Europe’s prettiest towns, warming their hands on steaming mugs of glühwein; and those who prefer basking
in the warmth of the sun instead, jetting off for island-hopping adventures in far-flung hotspots. The latter group is in for a bumper year, if the latest booking trends are anything to go by. In 2022, cruises to winter-sun mainstays the Canary Islands and Caribbean (incorporating the Bahamas and Bermuda) accounted for a fifth of all UK and Ireland cruise travellers, according to Clia’s latest Europe Market Report. That’s set to rise this year with a return to form for the Caribbean (Clia’s figures span the end of the sluggish 2021-22 season as well as the bounceback in 2022-23), Asia’s cruise ports back up and running, plus a wealth of new product in the Middle East and Latin America. Norwegian Cruise Line has reported a 112% rise in bookings for winter-sun destinations this year compared with 2019 – and strong forward bookings for 2024-25 as well – with the Caribbean leading the way, up 23% via New York and 14% via Miami, along with a solid showing for South Africa, up 14% on 2019. Even mainstream operators such as Inspiring Travel are reporting strong demand for cruise,
travelweekly.co.uk/cruise
which currently makes up 9% of its total winter departures. On Asia’s rivers, demand for the Mekong has rebounded beyond expectation too, with sister brands Scenic and Emerald Cruises recording 15% more bookings on the river by July 2023 compared with the whole of 2019; while APT and Travelmarvel have seen bookings for the 2023-24 season surpass 2019-20 already, with the lion’s share of sales coming through agents.
CARIBBEAN CAPERS Ship-spotters, ahoy – set your sights on the Caribbean this winter and you’re all but guaranteed to glimpse some of the numerous new ships plying its waters. At the luxury end of the market, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur is scheduled for delivery in November, offering all-suite accommodation for 746 guests with a maiden season visiting countries including Mexico, Belize, Dominica and Antigua. Explora Journeys’ debut ship Explora I, Silversea Cruises’
most sustainable ship Silver Nova, Virgin Voyages’ fourth ship Brilliant Lady and Celebrity Cruises’ latest Edge-class vessel Celebrity Ascent are also set to spend their first winter seasons in the Caribbean. That’s not the only development for Celebrity Cruises,
which has added visits to private island Perfect Day at CocoCay – until now, the preserve of sister brand Royal Caribbean – to voyages on Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Reflection. Expect miles of white-sand beaches, the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas, swim-up bars and
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