the big issue


Despite those dark, early days of WKH SDQGHPLF ZKLFK OHft PDQ\ LQ the industry fearing for the future, seasoned cruisers have been keen WRbJHW EDFN RQ WKH ZDWHU WKLV \HDU $ VXUYH\ IURP &UXLVH FR XN LQ February found that 73% of people who sailed last year had already ERRNHG DQRWKHU WULS IRU


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there’s no doubt the previously burgeoning new-to-cruise market KDV SUHVHQWHG PRUH RI D FKDOOHQJH $QG \HW… KHUH ZH DUH QRW TXLWH RXW


RI WKH SDQGHPLF DQG IHHGEDFN IURP WKH industry is that people who have never FUXLVHG QRW RQO\ ZDQW WR WU\ LW EXW DUH booking holidays at sea and on rivers. $ &OLD VXUYH\ RI


%ULWV LQ 0DUFK


found that 68% of those who had never EHHQ RQ D VKLS ZHUH LQWHUHVWHG LQ D FUXLVH while 63% of cruisers or potential cruisers said they would get on board within the next two years. 5LYHU9LHZ FRQIHUHQFH LQ VۑDLO& $W


%XGDSHVW LQ 0DUFK ERWK 5R\DO &DULEEHDQ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO YLFH SUHVLGHQW (0($ %HQ %RXOGLQ DQG (OOHQ %HिULGJH SUHVLGHQW and chief executive of Uniworld River LQ ERRNLQJV ەHNLSV“ &UXLVHV UHSRUWHG D from cruise newbies. “63% of passengers WKLV \HDU DUH QHZ WR 8QLZRUOG DQG RI WKRVH %HिULGJH VDLG ە KDYH QHYHU FUXLVHG


CAPACITY TO FILL 6KRXOG ZH EH VXUSULVHG" $YDORQ Waterways sales and marketing director Janet Parton doesn’t think so. “[Most] people know the negative press seen early in the pandemic was largely VKH VD\V ە EORZQ RXW RI DOO SURSRUWLRQ “ौHUH VHHPV WR EH QR FRQFHUQ DW all from new passengers to take their ਭUVW ULYHU FUXLVH ZLWK $YDORQ “We know a river cruise is high on


the list for many travellers. Our view LV WKDW ਭUVW WLPH ULYHU FUXLVHUV ZLOO EH


travelweekly.co.uk/cruise


booking with us at normal levels before the start of this summer.” ौDW LV JUHDW QHZV EXW WKH ELJ LVVXH


isn’t just how to get newbie numbers EDFN WR


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EH\RQG WKDW WR ਭOO WKH PDQ\ QHZ RFHDQ and river ships launching. Already this VHHQ QHZ RFHDQ VKLSV IURP HYۑHZ \HDU 5R\DO &DULEEHDQ &HOHEULW\ &UXLVHV 3ULQFHVV &UXLVHV 9LUJLQ &UXLVHV DQG Silversea that between them have more WKDQ


EHUWKV Clia has chosen #LoveCruise as the


theme of its Southampton conference in ORYH ۑVWQHJD 0D\ QRW RQO\ WR UHNLQGOH of cruise and get new sellers on board – EXW DOVR WR KHOS WKHP JHW ਭUVW WLPHUV WR fall in love with the sector.


SAFETY MEASURES 3DUDGLVR VD\V HQJDJLQJ ZLWK DJHQWV investing in “excellent new hardware” and “new and interesting itineraries” is generating interest among those who have never cruised. (YHU\ OLQH KDV LWV RZQ VWUDWHJ\ ZKHQ


Current booking trends demonstrate that 37% of our guests are new to cruise


From the joys of unpacking only


once when visiting several places on one holiday and the incredible features RQ VKLSV ODVHU WDJ RU VXUਭQJ DQ\RQH" there are many ways agents can excite WKH QHZ WR FUXLVH PDUNHW Clia director Andy Harmer says


URXQG %ULWDLQ VDLOLQJV VۑUHPPXV ODVW were key to capturing new business. “We’re seeing a healthy number of JXHVWV UHWXUQLQJ ZKR VDLOHG IRU WKH ਭUVW WLPH DQG DUH FOHDUO\ NHHQ WR JHW back on board.” MSC Cruises’ new MSC Virtuosa was


WKH ਭUVW VKLS EDFN LQ WKH ZDWHU ZKHQ the UK government gave the green light for domestic cruises to restart last year. Managing director UK & Ireland Antonio Paradiso says: “Current booking trends


LW FRPHV WR ZRRLQJ ਭUVW WLPHUV EH LW VHOOLQJ HDVH RI WUDYHO IDPLO\ FUXLVLQJ RU DOO DERXW WKH VۑWL DFWLYLWLHV )RU 6LOYHUVHD GHVWLQDWLRQV DQG XSGDWHG DOO LQFOXVLYH IDUHV VD\V 8. DQG ,UHODQG PDQDJLQJ director Peter Shanks. He reckons its QHZ WR FUXLVH ERRNLQJV DUH back to roughly 25% of what they were before the pandemic. ौHQ RI FRXUVH WKHUH DUH WKH


stringent health protocols the OLQHV KDYH DGRSWHG LQFOXGLQJ UHTXLULQJ SDVVHQJHUV WR EH IXOO\ YDFFLQDWHG DQG WHVWHG KDOWLQJ VHOI VHUYLFH EXਬHWV DQG


installing fresh air systems in cabins. Sovereign Cruise Club managing


director Stefan Shillito says these PHDVXUHV UHDVVXUHG ਭUVW WLPHUV “ौH SDQGHPLF GHQWHG QHZ WR FUXLVH QRW VۑW, EXVLQHVV EXW LW LV FRPLQJ EDFN ە ZKHUH LW ZDV \HW EXW LW ZLOO EH “ौH >QH[W &OLD@ HYHQW ZLOO RXWOLQH


the opportunities for holidaymakers who have yet to cruise to take their ە ਭUVW KROLGD\ RQ WKH RFHDQV DQG ULYHUV says Clia director Andy Harmer. “Previously about nine of out of 10 people who took a cruise did so again ZLWKLQ


we’re seeing those opportunities for VD\V +DUPHU ە DJHQWV RQFH PRUH :LWK RGGV OLNH WKDW QR DJHQW FDQ DਬRUG WR QRW /RYH&UXLVH


May 2022 19


demonstrate that 37% of our guests DUH QHZ WR FUXLVH ZLWK WKHVH JXHVWV SDUWLFXODUO\ LQWHUHVWHG LQ RXU H[ 8. RਬHULQJ RQ ERDUG MSC Virtuosa for 2022.”


FRQਭGHQW HUۑHZ PRQWKV DQG


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