FROM LEFT: Great Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel, Egypt; AE Expeditions’ Douglas Mawson; Alaska Fish House, Ketchikan; Back to the Future: The Musical on Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas PREVIOUS PAGE: Oceania Allura in Kotor, Montenegro
MEDI-BRR-ANEAN?
Where do you suggest when clients ask for a cruise in winter? The Caribbean or Asia, perhaps? Probably not the Mediterranean, a region loved by the Brits in summer for its beaches, history, culture and fun-in-the-sun outlook. But if the newest cruise trend is anything to go by, that’s exactly what agents should be recommending. MSC Cruises and Viking have sold
the Med over winter for years, but other brands have tried and failed, unable to sell the concept even if it means avoiding the high temperatures and crowds of the summer. But that didn’t stop Windstar
Cruises trying again. It offered its first winter season in the Med in 2023-24, and was so successful that it has not only stayed, but has added more itineraries and overnight port calls. It has also inspired Silversea and
Azamara Cruises. The former is making its winter Med debut in the 2025-26 season, the latter in 2026-27.
Oceania Cruises has year-round sailings in the region in 2027-28. Oceania’s senior vice-president for international and consumer sales, Steve Odell, says they will appeal to guests who want to explore destinations they know well from a different point of view. He adds: “They will also give gourmand guests a host of different local dishes and drinks to enjoy, as light tapas and refreshing aperitifs give way to hearty stews and mulled wines.”
TASTE OF ADVENTURE
If winter in the Med doesn’t do it for clients, maybe they’d like an expedition cruise there instead? It might not be as exciting as penguin or polar bear-spotting in Antarctica and the Arctic, but it is a chance to see the region in a different way and get a taste of expedition without the extreme conditions. “It’s a way for travellers to experience our style of immersive
exploration, while making better use of our ships year-round,” says Andrew Turner, AE Expeditions’ director of sales for the EMEA region. AE Expeditions is making its Med
debut in summer 2026, joining National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions and Atlas Ocean Voyages, which offers epicurean expeditions that will include trips to farms, tapas makers and wine estates. Turner says AE Expeditions’ Med focus is on culture, history and hidden coastlines. “What remains consistent is our
expert expedition team and excursions that bring travellers closer to the heart of each destination. We see real momentum as agents gain confidence in presenting an expedition-style product in such an accessible region,” he says.
DESTINATIONS ON THE RISE
Despite the recent unrest in neighbouring countries, Nile cruises that take passengers on a journey past
42 December 2025
travelweekly.co.uk/cruise
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