Cruise body CLIA is confident the sector is heading for a record year after seeing a 10% year-on-year rise in the number of people from the UK and Ireland taking a cruise in the first six months, to more than one million.
In 2023, a record 2.3 million travellers from the UK and Ireland took a cruise, according to CLIA.
MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys Vice President International Sales Antonio Paradiso told the CLIA Forum taking place in Windsor this week: “The good news is next year we have 12 new ships launching with 39,000 lower berths. By 2028 the industry will have invested $44.9bn in a further 49 new ships.”
However, Ambassador Cruise Line CEO Christian Verhounig said he believed 2024 started off harder for the whole industry due to the cost-of-living crisis.
“We had to stimulate the market as a cruise industry. As a joint industry we are still not strong enough to present to the public what value for money we really offer. The package holiday industry has been able to raise prices faster than us.
“The positive though is the year turned and caught up and at Ambassador our forward bookings are good. We were able to launch 2026/27 six months early and broke every record we have.”
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Chief Executive Samantha Stimpson said it had had a ‘fantastic’ year with ‘double-digit growth’ in occupancy, making it the line’s best for seven years. But she admitted its new regional departures from Portsmouth and Dover had been ‘okay but not fantastic’.
Samantha said Fred’s Southampton and northern departures had performed signficantly stronger, so the line might look to make changes for 2026/27.
Celebrity Cruises Vice President and Managing Director UK & Ireland Giles Hawke told the Forum: “Our business is growing significantly. We are seeing our direct business reduce a tiny bit because our agents and partners are taking a bigger share.”
He warned agents that sailings on Celebrity Apex from Southampton were almost sold out for 2025: “As we come into 2025 our focus is on Europe. If you you’ve got customers who want to go on Apex, do it it now as she will be sold out soon, so Europe and the Mediterranean is where our major focus will be.
“Early booking is really popular and as we get to turn-of-year we will be better sold than we ever have been.”
Ambassador’s Christian Verhouing suggested that news of a third ship to join Ambition and Ambience, which he hinted at earlier this year, could be imminent. He said: “We are here for growth and finishing the year with 90% occupancy rates. We do hope do have some great news to share soon.”.
