APT UK & Europe managing director Paul Melinis joins Lucy Abbott for the latest Cruise Trade News Cruise Corner interview to discuss plans for 2022, new ships, and why the brand will remain dedicated to the trade.

Paul Melinis spoke on these pages at the end of 2021 about the “yo-yo” cycle that the cruise sector had had to endure during the height of the pandemic.

Despite the obvious difficulties this brought, it had, he suggested, given him the chance to “take a helicopter view and see how we can improve things, how we can be a good partner for everybody, and how we can make sure that we’re providing the best experiences for our guests”.

That being said, Melinis is glad to now be on firmer ground, as the ending of a majority of travel restrictions and strong 2022 demand point the way to a brighter future.

As he explains in this interview, APT is ramping up its activity, with new ships entering the market and its small-ship Croatia itineraries proving to be particularly popular.