Happy new year to all our readers – we hope 2019 has got off to a good start for you. In our January issue you’ll notice we have introduced a few different elements to change things up a little: first is Trend Watch; in this brand new column, we put the developments currently shaping the cruise market under the spotlight, beginning with those exciting new itineraries set to debut later this year.

Next is Winning Streak, a regular slot where we interview thosefortunate enough to have picked up accolades at our 2018 Cruise Stars Awards, with the first being our triple-prize winner John Ferguson of Thorne Travel in Kilwinning, Scotland. Then we have our new in-depth interview feature: this month we’re in conversation with Hurtigruten, discussing new ships, headline-grabbing environmental initiatives and a foray into Alaska.

Our series of guides to various ports around the world begins with an overview of award-winning Southampton, where we discover how it is paving the way for the future of cruise, thanks to a £12-million partnership investment with P&O Cruises.

Lastly, our Diary page takes a look at the lighter side of cruise, featuring all the latest industry events – be they conferences, gala dinners, receptions, campaign launches or keel-laying ceremonies.

Elsewhere in this issue we have a special three-page report on river cruising, a sector that continues to revitalise the entire cruise market; our regular dedicated river cruise feature, meanwhile, takes a trip down the exotic waterways of the Brahmaputra and the Amazon.

All in all, plenty of inspiration here to help kick-start your cruise holiday sales strategy over the coming 12 months.