January is often considered the worst month of the year. It’s dark, cold, the festivities are over and the chocolates have either run out or are delaying you from starting your new year health kick.

But for me, the turn of the year is the perfect time to reflect on the successes of the previous 12 months while looking ahead to the next. For example, this time last year we were putting the final touches on our first ever Industry Report, which we launched at an intimate event in London at the start of February (watch this space, with volume two on its way soon).

This was followed up with the launch of our new podcast series, Cruise Corner, which has so far featured the likes of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line and Princess Cruises. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store for 2026.

Then, in September, we welcomed nearly 150 agents, cruise line executives and industry suppliers for our fourth annual Cruise Summit at News UK’s Central London HQ and, as is tradition for Cruise Trade News, we ended the year with two glittering award ceremonies, the Wave Awards (p. 6) and Cruise Stars (p46).