Cruise lines and agents alike are confident the upcoming wave period will further boost the industry’s booming run of fortune it has seen in 2023.

As the cruise industry prepares to sail serenely into 2024 off the back of a successful 2023, lines and travel agents are optimistic the forthcoming wave period will propel the sector to even greater heights.

At the beginning of the decade, cruise was under constant scrutiny by governments and national media, being placed under the microscope and forced to demonstrate its health and safety protocols as the pandemic ravaged the sector.

Fast forward to 2023 and the sector has returned to prosperity, with lines reporting record-breaking sales, plans to launch new ships and recruiting additional trade team members to bolster their ties with agents.

With a raft of new vessels set to launch next year – such as Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, AmaWaterways’ AmaMagdalena and Explora Journeys’ Explora II, to name just a few – the 2024 wave period presents agents with a vital opportunity to boost their cruise business.

Engage and plan early

Having recently launched its sixth vessel Seven Seas Grandeur, the importance of the peak season is not lost on Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Senior director of UK sales Paul Beale advises agents to make the most of wave by engaging closer with cruise lines through speaking to sales teams to ensure they have all the assets they need to benefit from refreshed marketing campaigns in the new year.

“Luxury travel is an excellent opportunity to earn some of the highest average commissions in the industry, particularly as our booking trends continue to show that travellers are putting more value on their time and prioritising authentic experiences,” he explains.

“We have tool kits that offer everything needed – from digital resources or off-line collateral – so that our partners can showcase our wonderful product to their guests.”

Elsewhere, AmaWaterways UK and Europe sales director Andrea Stafford urges agents to start planning for wave now to maximise time selling during the peak period. “That includes ensuring their product knowledge is up to date and that they know about new itineraries and destinations that are likely to be popular in 2024,” she continues.

It comes after the river cruise line prepares to launch AmaMagdalena on the Magdalena river – a new destination for the brand – in March 2024. “We also expect to see continued demand for our European programme, especially the double-width AmaMagna,” Stafford predicts.

The vessel, she adds, remains a popular option with new-to-cruise guests, established river cruisers and those looking to move from ocean to river.

Stafford further confirms the line has a series of events, competitions and giveaways planned during the wave period to help agents make the most of the key booking period.

Cruise on ‘upward trajectory’

Meanwhile, Inspiring Travel (ITC) product and travel relationship manager for cruise Denise Walker reports cruise has been “really strong” for the luxury operator so far this year.

“I can see this continuing into the new year and the wave period will be really strong,” she adds. “To make the most of wave, agents should be aware of what’s out there and make the most of what the cruise lines are offering.”

This is echoed by Ponders Travel managing director Clare Dudley, who says cruise has been “massive” for the Cambridge-based agency so far this year.

She explains: “There is no more nervousness among customers, no one mentions the pandemic or health and safety on board – everyone is falling in love with cruise.”

Dudley, who reports an uptick in multi-generational cruise bookings in 2023, believes this positive momentum will continue into 2024. “I 100 per cent think cruise will continue this upward trajectory as we enter the upcoming wave period,” she claims.

“There is a lot out there in terms of new ships and sailings, which is good for us, but there is so much more in the market to learn about.”

In preparation for wave, Dudley and the Ponders Travel team will spend some time immersing themselves with “any and all” training available to them, particularly around the expedition cruise market – a sector which she identifies as a “big growth opportunity”.

Solent-based Not Just Travel homeworker Lee Trowbridge says being based on the south coast has “always made cruise bookings important” to his agency. “But certainly, so far this year, cruise has come back in a big way,” he continues. “For next year, and wave, we want to get more into the luxury market and learn more about that side of the industry, as well as expedition.”