These are the top tips from TTG Media’s Visit Florida showcase, where a Caribbean cruise-and-stay prize was announced thanks to USAirtours, Carnival Cruise Line and Visit Florida. To enter, check out the box at the bottom of this article...
Why cruise-and-stay? Why now?
Speaking at TTG Media’s Visit Florida Showcase, Scott Read, assistant manager and trainer, USAirtours, said demand for Florida cruise-and-stay holidays was particularly strong at present, with the operator having seen a 10% increase in such packages, and no signs of demand slowing down.
Luke Smith, director, UK & international sales, Carnival Cruise Line, agreed Florida was a hot ticket. “Sailings are up over 60% year-on-year for the past six months,” he said.
Carnival has 11 ships operating from Florida in 2024, including two of the XL-class ships – Carnival Celebration from Miami and Carnival Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral. Bookings for these two ports combined are up in 70% year-on-year.
Busting preconceptions
Read and Smith agreed inaccurate preconceptions remain about cruising, and therefore cruise-and-stay trips. “There’s this whole preconception, and then there’s the accessibility side of it too,” said Read. “You’ll get a lot of clients that say cruise isn’t for them but they’ve never cruised before,” he said. “That’s where the questioning really comes in: finding out what the client wants from the holiday, what they like,” he added.
“Maybe they’ve been to Florida before. Ask what they loved and didn’t like about the resorts they stayed in, because there’s such a variety of different cruise lines and different ships that really appeal to everybody. “Where else can you find excellent accommodation, service and food but also waking up every day in a completely different destination?” he asked.
Read said by “accessibility” he meant how easy it is to do a cruise and stay holiday. “They might have spent their holiday in Orlando and now they want to go do a cruise but the reality is they don’t want to drive down to the port, or fly between, or they don’t feel confident doing that.”
He said the new Brightline train service (which runs between Miami and Orlando, and also stops at Fort Lauderdale) had made accessibility much easier, and added that Tampa’s cruise port is “just steps away from everything”.
Smith said that value remains a priority for clients, so he would recommend all agents be promoting cruise-and-stay holidays to align with this. “When I started in this industry there was a saying that ‘cruising was for the newlywed, overfed or nearly dead’, and unfortunately that misconception is maintained in certain groups, but it couldn’t be further from the truth nowadays,” he said.
“So really you want to be talking to customers about cruise without mentioning cruise, and for a cruise-and-stay holiday, cruise is just another resort.
“So you can be saying ‘for half your holiday you’re going to be in the parks etc, and then we’ve got this amazing other resort here with 20 bars and restaurants, a waterpark, comedy clubs, roller coasters, IMAX cinemas’,” he said. “And when they show an interest you can show them video and content from Carnival and other cruise lines.
“Once they can see themselves there, then most of the battle is won. “Most people still think cruising is all ballroom dancing and shuffleboard… do your research, know the cruise lines and ask the questions.”
Smith suggested any agents not confident with all the cruise lines should undertake Clia training.
Early bookers
Smith said there is an increased desire to book early for Florida, with Carnival seeing more than 40% of customers booking more than 11 months in advance in the past six months – before flights are even available. Of all bookings, 25% of customers are booking 18 months or more in advance, which Smith described as “absolutely incredible”.
“We’ve really embraced that trend,” said Smith. “We’re on sale now until April 2026, and if agents are working through our Carnival Crew proposition [which is now fulfilled through USAirtours], agents can source flights and hotels out of date range. “So there’s never been a better time to really push those early bookings.”
Florida trends
Read said USAirtours was seeing a real shift in the demand for families.
“A lot of people are starting to split that traditional two-week element up and they’re doing their second week as part of a cruise-and-stay, or they’re just changing their duration slightly. So they’re doing their 10 nights as land-based and then picking up one of the great four-night Caribbean sailings.
The experts’ suggestions
“Carnival uses the strapline ‘choose fun’,” said Smith.
“What this really means is our customers make a conscious decision to enjoy themselves. And that sort of mindset transcends any age group or socio-economic background.
Smith recommended the Carnival Journeys sailings covering everything the line has available over 10 nights from Alaska and Hawaii to last year’s sailing to Japan and Philippines. He added a reminder that Florida is bigger than Orlando. “There are so many incredible destinations within Orlando itself and to package the cruise with.”
Read offered a suggested itinerary for the land-based part of a trip.
“Don’t get me wrong, the theme parks are brilliant for everybody, and you could do your Orlando-based holiday after or before a cruise,” he said.
“You’ve also got fabulous beach options in Florida all down the gorgeous Gulf Coast. There are no beaches like them, they’re really stunning. “You could start off in Clearwater, work your way down, go to Sarasota, stop down at Naples at the end.
“Florida for food is amazing: Key West key lime pie; a Cuban sandwich in Tampa; stone crab in Miami, and there you’ve got a Little Havana with tacos.”
Floridian luxury
And what recommendations for luxury brands?
“If I were thinking of a luxury pre or post cruise itinerary, I would focus on Miami being the cruise capital of the world,” said Read. “Let’s go with a few days in Miami, but instead of South Beach, think of Coral Gables.
“The Biltmore always comes to mind, too, a truly iconic property. And then from there, head down to Florida Keys for a completely different experience with the scenery that your clients will remember for ever, and maybe stay at Marathon a few days at the Isla Bella Beach Resort. And then from there, head down to Key West where you’re spoilt for choice with accommodation.”
Smith said there are plenty of luxury elements within Carnival’s 27 ships.
“I would really recommend looking at the new suite options on the XL-class of ship,” he said. “Clients can gain access to the exclusive Loft 19 experience, with cabanas, bottle service, private waiter service, a pool and everything else. We have speciality dining. We have things like the Chef’s Table, which is really exclusive.”
Smith added agents should not “judge a book by its cover”. “Luxury means different things to different people,” he said. “They might just not want to wear a suit every day.”
