As lines prepare for the turn of year sales push, the trade is confident what is expected – and hoped – to be the first peaks for three years not to be affected by Covid will be a positive one, with one agent telling TTG "creativity" would be key to making the most of the opportunity.

Travel Counsellor Emma Otter said she was heading into the upcoming wave season in good spirits, confident the cruise sector’s now less stringent Covid protocols were helping customers plan their holidays in advance. 

"New ships, exciting new itineraries and early booking savings are certainly encouraging for a strong 2023 and 2024 cruise season," Otter told TTG. "Family cruising is back with a bang, boosted by the news of more ships from Southampton in 2023 and 2024, and those who remember the airport stress of 2022 are now embracing the thought of no-fly cruising."

Despite household bills increasing across the UK, Otter said her customers were opting to splash out more on their holidays rather than rein in spending. "They’re noticing deals and upgrading to higher categories of cabin than they’d originally asked for," she added.

Elsewhere, chief executive of The Travel Village Group Phil Nuttall told TTG he foresaw an uptick in river and expedition cruise bookings in the new year, but voiced concern about the ocean cruise market. 

"I think the river and small-ship market is probably going to hold up – it seems to be at the moment," he said. "For us, the market across the board has been holding up, but there are signs it is slowing down ahead of Christmas.

"There is certainly a lot of capacity out there, but the main thing agencies need to focus on next year is managing business costs and investing cleverly in technology. I think 2023 will be a really exciting time for travel with lots of opportunity, without a shadow of a doubt."

Christmas anxiety

Managing director of Ponders Travel Clare Dudley echoed Nuttall’s thoughts, and urged the cruise trade to be innovative when it came to attracting new customers. 

"I think everyone needs to think outside the box if they are going to make the most of their opportunities," she said. "I’m very hopeful about the upcoming wave period, but at the moment, I feel people are anxious about Christmas with everything going on. I think it will remain a bit quiet until January, at least."

Founder of The Cruise Room, Robbie O’Grady, said guests were keen to travel and unprepared to give up their holidays. "September and October were our busiest months since we opened, and November has remained busy with new enquiries and bookings, albeit a little quieter at this time of year, as expected.

"While we know it will remain difficult for everyone in the months ahead, we’re confident of a good wave period.”

However, he said guests were "taking slightly longer to book" as financial uncertainty creeps into people’s thoughts. "They’re a little more indecisive about whether to book now or wait," he added. "We’ve had a rise in 2024 enquiries, which perhaps indicates guests are thinking of securing a holiday and then having longer to save."