The travel agency said on Monday (13 March) it had arranged charter planes from six regional airports, including Edinburgh, Belfast and Bristol, to fly customers to their Caribbean cruises aboard P&O Cruises’ Britannia and Arvia ships.

“All the sailings were sold out and we’ve had some fantastic feedback from customers,” said cruise development executive Emma Craggs. 

Members of staff were also present at all airports to help travellers with the check-in process.

“I think the convenience of flying direct from their local airport combined with the personal service of knowing Hays Travel staff are on hand both at the airport and onboard the cruise ship, has made people feel really well looked after.”

Hays has already arranged five more charters for next winter, three of which are already sold out, while reserving another six for 2025. 

Already profitable, the cruise market is set to grow by 36% over the next three years, representing a great opportunity for the travel sector. 

“Cruise lines are investing in the future, which means there is a market and you can earn lots and lots of money,” head of cruise Catriona Parsons told members of the Hays Travel Independence Group (Hays IG) on 5 March.