The latest survey from specialist luxury cruise agency Mundy Cruising reports 80% of its clients believe increases in the cost of living will not hold them back from booking.

“The best explanation for these results perhaps was given by someone who rang us up to book an Antarctic cruise at short notice,” said Mundy’s managing director Edwina Lonsdale. “She said: ‘Most of my life I have probably taken travel totally for granted. The last few years have shown me that I just can’t afford to do that any longer’. That says it all.”

According to Mundy’s research, clients are “trading up” their bookings, with more than 30% actively planning to travel in a higher grade of accommodation than before the pandemic and 47% looking to travel on smaller ships, with inclusive pricing becoming increasingly important.
 
Whilst the summer months are “overwhelmingly busy”, according to the agency, more than over 38% of those surveyed will travel in the early part of 2023, more than 50% between October 2023 and March 2024 and more than 59% are planning ahead for summer 2024 and beyond.

Mundy said its clients are “overwhelmingly focused” on excellent service levels, with 82% identifying the staff-to-guest ratio as “somewhat or very important” when choosing their cruise ship and, while Covid concerns not preventing them from travelling, 80% are still looking for focused Covid policies onboard their ship.

Looking at destinations, the Mediterranean continues to be a favourite, as well as European river cruising, and local itineraries in the British Isles, Baltic and Norwegian Fjords, but more exotic travel is back on the radar with more than 40% planning to prioritise once-in-a-lifetime trips including the Polar regions (9%), Japan (10%) and South America (9%).