Cruise

Value, culture and ‘destination dupes’: Advantage reveals the trends powering travel in 2025

Advantage Travel Partnership has highlighted the late booking trend among other issues in a state-of-the-nation update issued during its annual conference in Malta taking place this week

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions unveils debut European river programme

The newly built 120-passenger Connect ship will operate the cruises between Amsterdam and Brussels and Cologne and Basel

Agents’ stories from the TV Baftas red carpet with P&O Cruises

The lucky agents watched Dianne Buswell collect the trophy for the P&O Cruises Memorable Moment award – on behalf of herself and comedian Chris McCausland for their performance to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” on Strictly Come Dancing – alongside a host of other TV stars winning the prestigious gongs.

UK and Irish agents will get chances to sail on new Windstar ship before maiden voyage

The small-ship boutique line has not launched a new-build vessel since 1987

Agents flocking to sell AmaWaterways’ ‘cutting edge’ Colombia ships, says UK chief

The ultra-luxury line recently launched its first ship on Colombia’s Magdalena River with another vessel set to start operating in June 2025

Viking's unique offerings and extensive programme In The Spotlight

Learn how to sell Viking’s river, ocean and expedition cruises in our new In The Spotlight video. You’ll discover why Viking’s unique offering suits curious travellers, hear about the extensive range of destinations available and find out what sets the line apart, so you can sell it with confidence

Explora Journeys' Helen Beck joins Windstar's mission to boost UK business

In the newly created role, Beck will expand the small-ship line’s presence in ’key’ markets outside North America while shaping the global sales and distribution strategy

Mexico slashes proposed cruise passenger tax ahead of summer start

Cruise industry lobbying has persuaded Mexico to slash the cost of its planned passenger tax and increase it at a stepped rate between July this year and 2028 amid warnings it would otherwise decimate arrival figures

Ambassador, Crystal Ski, Domes Resorts: all the latest travel trade people moves

Ambassador Cruise Line, Domes Resorts, Great Little Breaks and Wavemaker Hospitality have all strengthened their trade sales teams, while there are new faces at Delta Air Lines and Crystal Ski Holidays

Trafalgar to enter growing river cruise market with sailings on Rhine and Danube

The TTC Tour brand will launch two ships – Trafalgar Reverie and Trafalgar Verity – in spring 2026 with travel agents being given the first opportunity to book the cruises

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions to enter river cruise market

The initial agreement with Transcend Cruises will run through to at least 2028

Ponant 'ready' to host more UK clients with agents now making £2,000 in commission

The French cruise line hosted an intensive seminar as part of its mission to attract more British and Irish passengers

Not Just Travel sees sales bounce back after slow April with 'many agents away'

Not Just Travel says sales are up again after they ’stalled’ in April due to families holding back and its own travel counsellors being away on their own holidays

Murder investigation launched after man dies on MSC Virtuosa

The victim died around 8.30pm on Saturday (3 May) following an altercation on the 6,334-passenger ship

Ponant boss promises agents ‘exclusive’ port access ahead of UK focus

The French luxury cruise line is expanding its portfolio of destinations as it eyes the British and Irish market.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions to convene travel agent board to boost UK bookings

The expedition cruise line – part of Lindblad Expeditions Holdings – currently sources almost entirely from the US but has plans to attract more customers from the UK

‘It's changed my career!’: the marketer who segued into trade sales – and is loving it

Lewis Quigley freely admits that moving from marketing to trade sales at Scenic Group has ‘changed’ his career

Carnival Cruise Line pulls summer agent event ahead of UK office closure

The Carnival Corporation brand had been due to host ’DoverFest’ alongside sister line Holland America on 20 June

Overnight stays, keeping the engagement going and no more ‘herding’: how lines are changing ship visits

Earlier this year cruise line sales chiefs raised concerns about agents dropping out from ship visits, so TTG asked brands what they were doing to reverse this worrying trend – here’s what they had to say

US bookings ‘steady’ says Visit USA despite Donald Trump factor

Visit USA says cost, not Trump, is a potential barrier in visiting the US following first-quarter responses from agents and operators

From painting in the pool to lost artwork: secrets of a cruise ship art gallery

Clarendon Fine Art offers a gallery experience at sea to help guests engage with art. Sam Cox, senior gallery manager, gives an insider’s perspective on this unique world

HX cuts emissions by more than a quarter despite 'unusual operating year' in 2024

Hurtigruten Expeditions cut carbon emissions by 27% last year, but noted results were skewed by the fact ships in the fleet spent time in dry dock

What's happened to the family market this year? And will it come back?

The family market has long been a staple for many travel agencies, but a drop off in forward bookings for the summer from families has left agents stumped – and concerned

A new dawn for river cruising – and AmaWaterways doesn’t plan on stopping there

The line has just launched two ships, including one on Colombia’s little travelled Magdalena River, and there’s more to come.