by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 11:25 AM ET, Thu January 16, 2025
2025 already has two weeks in the books and that means wave season is underway. The start of the first quarter, marked by wave after wave of cruise line promotions, is prime selling season. Cruising continues to be a hugely popular vacation option for travellers. In the 2024 State of the Cruise Industry Report, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) found passenger volume reached 31.7 million in 2023, and things are expected to keep growing. So how is wave season shaping up for travel advisors in Canada?
One thing advisors are noticing is the way cruise lines are responding to client preferences. Joey Silver, Vacation Consultant & Office Administrator at Expedia Cruises Air, Land and Sea Vacations in St. Albert, Alberta has noticed that group vacations, particularly multi-generational groups, have become increasingly popular since the world re-opened, post-COVID. CLIA statistics bear that out, with more than 30% of families traveling by cruise with at least two generations and 28% of cruise travelers traveling with three to five generations. "I think the cruise lines are really responding to that with their marketing and promotions,” says Silver, “but also some of the new ships that have come out and are planned over the next few years really cater to the multigenerational market with the activities, staterooms and public areas.”
McKenzie McMillan, Luxury Consultant and Supplier Relations Manager at The Travel Group in Vancouver is seeing promotions from the larger lines that feature all-inclusive bundling, with drinks packages, wi-fi and other perks offered together rather than priced separately, and either included in the pricing or as an add-on. And with a growing demand for small ship experiences, McMillan has been glad to see small ship luxury cruises offering “very competitive pricing as so many new small ships are entering the market.”
Expeditions and new destinations
Tastes in destinations are evolving, causing cruise lines to expand itineraries beyond where they have traditionally travelled to meet the demand. McMillan has seen an uptick in requests for the Mediterranean, Japan, and South East Asia. “We’re noticing a big push for full 14-day river cruises along the Rhine,” he notes, “As well as lots of interest in the Douro and Rhone cruises in Portugal and France.”
That fits with what Silver is seeing with her clients. “This year seems to be all about exploring the smaller, more exotic ports that the bigger ships don't typically go to. Tahiti and the South Pacific have been in high demand, and I have been getting more and more inquiries into expedition-style itineraries like Iceland, Greenland and South America to the Antarctic,” she reports. “Folks really want to explore the more remote corners of the world — avoiding the crowds — and are looking for those unique adventure experiences that those destinations offer.”
Private excursions and extending the trip
In keeping with the trend towards smaller and more customized cruise experiences, McMillan has noticed increasing requests for shore excursions to be booked outside of the cruise line offerings, for premium or private experiences. Clients are also asking for experiences post cruise that include transfers either to the airport or hotel after disembarking.
Clients who want to extend the vacation beyond the cruise is something Silver also commented on. “The cruise lines are definitely responding to that and leveraging the interest by offering more and more "cruise tour" options,” she said. While cruise tours are an established offering in Alaska, with extensions for guests to spend time in wilderness lodges in places like Denali National Park, recently cruise lines have begun developing land extensions in Europe, Asia and Australia.
Protecting the investment
While fun-filled floating resorts and mega-ships have a strong market share, a growing segment of clients are opting for smaller ships with higher end amenities. McMillan is finding “clients are putting a premium on their experiences,” he says. “Clients who normally would have stayed on a main-stream large ship, now want to spend a little extra for a more intimate experience with more exclusive or exotic ports.”
Clients looking at once-in-a-lifetime or “bucket list” trips can be making a huge financial investment. Even smaller trips are not without a financial commitment and Silver is glad to see travel insurance becoming a regular part of travel planning. “Travelers are seeing the value in protecting their investment and realizing the limitations of coverage provided through their credit cards and medical benefits.” she says. Silver notes that retirees are travelling for longer periods and venturing further away, in many cases leaving their aging parents at home, they need to have some reassurance that they can get back or cancel their trip in the event of an unexpected situation, making travel insurance a necessity. Fewer people are willing to “risk it.”
Looking ahead
Cruise lines are increasing capacity by 10% between 2024 and 2028, according to CLIA, good indication that business will continue to grow. The same report found 73% of cruise travelers say that travel advisors have a meaningful influence on their decision to cruise. Your knowledge and advice is important to your clients and contributes from the very start to the success of their trip.
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