What the Way forward for Cruise Holidays Will Look Like, In response to the Specialists

The approaching 12 months is prime time for a cruise trip, and there have by no means been extra choices for vacationers seeking to spend time at sea.

That was the important thing takeaway from almost 100 specialists who convened in late October for the Journey + Leisure Cruise Summit 2024, which was hosted on the Waldorf Astoria Cancun, in Mexico.

Among the many attendees on the forefront of the cruise trade had been greater than 60 journey advisors, together with a number of members of the T+L Journey Advisory Board. “You actually are listening to from the perfect within the enterprise,” mentioned Katy Bano, the vp and writer of T+L, in her opening remarks.

Over the course of the two-day convention, attendees heard from a few of the world’s foremost trade specialists, together with Kelly Craighead, CEO of the Cruise Line Worldwide Affiliation (CLIA).

“Luxurious cruise is such a phenomenon,” Craighead mentioned, noting that 2025 is forecast to be a record-setting 12 months for cruise journey globally. “There isn’t only one factor about ‘cruise,’ there are such a lot of, many, many several types of experiences which might be resonating.”

Among the many above-and-beyond journeys mentioned through the summit had been issues like a voyage by way of the fjords of Norway, an expedition to the North Pole, a visit to see penguins within the Southern Ocean, and stress-free wellness escapes on sailings within the Caribbean or Mediterranean. Additionally mentioned had been the top-flight culinary choices on luxurious ships of every kind, and the distinctive advantages of river cruises.

Friends of the occasion got here away with recent concepts on the best way to finest market these journeys — and an appreciation for the distinctive benefits of touring by ship, together with the flexibility to unpack as soon as whereas seeing a number of ports and the turn-key simplicity of reserving one trip that features a number of international locations.

“Cruising is straightforward,” mentioned Carmen Teresa Targa, a Journey Advisory Board member who spoke on a panel about the advantages of cruising with a number of generations. “Every part is finished for me and I don’t need to suppose,” she mentioned with fun.

“If you may get the posh traveler onto a ship, they may by no means look again,” agreed Bano.

Along with a number of panel discussions summarizing traits within the trade, summit attendees additionally participated in a collection of workshops, which had been lead by Crystal, Oceania Cruises, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Viking.

Attendees additionally had loads of alternatives to benefit from the hospitality on the Waldorf Astoria Cancun, a superb resort situated lower than 20 minutes from Cancun Worldwide on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The beachfront property is the primary purpose-built luxurious lodge in Hilton’s Latin America portfolio, with two swimming pools, unbelievable Mexican delicacies, and a vacation spot spa, as detailed not too long ago by T+L contributor Dobrina Zhekova.

For its half, Hilton Inns & Resorts has a number of different notable luxurious developments within the pipeline, in response to Phillip Peña and Feisal Jaffer, two executives who detailed the rising world footprint of LXR Inns and Resorts through the Cruise Summit.

Along with seminars and panel discussions, attendees had loads of time for networking and collaboration over a pair of working lunches: One was sponsored by Explora Journeys, the high-end line with excessive marks within the World’s Greatest Awards, whereas the opposite was sponsored by AmaWaterways, a favourite of World’s Greatest Awards voters within the river cruise class.

A lot of these on the summit got here away with new concepts, in addition to bullish predictions about the way forward for the trade. Among the many noteworthy sound bites heard across the summit:

• “Clients who’re ‘new to cruise’ must know that these luxurious choices exist,” mentioned Sandy Schadler, a member of the Journey Advisory Board who spoke on a panel moderated by T+L senior editor Elizabeth Rhodes.
• “Cooler locations have been an enormous twist — they’re large now, notably the fjords of Norway, Greenland, Iceland,” mentioned Brenna Abels, of Regent.
• “It’s by no means been safer or extra snug to go on an expedition,” mentioned Ellen McIlvaine, of Ponant.
• “Our lawyer mentioned I may say this: Cruise is the most secure approach to journey,” agreed Craighead, the CLIA CEO.
• “Gen Z are probably the most keen about cruising,” mentioned Anne Madison, one other CLIA consultant in attendance.
• “There’s such selection on board, we will cater to everybody’s style,” mentioned Nathan Hickman, of Oceania Cruises.
• “Crystal is constructing two expedition ships,” mentioned Glen Rothe, of Crystal, the road that’s additionally now integrating Abercrombie & Kent experience into its shore excursions.

If something, the theme of risk appeared to run by way of the proceedings, with advisors, sponsors, and T+L employees all in settlement that the way forward for cruising, notably on the excessive finish, is brighter than ever.

“We’ve had mother and father pull their youngsters out of faculty to take them on a Cape City to Singapore cruise for 30 days,” mentioned Hickman, throughout a panel dialogue moderated by Andy Harmer of CLIA. “They mentioned, ‘That is extra essential than college.’”