CARNIVAL Cruise Line (CCL) is set to become the largest home ported brand in the country as of Mar, when it receives two former P&O Cruises Australia ships (CW 04 Jun).
CCL will also be the only international line home porting in Australia year-round, with VP Kara Glamore (pictured) telling CW the brand is already reaping the benefits of its expanding footprint in the country.
The cruise line is expecting almost 600,000 pax cruising with it from Sydney and Brisbane next year, with Glamore revealing the majority of them are set to sail with the brand for the first time.
“New-to-cruise guests are a big portion of our travellers,” Glamore explained.
“We’ve also catered our itineraries to lend to that demographic, because we have a majority of our cruises being short sailings, so either three or four days.
“Those folks who are not cruising savvy and just want to give it a try, a three or four-day [voyage], especially with that value that it is, is a great way to dip your toe in the water.”
CCL will also be the only brand with a ship based in Australia in the winter next year, allowing it to monopolise the mid-year school break cruise market.
Glamore said CCL is selling “really well”, with its first quarter almost sold out.
“There’s so many reasons why you still need a couple of short little breaks during the year,” Glamore encouraged.
“We also have a month-long celebration of Grinch-ness in Jul, so that’s going to be something else that we’re looking forward to,” she added.
These competitive advantages are seeing CCL record strong sales figures, which is also seeing lead times increase, Glamore added, as guests realise the necessity of quickness to secure a good deal.
CCL is now averaging lead times of roughly six months for short cruises and eight months for longer voyages.
“That’s really good because people are starting to plan more,” Glamore added.
She said CCL aims to offer “something for everybody”, which is adjacent to its new ‘100% Holiday’ campaign (CW 26 Nov).
“Sometimes the logistics, the planning, and the preparation gets in the way of you really exhaling, relaxing, and enjoying your holiday, but the joy of going on a cruise is that it’s all taken care of for you,” she said. MS