| Destinations done differently

LUXURY cruise passengers are shifting the way that they engage with destinations, a number of cruise executives revealed to Cruise Weekly’s sister publication, Travel Daily.

Despite the cruise sector’s love of “waking up with a new view every day”, high-end travellers are now moving in the opposite direction, with overnights becoming the new currency luxury cruise lines trade in.

Those who cannot stay overnight remain in port for as long as possible, with some luxury cruise lines such as Azamara, RSSC, and Oceania now boasting up to 10 or more hours in destination.

Meanwhile, cruise lines are becoming more creative when it comes to their shore product, blending together sea and land experiences.

Uniworld’s partnership with Luxury Gold means the river cruise line can now extend its voyages by up to 20 days.

This also allows the cruise line to become a full-service vacation destination, allowing cruisers to reach places they would not typically be able to on a cruise.

As Uniworld boss Alice Ager explained, plenty of passengers ask questions about adding destinations to their trips, which often cannot be offered with just a cruise, but this is now possible on a combination voyage with Uniworld and Luxury Gold.

“We’re going to give [travel] a whole new perspective – it’s going to be magic,” said Ager when Uniworld began working with Luxury Gold two years ago.

AmaWaterways MD for Australia and New Zealand Steve Richards noted a variety of trends which illustrate the way his guests are changing the way they engage with destinations.

The trend comes as luxury cruise passengers seek out alternative destinations in order to avoid overtourism.

“Egypt’s gone phenomenal – it’s gone from 40% occupancy to 81% versus the same time last year,” he explained.

High-end travellers prioritise space, often seeking out alternative destinations for tourist hotspots.

Click HERE to read Travel Daily’s new Luxury on the Move special report. MS