| Regent half full for 2022

THE luxury end of the cruise market is seeing significant demand, with Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) itineraries for 2022 already more than 50% sold out.

RSSC and Oceania Cruises Senior Vice President & Managing Director Asia Pacific Steve Odell told Cruise Weekly the lines are “astonished” at the future business coming in for next year, reflecting high levels of demand, particularly as vaccination programs roll out in other parts of the world.

This week, Odell, along with colleagues Gillian Seller and Lisa Pile (pictured), are hosting a range of key industry partners at the upmarket Spicers Sangoma Retreat in the Blue Mountains, providing a welcome respite from the day-to-day grind of border closures and job losses.

Such is the demand for 2022 that RSSC is actually starting to increase fares for next year.

“We don’t talk about this too much publicly, but when you’re 50% full you don’t need to many promotions…you need to keep pushing up on the price to create demand,” Odell said.

He contrasted the ongoing cruise ban locally with the situation overseas – particularly in the United Kingdom where a plethora of ships are set to operate over the coming northern summer.

“They’ve vaccinated over 50% of their adult population already – that has created a safe environment in which to operate.”

The RSSC gathering was joined by Cruise Lines International Association MD Australasia Joel Katz, with Odell paying tribute to his efforts in lobbying governments over the last year.

“He has been in and out of meetings on both the state and Federal level pushing our message… there’s still a way to go but he has represented us incredibly well”.

Odell also noted RSSC’s marketing approach through the pandemic, saying “we haven’t stopped, we’ve continued to invest in the business and our partners…you can’t sit quietly aside and hope it happens – we are very positive”.