The demand for cruising has returned to unprecedented levels. Now, cruising experts say that, in future, longer lead times will be needed to secure bookings on specific sailings and cabin classes.
On the Cunard line, represented locally by Whitestar Cruise & Travel, Founder Shaun McCarthy told Travel News that booking well in advance was advisable.
“Previously, the lead time for booking a Cunard sailing would be eight to 10 months. It’s now closer to a year.”
Janine Pretorius, Director of Encore Cruises and a representative of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, said she was seeing a similar trend, and that a lot of inventory for 2024 had already been booked.
“Some of our clients are already on waiting lists for 2025.”
The trend appears to be felt globally, and a recent Travel Weekly article highlighted that the demand for cruise bookings had resulted in inventory quickly filling up for 2025.
“Advisers are seeing great demand across the board, but it is not uncommon to have more 2025 bookings in a week than 2024, which is remarkable this early in the year,” Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, told the publication. The California-based member-owned network of travel advisers said its 2025 cruise bookings were nearly 30% higher year-on-year than bookings for 2024 made in 2023.
Cruise specialist, Cruises International, is tracking this trend closely.
“All brands in the Cruises International portfolio are noting a record year for 2024 with most of them already at 85% booked for the year. This is a great upturn for the cruise industry and it signifies the importance and the benefit of booking early,” Thaybz Khan, Head of Product, told Travel News.
While Khan is excited about what the demand means for the industry, MSC is more reserved regarding its views on the South African cruising market.
“With the upcoming elections, people are definitely more conservative about where they’re spending,” said Ross Volk, MD of MSC Cruises South Africa.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, MSC’s booking lead time for its cruises was six to nine months. Although lead times were much shorter during the pandemic, Volk said MSC was seeing the average booking lead time stabilising at pre-pandemic levels.
“This is a good place for MSC to be in,” concluded Volk.
