Panache achieves £1m cruise sales in three months of Australia debut

Specialist agency Panache Cruises expansion into Australia has paid off to the tune of A$2 million (£1.05 million) in sales in less than three months.

The company attributed the performance to strong demand for luxury and ultra-luxury sailings while targeting sales of A$10 million in the first year of opening an office in Sydney.

The Chorley-based cruise retailer appointed experienced industry professional Juliana Nasmith (pictured, left) as head of sales and operations ahead of opening the office in Australia.

The company now employs eight staff in Sydney. The move into Australia follows the opening of a US office in 2024.

Nasmith said: “We’re incredibly pleased with the response so far. Reaching A$2m in sales within our first few months is a fantastic milestone, particularly as we are building the Panache Cruises brand from the ground up in Australia.

“What has been most encouraging is how strongly Australian travellers have responded to our highly personalised approach. 

“Luxury cruise is a considered purchase, and clients really value having an expert who takes the time to understand what they want, guide them through the options, and look after the finer details. It gives us a lot of confidence in the opportunity ahead.”

Nasmith said Panache was seeing strong demand for luxury and ultra-luxury cruising.

She added: “Another interesting trend is that people are planning well ahead. For many of our clients, the conversation isn’t simply ‘Where can I go this year?’ - they’re thinking about their next two or three major trips, which creates a great opportunity for us to build long-term relationships rather than simply facilitate a single booking.

“We’re very positive about the remainder of 2026. There is significant momentum in the Australian cruise market, particularly at the luxury end, and we believe there is still plenty of room for growth.

“For us, 2026 is very much about continuing to build awareness of Panache Cruises in Australia, growing our team and client base, and demonstrating what makes our approach different. The first few months have given us a very strong foundation, and we’re excited about where we can take the business from here.”

Company founder and chief executive James Cole (pictured, right) added: “The Australian market is very different to the UK, which is why we decided to open an office in Sydney.

“We were delighted to recruit someone of the experience of Jules and she’s doing a great job, along with the team.

“The cruise market in Australia is growing quickly and we can only see it growing further.

“The sales are in line with expectations and we’re targeting sales of A$10m in our first year.”