CRUISELINES are hoping an autumn advertising push will turn around a dramatic dip in bookings during August.
With last month’s terror alert thought to have had an impact, cruiselines have reported slow sales for the Caribbean and disappointing bookings for 2007.
Although 2006 is proving to be a good year, with Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International both reporting sales growth of around 30%, there is concern about the recent slowdown.
NCL’s UK general manager Francis Riley said: “Business has fallen off the cliff over the past couple of weeks.”
Royal Caribbean sales and marketing director Jo Rzymowska said: “The Caribbean is tough. Maybe recent events have put people off flying long-haul and the hurricane season does not help.”
Last week Royal Caribbean launched a £1 million autumn television and newspaper advertising campaign, and this week P&O Cruises announced its multi-million pound campaign, with local television advertising in partnership with Thomas Cook, Bath Travel and Traveland in Wales.
Complete Cruise Solution’s four Carnival-owned brands are having a Caribbean blitz and head of sales Giles Hawke said he was not concerned about sales after hitting targets in the June to August sales period.
Meanwhile, plans for a consumer cruise show to run alongside Destinations at Earls Court in February have been scrapped, with the organisers blaming lack of investment from cruiselines.
Hawke said he was not against the idea in principle but was not convinced the show offered value for money and successful shows are already run with agents.
The possibility of the industry organising a Nationwide Cruise Week promotion next year was expected to be considered at this week’s Passenger Shipping Association meeting.
Hawke said: “We would support anything that raises the profile of cruising. This would achieve more of our business objectives of attracting new customers to cruise.”