Cruise lines have denied that there has been a significant shift towards a late market in cruise and that this is putting downward pressure on prices.
Speaking in a panel debate at the annual UK Cruise Convention, P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said PSA figures show people are booking earlier than ever.
And she added: “In the late bookings market the prices are holding up and are stronger than they have been in the past.”
However, Marlow admitted that there had been a move towards late bookings due to the recession but that it was up to the lines to re-educate people to book earlier.
P&O Cruises has introduced two schemes, Flexi Cruise and Cruise Ahead to try to encourage earlier bookings.
“It’s up to us to edge that booking curve out again as the recession recedes,” Marlow said.
Kathryn Beadle, head of sales of niche operator Hurtigruten, said its customers know that booking earlier means they get the best deals, particularly as most will use scheduled carriers for fly-cruise.
“What we have discovered this year is that people do book early so we had a much stronger launch in 2009 than we did in 2008. We had more volume come in before Christmas than any previous year.”
Jo Rzymowska, Royal Caribbean general manager, said too much focus was put on price rather than the value of cruising.
“What ships offer today is phenomenal, we just don’t focus on it. Sales have been a little stronger, yields have been higher but with the volcano, the World Cup and the general election we are having to work harder but booking early is still the thing to do to get the best deal.”