Businesses switch-sell as summer availability and pricing present barriers to sales reports Ella Sagar
Agents selling cruise have reported strong wave demand so far this year but have raised concerns over a lack of affordable product available for the coming summer season.
The issue appears to be particularly acute for ex-UK sailings, with some agents saying they are having to switch sell to fly-cruises or suggest alternative brands or even land-based options to meet budgets.
The tight capacity follows many lines’ strategy of launching seasons earlier than previously to tap into demand and extend the booking curve.
Some agents believe the situation has also been exacerbated by more capacity being allocated to other source markets as demand recovers, with fears the UK market could fall down lines’ priority lists as a result.
Catriona Parsons, Hays Travel head of cruise, said that the ex-UK family market for this summer was “almost full” even at the start of the peaks period.
She added: “While prices have been good for third and fourth adults or teens, limited availability for younger children has meant prices were higher for a family travelling together.”
Vim Vithaldas, The Travel Network Group chief commercial officer, said there was “not much capacity left” for this summer from UK ports, meaning Mediterranean fly-cruises had become a “key focus” for most agents.
“Ex-UK is down year on year and this is down to US passengers,” he added. “Pricing is also an issue.”
Cruise 365 owner Anthony Blackmore agreed favourable exchange rates for US travellers meant more were taking ex-UK cruises, resulting in less availability for the UK market.
“Traditionally Americans wouldn’t come to Southampton, but they have more money in their pockets due to the exchange rate, so they are coming to do London and then take a cruise from Southampton, meaning there’s not so much availability for the UK market,” he said.
“Many of the American lines are also offering shorter seasons or shorter cruises, which is also having an impact. One line is offering only one 12-night cruise out of Southampton to the Canaries, the rest are two, five, seven and nine-night sailings.
“This is good for the line in a way as it attracting a new market, but not so good for traditional couples who want those longer sailings.”
Despite the impact of the US market on availability, Blackmore believes the change of US administration and international relations could have an impact on the US outbound market and create a lates market.
“[The US] could become more insular, which may affect travel patterns,” he said.
“There may not be as many Americans travelling to Europe, as they don’t know what’s happening with Ukraine or the Middle East, and there could be growing anti-American sentiment which could put Americans off travelling to Europe.
“This could have an effect as early as this summer. You may see Americans cancelling their travel plans and more capacity becoming available again in the lates for the UK market to pick up, which would be nice.”
Pricing pressures
Blackmore said couples unable to book their first-choice cruises were increasingly looking to alternative lines, with destination trumping brand loyalty as a consideration.
He also said the sector no longer had the advantage it had immediately after the pandemic, when lower prices made it an attractive alternative to land-based holidays for families.
Noting core family cruisers were still willing to book early to secure their preferred ship and facilities, he added: “Families came out of Covid seeing cruise as a cheaper option to a land-based all-inclusive, but it’s not the case anymore.
“Now when comparing a cruise with an all-inclusive in Turkey, it just isn’t cheaper.”
Caroline Donaldson, product & commercial director at Barrhead Travel, said higher-than-expected prices at the start of the wave period had “evened out” slightly in recent weeks.
However, she said growth in ex-UK cruising in recent years “hasn’t quite continued” so far in 2025, adding: “Some lines are shifting their short sailings into Europe while connectivity from Scotland and northern England hasn’t kept pace with departure capacity.”
Donaldson described fly-cruise as “the real winner at the moment” and added: “Some cruise lines are really responding to the need for regional flying and we’re seeing more charters to fill these gaps which is great.”
Paul Edge, Cruise Club UK general manager, noted a “slight issue” in recent weeks with ex-UK availability, adding: “We sold a lot in January and it’s been really popular. We are not promoting it as much as a result and focusing more on fly-cruise.”
Paul Hunter, head of product at Cruise1st, said there seemed to be “less capacity” than last year with prices on certain lines higher than in recent years for the same period.
He also said the agency offering fly-cruise alternatives to translate enquires into sales.
One independent agent, who asked not to be named, described remaining availability for summer ex-UK sailings as “like hen’s teeth”.
Early booking messages
Despite concerns raised by some agents, cruise lines believe the situation is largely positive, with well-sold inventory likely to reduce the need for late discounting and support supplier and agency messaging around the benefits of booking early.
Many lines offering ex-UK sailings also insisted there were still opportunities for agents and pointed to increased capacity.
Ruth Venn, P&O Cruises sales director, acknowledged choices for some itineraries and cabin types for 2025 were “limited”, with rising costs of flights and land-based holidays a “key factor” driving demand. However, she insisted the line still had availability across most itineraries and months.
Antonio Paradiso, MSC Cruises vice-president of international sales, said the line was offering 50 cruises from Southampton this year as awareness and demand grows, but also insisted there was “good availability” across many sailings.
Princess Cruises is offering 45 ex-UK cruises across three ships in 2025 and the line’s vice-president for UK and Europe Eithne Williamson said there was still availability this year.
However, she also said strong bookings had reinforced the need to book early and said fly-cruises offered alternative options.
A Royal Caribbean International spokesperson said it had increased ex-UK capacity this year with 23 sailings from Southampton on Independence of the Seas compared to 18 on Anthem of the Seas last year.
Speaking on a Travel Weekly webcast, Holland America Line sales and marketing director Karen Farndell urged agents to consider alternatives to Southampton sailings to retain ex-UK enquiries, adding the line still had availability for its Dover cruises from April.
Geoff Ridgeon, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines head of sales, said the line was operating more than 40 cruises between May and August from UK ports including Newcastle, Liverpool, Southampton, Rosyth and Dover.