Wash-out weather in July helped drive a 110% year-on-year rise in sales for expedition cruise specialist Polar Routes.
Average booking values increased by 11% over the same month last year while enquiries were up by 181%.
Co-founder and director Martin Johnson said: “July and August are usually quiet months for interest in and bookings to the polar regions, but the autumnal weather in wash-out July has turned out to be a record-breaker for us.”
The operator put a 23-day Antarctic expedition itinerary departing in January 2025 on sale in May with a lead-in of £14,999.
A 53-passenger newly refurbished expedition ship Polar Pioneer has been chartered to run the itinerary. The vessel is almost half the size of the next closest equivalent ship in the market.
Broadcaster, environmental historian and author Dr Huw Lewis-Jones will lead the group and with five Zodiac boats on board. Every full expedition day will have at least two extensive off-ship excursions, weather permitting.