Cruise agents have blamed the threat of more Covid restrictions being imposed in the near future for a dip in consumer confidence in the build-up to Christmas.
Traditionally the festive season is a quiet sales period for the trade but spiralling Omicron case numbers and beefed-up testing requirements have further compounded matters this year.
James Cole, Panache Cruises’ founder and managing director, said: “People now want to wait and see what’s happening with Omicron before making a commitment.
“We’ve got people on cruises having a fantastic time, people looking forward to being on a cruise but undoubtedly there’s a dip in confidence.”
He added that people were making cruise bookings but his sales staff had found they had to work “extra hard” to confirm them.
In terms of the knock-on effect on customer confidence, Cole said he remained confident it would be “short-lived”.
London-based agency Paramount Cruises took 227 customers to the Middle East earlier this month. The group sailed on MSC Virtuosa (pictured) before watching the Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi.
Agent Marco Macchieraldo said the trip gave him hope that interest in the market would turn into confirmed bookings soon.
“We do not know whether there is going to be a lockdown or not,” he said. “There’s speculation in the media about what is going to come in and people are worried about Christmas.”
But he added: “We’ve shown that 227 people want to go through that extra testing, a bit more bureaucracy, and enjoyed their time.
“People are willing to jump through hoops, but we need more positive news to be circulating around.”
He said existing bookings were “fine”, and that some customers were preparing to go on cruises from the US and Dubai imminently.
Macchieraldo said passengers were asking more questions prior to departure, as has “been the trend for the last six months”. He explained: “We’re booking them and then things are changing. We’re advising people to book testing closer to departure.”
Mark Godden, Cruise Circle product development manager, agreed sales had tailed off quicker than normal this year because of the re-introduction of PCR tests for UK arrivals as well as pre-departure tests before return.
“People feel there’s a bigger mountain to climb,” he said. “We all knew it was going to be quiet but the fact that everything seemed to come at once in early December means it has been a pretty slow month.”
He said Cruise Circle was ready to respond “straight away” should the market pick up after Christmas.
Cruise specialists have been lifted by the way lines have continued with their wave campaigns despite the recent setbacks caused by the Covid pandemic.
“All the cruise lines are ploughing ahead with their offers and there are some great deals out there but it just depends on the government reaction,” said Scott Anderson, cruise product and marketing director at Luxury Cruise And More. “We’ll still be marketing.”
Andy Harmer, UK and Ireland managing director of Clia, said he expects about 90% of people who have cruised before will do so again in the next 12 months.
“We’re confident we’re seeing those opportunities for agents once again,” he said. “Since cruise lines resumed operations, nearly five million guests have enjoyed a cruise holiday across the world, and we look forward to welcoming many more back onboard in the new year.”
Harmer called onboard health and safety protocols “robust and effective” and said the UK had “led the way” as cruise lines across the sector resumed operations this year.
“No other form of travel gave such high transparency of reporting, providing guests with the reassurance that they could sail with confidence,” he added.