“It’s a tsunami!”: Travel advisors, cruise lines report strong early bookings for Wave Season

TORONTO — Wave Season is upon us, which means as far as travel deals go, not much can beat the value of a cruise right now.

Typically occurring between the end of the holidays through the end of March, Wave Season, which refers to the ‘wave’ of cruise promotions offered during this period, is a win-win for all those involved: cruise lines that are able to fill up berths for the entire year, travellers who get more bang for their buck, and travel agents who sell more and earn more.

This year, if all that pent-up travel demand we’ve heard about throughout the pandemic is to be believed, Wave Season will be bigger and better than ever. And if early bookings are any indication, we’re in for a record-breaking season.

“It’s not a wave of bookings we’re experiencing, it’s a tsunami!” says Caroline Hay, General Manager, Cruise at Trevello. “The past 10 days of the year have been nothing short of incredible. And the outlook for cruise in 2024 is even more promising, with all indicators pointing towards it being a historic year for our cruise sales – the best in the 30 years of our existence.”

Hay attributes the year’s strong start to Trevello’s in-market promotions and group programs, adding that she’s seeing growth across the segment, from contemporary to premium, to luxury to river and expedition cruises.

“It’s shaping up to be an exceptional year for cruise sales across the board. When we look at our overall sales for 2024, in most cases we already have more business set to sail this year than we did for the entire year in 2023,” Hay adds.

Travel advisors also tell Travelweek that early Wave Season bookings have been strong, a testament to the segment’s swift post-Covid recovery and their clients’ unwavering passion for cruising.

“We are definitely seeing an uptick in bookings so far this Wave Season, and we’ve surpassed both pre-Covid and last year levels,” says Lola Vassiliadis, Owner and Manager of Cruise Holidays in Oakville, ON. “What we are noticing with this year-over-year increase is that the dollar value of bookings is higher and that the length of cruises are longer. Cruise bookings have definitely fully recovered. Our clients are back in full force and we have a number of new-to-cruising clients, too.”

Rhonda Parker, Manager/Independent at Trevello-affiliated Destinations By Design in Victoria, B.C., is seeing a similar upward trend at the start of Wave Season, with an increase in bookings and a renewed appreciation for travel advisors among her clients.

“Wave Season promotions are very good and client-friendly, and as a consultant I can easily show the value of cruising, which includes pre-paid gratuities, beverage packages and even shore excursions,” says Parker. “I have clients booked on three trips in 2024, three in 2025 and some are even looking at 2026. With Wave Season, because the value of inclusions and the limited itineraries happen only once a year, they want to grab the chance before it’s gone.”

“WE’RE TAKING A HIGH LEVEL OF BOOKINGS”

Although we’re just a couple weeks into Wave Season, phones are already ringing off the hook, says Marilyn Conroy, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing North America at Riviera River Cruises.

“We’re taking a high level of bookings and we hope the balance of January will continue at an even higher pace. Travellers are becoming even more aware that they should book earlier versus later if they want to get the best deal. And I really believe they’re more focused on vacation being a part of life,” says Conroy.

Over at PONANT, Erica Barbour, Business Development Manager – Eastern Canada, tells Travelweek that momentum continues to build following a “stronger-than-normal December,” and that the company is seeing strong interest in Alaska and Europe for this summer.

“Wave Season bookings are being driven by unfulfilled travel demand due to Covid, for exceptional travel experiences aboard small luxury vessels,” says Barbour. “Bookings this Wave Season are definitely higher than previous seasons, including pre-Covid.”

“A PATTERN OF STRONG GROWTH”

Based on current Wave Season bookings, cruise lines are anticipating a landmark year for cruising in 2024, due in large part to the incredible momentum gained in 2023. Ask anyone in the cruise industry and they’ll tell you that numbers across the board – from bookings to demand to capacity –keep on climbing, which CLIA can attest to. According to its ‘State of the Cruise Industry September 2023 Update,’ the cruise sector is rebounding faster than international tourism arrivals, with an approximate 31.5 million passengers sailing last year, 106% of 2019 levels. Also notable is the fact that global cruise capacity is forecast to grow 19% to more than 746,000 lower berths from 2022 to 2028.

So yes, Wave Season is off to an incredible start – but this is just the start of it.

“Seabourn is seeing record bookings for 2024, and the team has been incredibly pleased in terms of pacing and demand. In most markets, we’ve seen increasing numbers of travellers and that continues to be the trend,” says Steve Smotrys, Seabourn’s Vice President, Sales & Trade Relations – The Americas, Australia, Asia and Expedition. “I believe that consumers are looking for and willing to splurge on experiences, and travel is high on that list. Travellers are also paying attention to the value of their vacation, and cruises offer tremendous value because nearly everything is included.”

Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways, tells Travelweek that 2023 was a record-setting year for the cruise line in terms of number of guests travelling on board its ships, revenue generated and commissions paid to travel advisors, all of which will set the line up for an even better year in 2024.

“It’s exciting to see this pattern of strong growth in demand for river cruising continue, as our 2024 sales are almost 40% ahead when compared to 2023 results at the same time last year,” he says. “Based on the strong demand we are seeing for groups, charters and part-charters, 2025 is also shaping up to be an excellent year, reflecting a 20% increase in capacity on the Rhine, Danube and Douro rivers in Europe, two new ships on the Magdalena River in Colombia and an additional ship on the Nile.”

THE DEALS

Of course, Wave Season would be nothing without the deals, which range from discounted fares to shipboard credits, beverage packages, reduced deposits and more. Here are just a few:

RIVIERA RIVER CRUISES: Discounts of $400 per person off eight-day cruises, including solo traveller departures, and $700 per person off 11- to 15-day cruises. These discounts are for middle- and upper-deck cabins. Plus, for every cabin booked, travel advisors receive a $100 gift card. These promotions, which originally was scheduled to run through January, have been extended through March 2024.

Riviera River Cruises’ MS Geoffrey Chaucer
OCEANIA CRUISES: Up to 50% off per stateroom on more than 100 voyages in 2024 and 2025 spanning the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North and South America. This offer runs through Feb. 29, 2024.
PONANT: With the company’s Alaska incentive, travel advisors receive a $250 Amazon eGift Card on select 2024 Alaska bookings made and deposited between Jan. 8-31, 2024. The gift card is awarded 31 days after deposit is paid. Consumers, meanwhile, receive a $700 per person air credit on select 2024 Alaska bookings made and deposited between Jan. 8-31, 2024. Discount code is ALASKA.
SEABOURN: ‘The Sail of the Year’ even runs through Feb. 29, 2024, with travellers saving 25% off select ocean and expedition voyages and putting down a reduced 15% deposit. Cruises booked before Jan. 31, 2024 are also eligible for up to $1,000 in shipboard credits per suite.

Seabourn Venture, Veranda Suite
AMAWATERWAYS: A limited-time offer of complimentary pre- or post-cruise land packages on select Europe river cruises in 2024 and 2025 is available for new reservations made Jan. 1 through March 31, 2024. Guests can choose from a variety of complimentary two-, three- and four-night land packages as an extension to their vacation. This offer is combinable with AirPlus, a fixed-price airfare offer, allowing travellers to enjoy Economy air at $1,099, Premium Economy at $2,999, or Business Class at $4,999 per person from all major Canadian gateways on a wide selection of departure dates.
COSTA: The ‘Seas the Day’ sale includes select cruises to the Mediterranean and northern Europe starting at $299 per person. They range from 6-23 days and depart May through November 2024. The offer ends Feb. 29, 2024.
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE: The ‘Time of Your Life’ sale runs from Dec. 14, 2023 through Feb. 29, 2024. Guests who book select summer 2024 through spring 2025 cruises with the ‘Have It All’ premium cruise package receive a free stateroom upgrade, fare discounts, free fares for kids and reduced deposits. As a bonus, cruisers who book by Jan. 31, 2024 also receive up to $500 per stateroom onboard credit, depending on the cruise length. This is in addition to the ‘Have It All’ perks of shore excursions, beverages, specialty dining and Wi-Fi that are also included with the cruise fare.