Travel Advisors See Changing Cruiser Preferences for Peak Booking ‘Wave Season’
Photo Credit: Expedition cruises such as this one on Hurtigruten Cruises' MS Road Amundsen in the Antarctic are popular among travelers during this year's wave season. Hurtigruten Cruises / David Avila
Skift Take
Travel advisors say this year's "wave season" is showing strong preferences for less-visited ports and immersive land experiences. There are also indicators that passengers are more likely to hold the cruise industry accountable on sustainability.
This year’s so-called wave season, that Black Friday-like period from January through March in which cruise lines entice travelers with early booking incentives, is already revealing new twists in passenger preferences. Many travel agencies do the bulk of their cruise business during this time.
Prospective cruisers are seeking more exotic and less-visited destinations, requesting more time on land, and asking more questions about a cruise line’s sustainability practices, according to a new trends report from Virtuoso as well as travel advisors who spoke with Skift.
Faraway Places
“In 2020, cruisers are choosing itineraries based on destinations — and the more unusual and faraway the better,” said Beth Butzlaff, Virtuoso’s vice president of cruise sales. “Cruising used to be considered more passive, but lines have overcome that misperception with more time in port and experiences that are unique to the destination.”
Interest in remote or less-visited ports is so
