With new ship Allura coming on-line in Jul and Quattro Class ships launching in 2027 and 2029, Oceania Cruises is committed to partnering with the Kiwi trade to maximise the opportunities for both the cruise line, and agents, says visiting Oceania Cruises vp international sales Jason Worth.
The New Zealand market continues to perform strongly with sustained year-on-year growth, he adds, with a continued trend of New Zealanders ‘buying up the ship’, and outperforming similar markets.
. . . Trends
The Mediterranean still attracts the lion’s share of Oceania’s Kiwi cruisers, notes Worth, and following the redeployment of ships from Israel, the cruise line has more West Med cruises on offer for 2025. “South Pacific is also always popular with the Kiwis, but our Asian itineraries are becoming more popular too.” Looking ahead the Oceania executive says its increased range of itineraries in Africa is appealing to a growing number of Kiwis. “And I think Alaska is also a big growth opportunity, particularly because we have a bigger ship in the region, [the new look Riviera’s] a first in Alaska. There’s still a number of sailings and we’ve got some different ports too.” Worth says the cruise line has calendar of promotions lined-up for 2025, including the release of its 2027 World Cruise (which is expected to attract a number of Kiwis), combined with increased marketing tools, and he is urging Kiwi agents to utilise those tools to increase efficiencies, and potentially sales.
. . . Relationships
As Worth thanked thanks those at a trade event last night for their ongoing support he stressed the importance of partnerships and relationships. “…we have a lot to talk about, and the key word is growth, and the second word is relationships,” he said. And as he highlighted the new ships in the pipeline, Worth acknowledged that Oceania will need to work with agents to promote its expanded fleet.
Continuing to look ahead Worth referenced new AI travel booking platforms coming on-line. “I’m sure that’ll all change the businesses we work in, but its something of a tool for us if we play it the right way—because it’s about relationships, and its about the bond you have with your guests,” he told the trade audience. “So we want to keep working on that, keep working together, listening to you and taking your feedback.”
