Cruise demand is surging globally, and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) believes this is the moment for travel advisors to double down on the one message that resonates when budgets tighten: value.
Economic uncertainty may be unnerving travellers, but Norwegian Cruise Line says it can also be the industry’s biggest sales tool. During his visit to Sydney from NCL’s Miami headquarters, Chief International Sales and Marketing Officer, Jason Krimmel, said that inflation actually strengthens the cruise proposition.
“Inflation is a big, scary word, right? But for cruise, this is a time when we actually see the value proposition come through in its clearest way,” Krimmel said.
“We believe cruise remains the most valuable holiday or vacation experience out there, particularly in times when economic pressures or uncertainty are at their highest.”
He urged travel partners to make that message central to their sales conversations.
“We need your help to share the story of why value, and particularly value on an NCL product, is better than the value in most other vacation and hospitality experiences.”
Krimmel also revealed that global cruise demand remains strong through 2026 and beyond, with 2028 departures already opening for sale. Australian and New Zealand travellers, he said, continue to be among the line’s highest-value guests, known for booking longer, more culturally immersive itineraries.
Selling the value story in uncertain times
Krimmel pointed to NCL’s Free at Sea offering as a key part of the value message. The inclusions model, covering dining, drinks, Wi-Fi, and shore excursion credits, remains a tangible differentiator at a time when travellers are looking to lock in total costs.
“When we talk about value, it’s not about discounting,” he said. “It’s about helping guests understand the quality and variety of experiences included.”
Agents are encouraged to reframe the value conversation by contrasting the total cost of a cruise (with multiple destinations and meals included) against the equivalent land-based trip. NCL sees this approach as critical as families weigh where to spend amid rising household costs.
Global demand, local potential
While North America remains NCL’s biggest market, Krimmel highlighted the continued importance of Australia and New Zealand as high-yield source markets. The company currently operates 20 ships worldwide, with four more on order for 2030 and beyond.
He confirmed that the line remains committed to bringing new vessels to local waters in future seasons, pending port and propulsion capacity developments. “We are continuously looking at how we can optimise this region because of the high-value guest that comes from here,” Krimmel said.
Time to reframe the conversation
NCL’s Vice President and Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Ben Angell, built on Krimmel’s message by telling trade partners it was time to broaden how the industry defines cruise success in Australia and New Zealand.
“We’ve perhaps had a narrative that’s been skewed a little towards domestic homeport cruising,” he said.
“That’s been driven by an incredibly successful local industry. But what we want now is to reframe that conversation to include international fly-cruise and inbound cruise arrivals as part of the total opportunity.”
Angell outlined NCL’s “near and far” growth strategy, encouraging the trade to look at cruise as part of a broader travel ecosystem. The ‘near’ covers local and regional itineraries such as the South Pacific and Asia, while the ‘far’ includes longer-haul favourites like Europe, Alaska, and Hawaii.
“We know our trade partners have huge databases of international holidaymakers. The opportunity is finding the people who want to add a cruise onto their land holiday, or those who are ready to add land to their cruise,” he said.
The rise of the grown-up getaway
In Sydney, Angell unveiled NCL’s new campaign for Norwegian Spirit, positioned as the cruise line’s answer to Australia’s growing appetite for adult-focused travel.
Titled Where Grown-Up Getaways Begin, the campaign taps into demand from couples and mature travellers looking for a refined alternative to family mega-ships. “They don’t want water slides or queues for ice cream,” Angell said. “They want serenity, quality and variety, and that’s exactly what Spirit delivers.”
The ship will return for her third and fourth local deployments across 2025–27, offering 24 sailings and 22 unique itineraries, including maiden calls at Phillip Island, Fremantle, and Kangaroo Island. Five Sydney round-trip itineraries are also on sale for 2026–27.
Spirit’s South Pacific and Asia itineraries remain top sellers, with strong Australian and Kiwi demand for immersive, longer voyages that stay longer in port.
Younger cruisers, broader horizons
NCL is also seeing a notable shift in cruise demographics. Angell said the average cruiser age is now closer to 40, driven by multi-generational travel and a new wave of families raised on cruising.
“Long gone are the days when cruising was seen as stuffy or for one demographic,” he said. “We’re seeing younger travellers, families and multi-gen groups embracing cruising in new ways.”
Globally, 78 per cent of past cruisers plan to sail again in 2025, while 26 per cent of non-cruisers are planning their first voyage.
What it all means for the trade
NCL’s message to advisors was clear: the global cruise surge is creating unprecedented opportunity, and Australia and New Zealand remain integral to that growth. The challenge now is to shift conversations from price to value—and from local to global.
Agents who can articulate that message, Angell said, will find new business even in uncertain times.
“We continue to attract new cruisers to NCL,” Krimmel said. “There’s endless opportunity ahead, and we need your help to magnify that message.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: NCL wants agents to lean into the value story, inflation and all. For Australian advisors, that means selling the inclusions, tapping younger markets and reframing cruise from a price conversation to a quality experience that sells itself.
