Upscale travel platform Luxury Escapes is diving into the cruise market, with the launch of its dedicated Cruise platform.
Promising to bring “exceptional deals” on local and international cruises to its global membership, Luxury Escapes says its Cruise platform will offer customers up to 60 per cent off retail prices, with “thousands” of itineraries on offer.
Offering “exclusive” products, the platform will sell deals with cruise lines such as Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Celebrity X Cruises and Azamara “with more to come”.
The initiative will also offer customers $50 rewards for friend referrals.
“Lots of our members love to go on tours where everything is done for you, so we’ve made it even easier for our members to find them,” Luxury Escapes co-founder and CEO Adam Schwab says.
“We have more choice and flexibility than ever with over 500 curated tours and cruises products on Luxury Escapes.
“An increased demand for luxury small ship cruising will meet the needs of those seeking out more personalised and intimate cruise experiences in the 12 months ahead.”
Cruise boom
From small ships to global mega-liners, demand for cruising, especially at the pricier end of the market, is arguably higher than ever before.
Citing a Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) 2022 report, Luxury Escapes says the “demand and [positive] perception of cruise holidays” is greater now than in 2019.
In its efforts to lure a new generation of cruisers, it says the cruise industry is upping the ante in onboard experiences. To this end, cruise lines are investing in better technology and connectivity, to suit leisure and business travellers, and increasing their focus on sustainability – an area of cruising where negative perceptions broadly still exist.
The launch of the Cruise platform comes on the back of the expansion of Luxury Escapes’ Tours platform, onto which hundreds of new land tours were added via the company’s partnership with The Travel Corporation.
Last month, the Australian travel company unveiled another dedicated platform within its website for those looking for more luxury than just luxury.
For more on Luxury Escapes, click here.
Meanwhile, with almost half a million cruisers setting sail from June to December 2022, TAFE NSW and CLIA launched a traineeship program to fast-track careers in the cruise sector. Read more about that here.
