Trends That Are Shaping The Future of Luxury Cruises

Credit @ Pexels Matthew Barra

Now you can live the high life on the high seas

Cruises are becoming more luxurious than ever as people start to increase their budgets and expectations for travelling. A report by London-based GlobalData reveals that plenty of luxury travellers are increasing their holiday budgets compared to the previous years. This change has led to an influx of consumer travel trends, as more travellers want to splurge on immersive and exceptional experiences.

Now that travellers seek greater experiences during their holidays, luxury cruises are following the trends by providing guests with convenient, indulgent and relaxing services. These range from super exclusive cruises like The World, which carried 150 travel-mad families to 100 ports in 2020, to top-of-the-range luxury journeys by exceptional cruise liner companies. Here are some of the new trends that are shaping the future of luxury cruises:

Culinary tourism
Food is one of the most pleasurable treats for many people. This is why culinary tourism is becoming a popular luxury travel trend among cruise ship passengers who want to de-stress by eating delicious cuisine.

Due to this shift in consumer preferences, Oceania Cruises created the OceaniaNEXT brand for guests who want to indulge in culinary enhancements, dining experiences, and reimagined menus. Even one of their regular ships, the Marina, has a Culinary Centre where guests can get hands-on instruction from master chefs and enjoy new dishes. Thanks to the culinary tourism trend, many luxury travellers can board cruises to savour their favourite meals and drinks during their holidays.

Wellness travel
For busy individuals, relaxation is the ultimate form of luxury. As such, it’s not surprising that more people are immersing themselves in longer vacations to enjoy wellness travel experiences.

To enhance the wellness of travellers, Explora Luxury Cruises offers ocean journeys where guests can access spa thermal areas and join wellbeing and fitness programmes throughout their trip. The long nature of the journeys allows travellers to make the most of the wellness experiences as they travel to their destination. Through this range of luxury experiences, guests can let go of their worries and completely unwind during their downtime.

Personalised experiences
Nothing is more deluxe than getting exactly what you want. To provide guests with the trip of a lifetime, luxury cruise ships are going all out by creating personalised experiences for travellers.

One cruise company that offers this service is MSC Yacht Club, where each guest is provided with a butler who is on hand to meet their every need. These butlers can arrange special services for the guests, handle reservations for the spa and restaurant, and even arrange special tours to ensure that you have a memorable trip. These personalised services raise the bar for luxury cruises because they provide a more bespoke experience.

Loyalty rewards
Cruise ships are providing loyalty perks to customers who want to feel like VIPs. For instance, the Seabourn Club of the Seabourn Cruise Line offers six tiers for loyal passengers who want access to special events and enjoy complimentary cruises to the Caribbean. Meanwhile, Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Society loyalty programme rewards frequent guests with invites to cocktail parties, penthouse upgrades, and free cruise trips. Cruises are about to become even more luxurious for business leaders.