Ocean, River Cruise Travel Tip: Book a Year in Advance
Ocean, River Cruise Travel Tip: Book a Year in Advance
When we recommend to our clients and readers that they plan their ocean and river cruises a year in advance, a certain amount of disbelief comes into their minds.
After all, it was just two years ago when the cruise lines were all offering last-minute travel offers like crazy because they were not able to fill their inventory.
That has all changed.
Once the presidential election was over, it was like someone flipped a switch and ocean and river cruise bookings came flying in the door. In fact, business was so brisk that 2017 nearly sold out for some ocean and river cruise companies before the end of April. If you wanted a 2017 September river cruise, forget it, they were sold out.
“Bookings for 2018 are currently 69 percent higher than they were for 2017 at the same time.”
Please listen, all of those frustrated people who wanted a 2017 cruise went ahead and booked a 2018 ocean and river cruise a year ago. While I don’t know the numbers for sure, I can tell you that we are once again finding frustrated clients because 2018 is filling up very fast.
Here’s this from an article in today’s Cruise Industry News, “Our bookings for 2018 are currently 69 percent higher than they were for 2017 at the same time,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman and founder of Viking Cruises.
69% higher! That is a lot! And, as I just told you, 2017 bookings came in at a very brisk pace.
Where are all of these bookings coming from? Well, there are 80,000,000 baby boomers in the U.S., and they all want to take a river cruise. Plus, the small-ship ocean-going vessels are selling like hotcakes with this group as well. We
So, we implore you, if you want to take an ocean or river cruise in 2018, start the planning process right now. Historically, the bulk of ocean and river cruises get booked in the first quarter of the year. However, if you wait that long, you are very likely going to get shut out. Consider yourself warned. 🙂
I should also point out that this booking frenzy doesn’t seem to be happening in the large-ship world. We’re still seeing attractive last-minute offers from all of the large-ship ocean brands.
To inquire about booking a fun ocean or river cruise, call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online request (click here) and we will reach out to you.
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