Queen Victoria , seven days through the western Mediterranean in July, 777 euros; Sun Princess, eight days through the eastern Mediterranean with Italy in July, 737 euros (903 if it is an outside cabin); Celebrity Xcel, eight days through France and the Italian Riviera in July, 731 euros and the possible promotion of up to 600 euros gift to spend inside the ship. These are just some of the offers in the premium cruise segment that have recently begun to proliferate in the European tourism market, with unprecedented prices in the high season. It is the result of the indirect impact that international geopolitical instability is causing in the cruise sector, where, rather than a drop in bookings, what has been triggered is a change in tourist flows and commercial strategies by the cruise lines.
Read more The Govern and ERC finalize that Catalonia assumes the majority of the Consorci de la Zona Franca
Also read
The North American cruiser is the main client who this summer has changed the Mediterranean for other destinations less close to the conflict in the Middle East, a change of course that mainly affects American cruise lines. The situation, point out some specialized agencies in the sector, has generated an unexpected effect: the spots freed up by those travelers are being taken advantage of by the European market, which is finding rates well below usual, especially in premium and luxury segments. “We are seeing prices we had never seen before,” admits Ricard Valdé, executive of Un mundo de cruceros, one of the most prominent wholesalers in Spain.
“We are seeing prices we had never seen before,” admit those from Un mundo de cruceros
The war in the Middle East already caused the suspension of cruise activity in the Persian Gulf at the beginning of the year. But even so, the general managers of companies like MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line or Carnival announced in mid-April that this would be a record year at the Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, the most important convention and trade fair in the cruise industry worldwide.
Read more The Ministry of Health activates a protocol for the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda
However, bookings have experienced a certain slowdown since last Easter. Where it was first noticed was in cruise requests in Asia, New Zealand, and Australia, basically due to air connections, most of which are made from the hubs of Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, key in the connection between Europe, Asia, and Oceania. But this has not translated into a drop in bookings, but rather a change in flows. “The client has not stopped traveling; they have simply changed focus,” summarizes Valdé. The Caribbean, northern Europe, river cruises, and itineraries closer or considered safe are gaining weight.
The hantavirus episode on the MV Hondius and the most recent norovirus case on the Ambition have added more concern to the sector than cancellations, which many companies describe as anecdotal. Where a certain slowdown is noticeable is in expeditions to Antarctica. Specialized operators like Hurtigruten or Un mundo de cruceros themselves acknowledge that bookings for the Antarctic summer 2026-2027 have been affected, although curiously sales for 2027-2028 continue to advance strongly, especially in luxury products and expeditions that are always booked well in advance.
Read more The new Ebola epidemic in DR Congo will be one of the worst in history
