At the same time, the sister brands continue to see strong consumer demand and trade support from this market (despite obvious headwinds) for cruising Australasia and the Pacific as well as the Mediterranean and other destinations.
Lisa Pile, vice-president sales and GM Asia Pacific for Oceania and Regent, and Steve Odell, ambassador for the two luxury brands, were highlighting the new vessels (nine in total) coming online between 2026 and 2037 and the new itineraries that will be launched as a result.
Pile notes that progress made in New Zealand around regulation consistency and a more welcoming environment for cruise means that some of the extra activity will come our way.
‘Splendor will be in Australia on her world cruise in March 2027 and missing New Zealand but that was being planned in 2024-25, when New Zealand was still putting the gate down. Since then things have been far more positive for New Zealand and 2029-30 will be a different story.’
Odell and Pile say demand over the next 20 to 25 years will continue to be driven by baby boomers and gen Xers but the brands also have their eyes on younger generations.
‘We are seeing people taking luxury cruises in their 40s and we’re also getting more multi-generational groups on Regent with grandparents bringing everyone along with them. Obviously that introduces younger people to luxury cruising,’ says Odell.
‘Oceania is adults only and we do have younger people who want to be in an adults-only environment.’
