Tag Archives: Britain

Britain Predicts a Record 2023 Cruise Season

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According to numbers released by Cruise Britain, the cruise industry’s post-Covid transition year was a success with predictions for a projected record season in 2023, according to a press release.

“2022 was the first full year of cruise activity since the pandemic and really built upon the unprecedented success of the 2021 domestic season. What we are seeing now are the rewards for an industry that has consistently worked together to recover, regenerate and develop”, said Ian McQuade, chair of Cruise Britain. “Whilst Round Britain and Ireland cruise popularity continues to grow, we have now seen the successful return of itineraries where British port calls are part of a multi-country story of discovery.”

The previous record season for the UK was 2019 while in 2022, the UK welcomed a total of 2,176 cruise calls, which is a drop of 22 per cent compared to that record year. UK orts welcomed nearly 1.4 million guests, which is around 80 per cent of the 2019 numbers. In addition, visitors in 2022 brought around £100m to Britain’s coastal economies. 

“Looking ahead to this year, we see a very robust projected growth of 8 per cent in terms of port calls across the UK. Some regions such as the South West, North West and Scotland are reporting likely figures in excess of this national growth rate,” added McQuade. 

“This is a fantastic projection and the strength of the immediate growth trend is a testament to the increasing popularity of Britain as a cruise destination. We really can offer a port for every cruise ship currently sailing – from expedition ships to boutique and mid-range vessels up to the largest afloat.”

In the previous year, the UK welcomed 52 different cruise lines with ships visiting diverse ports including Belfast and Bristol, Portland and Portsmouth, Douglas (Isle of Man) and Dover, among others.

“The UK offers an incredibly diverse cruise holiday experience for guests and this is one of the most powerful reasons for the growth projections that we are seeing. Cruise Britain and all its members continue to work with cruise lines, industry partners and stakeholders, and government to support the development of cruise as a resilient and profitable sector of the travel industry,” concluded McQuade.

Ambassador Cruise Line Is Britain’s New Cruise Operator

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Ambassador Cruise Line is launching service with its new Ambience, set to be followed by the Ambition in 2023.

Highlights of the ship’s inaugural season, according to Head of Destination Management Michelle Lupino told Cruise Industry News. Include the 12-night Round Britain and Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration departing May 26; a 34-night Grand Canada, Greenland and Iceland Experience departing on Sept. 12; and the 42-night Escape the Winter Cuba and Treasures of the Caribbean voyage sailing on Jan. 5.

“These destinations have been picked for their diversity, popularity and leaning towards longer duration voyages with a blend of marquee and more remote and less-visited ports of call,” Lupino noted.

‘Careful’

Lupino said that every Ambassador itinerary involves “careful consideration and planning.”

 Itinerary creation includes a variety of elements such as a “balance of ports versus time at sea, destination highlights, destination infrastructure, availability, costs and more.”

Ambassador’s itineraries range from two to 42 nights and cover various regions.

“Sailings closer to home may allow us to include more ports within the cruise duration, however, we must be mindful of the length of stays and if they will give a full guest experience,” she said. “Longer cruises require in-depth review, time zone changes to consider and a variety of regulations and requirements, so they can take more time to plan while we consider all the factors to include established favourites interspersed with new destinations.”

Port Selection

When creating itineraries, Ambassador factors in what ports will appeal to its guests, the availability and suitability for the ships, sailing times, speeds, fuel requirements and the seasons that give the best experience and will create consumer demand.

A successful itinerary offers both a range of destinations and enough time to enjoy the onboard experiences.

“While we recognize destinations are key to our itineraries, we want to ensure our guests also enjoy scenic cruising of rivers and fjords, providing a balance of time at sea and ashore. Successful itineraries create consumer demand for Ambassador, and we look to receive feedback from guests that will confirm demand for our future plans,” Lupino noted.

Ambassador’s first ship, the Ambience, will soon be joined by a second ship, the Ambition in 2023, which is the former AIDAmira.

“The Ambition, like her sister ship the Ambience, will offer no-fly sailings, part of our core brand offering. In addition to London Tilbury, she will also offer a summer 2023 program of regional departures from ports such as Newcastle, Dundee, Belfast, Liverpool, Bristol and Falmouth, enabling guests across the UK to have a shorter distance to travel to the ship,” said Lupino.

Having both the 1,590-passenger Ambience and 1,428-passenger Ambition operate from regional ports will give Ambassador’s guests “a greater choice of sailings and ships on which to enjoy them,” she added.

Lupino told Cruise Industry News that the full 2023-2024 itinerary program for the Ambience and Ambition was expected to be announced in the second quarter of 2022.

Port space as the industry grows is a concern for ambassadors.

“Many regions have limited cruising seasons, and so availability is always something that we are aware may cause us to reconsider our programs. many ports of call are now introducing ‘out of season’ possibilities which we are happy to consider if they fit within our plans.” 

Photo: Ambience in Valletta (Photo: Valletta Cruise Port)

The UK will join the EU Covid vaccine passport scheme imminently

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Sources in Westminster and Brussels told the Daily Telegraph Britain was on the verge of integrating the UK database into the EU system.

The UK formally applied to join the scheme on 28 July and work has continued since to merge UK data. Once complete, it will digitally verify Covid credentials not just in the UK, but across the EU and beyond, as the EU scheme covers more than 40 countries including Morocco and Turkey.

The scheme will benefit double-jabbed Britons who will no longer have to test before departure to enter some countries once the EU Covid certificate is issued to them. It will also make entry to bars and restaurants easier.

The system enables border guards and restaurant and bar owners to use an app to read the QR code on an individual’s vaccine certificate.