The cruise industry’s vital role in the UK economy, how luxury sailings are attracting a new strain of clientele and why having a “lion’s mentality” is key to growing a business were just some of the key takeaways from the 2025 CLIA Conference

Travel agents, cruise industry executives and destination partners descended on Southampton on Thursday (22 May) for the annual event, which brings together a breadth of experts to help the UK trade maximise their cruise businesses.

Delegates heard from a range of speakers during conference sessions in the Southampton Guildhall, learnt more about cruise lines at a trade fair and had the chance to visit several ships including Princess Cruises’ Sky Princess and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Balmoral.

Speakers included Ponant group deputy CEO of global business Belinda Hindmarsh, Quark Expeditions president Sam Seward and Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises senior vice president international and consumer sales Steve Odell.

Here, we highlight six key takeaways from the conference to help you boost your cruise sales.

CLIA membership on the rise

Managing director of CLIA UK and Ireland Andy Harmer reported a 10 per cent increase in the organisation’s membership since May 2024, with almost 4,300 agency members and 10,000 individuals now using CLIA’s resources and training.

He also outline a further expansion of CLIA’s online virtual ship tours, with 12 more vessels added this year, and confirmed the CLIA Cruise Champions Class of 2025 will graduate in June. New for the next intake in the autumn will be a luxury cruise stream, to sit alongside the current expedition cruise and river cruise programmes.

A complimentary New to Selling Cruise Virtual Day has been announced for 3 July, which is open to all cruise agent newcomers and CLIA Cruise Week will this year take place from September 15-21.

Luxury cruise opportunities

According to Steve Odell, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises senior vice president international and consumer sales, 83 per cent of travel agent delegates say luxury cruising is under 25 per cent of their total business.

“Luxury business overall is performing very strongly – the market will grow by 10 per cent before 2028,” he told attendees.

Odell highlighted how the introduction of the hotel industry to luxury cruise, like Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection and Four Seasons, will help bring a new strain of clientele into the sector.

“These companies are showing hotel customers the cruise business for the first time,” he explained. “Once they’re in, they’ll stay. You have to target these customers very differently, a lot of people coming to ultra luxury will have filtered through the traditional cruise path.”

Agents ‘remain the lifeblood’ of Carnival UK

The UK travel trade remains “vital” to the successes of Carnival UK, according to the company’s president Paul Ludlow.

“Agents are vital to our business – Carnival paid more than £100 million to our partners last year in commission, so they are still the lifeblood of our business by helping us find new customers and making sure past customers come back,” he said.

“Over the last few years we’ve had extensive growth. For the business now, we have a few years of stability, which is an opportunity to think about how we take our proposition to the next level. It is a privilege, we are custodians of peoples holidays and we need to make sure they have a great time.”

Ludlow also outlined cruise’s important role in the UK economy. “Every time a ship turns in Southampton it’s worth £2.5 million to the local economy. We have close to 700 calls a year. 50 per cent of cruise holidays sail on P&O Cruises, we are a massive economic contributor to the UK.”

He further outlined how the line had experienced challenges with its airline partnerships in the past, but was enthused to be working with two trusted operators.

“We don’t get it right all of the time,” Ludlow said. “A couple of seasons ago we had some challenges with our Caribbean air programme, but we listened and responded.”

Destination ‘critical’ to selling expedition cruise

The conference also heard from president of Quark Expeditions Sam Seward and group deputy CEO of global business for Ponant Belinda Hindmarsh.

Seward outlined the importance of destination when it comes to selling expedition cruising.

“One of the important things to know when selling expedition travel is that different size vessels have different accesses and capabilities, and it’s all about maximising your time off of the ship,” he said.

Hindmarsh echoed Seward, highlighting Ponant’s use of local experts to elevate the guest experience. “It’s about identifying guests who want to do something different, they want to do something off the beaten track that’s on the bucket list.”

Azamara outlines UK commitment

Dondra Ritzenthaler, Azamara CEO, looked back on her first year at the helm of the brand. “I wanted to listen, learn and link together the travel advisors around the world.

“How dare I be arrogant to come in and act like I know everything without taking in what our agents know. You are our lifeline, we wouldn’t be in business without you.”

Ritzenthaler highlighted that 86 per cent of Azamara’s product is sold via travel agents. In 2026 the line will transfer further market share to the UK, which is currently the line’s second biggest customer source.

When asked about new ships, she said: “I have committed to my team, and all of you, that we will deliver on our promise for our guests and for our four beautiful ships. You have to have a lion’s mentality.

“When we continue to fill at these rates, that’s when we will grow. Deliver on your promise, hit your numbers and it will come.”

Celebrity Excel on track for early launch

Celebrity Cruises’ fifth Edge series vessel, Celebrity Excel, is on track to be delivered “a little early”, according to the line’s vice president international, Giles Hawke.

“Everything is looking fantastic and we’ll be announcing some new features soon,” he told CLIA Conference delegates.

“Just over 50 per cent of our capacity is in the Caribbean. Excel will also be in the Caribbean in the winter, which presents a very good opportunity to package with hotel stays.”

Hawke also claimed the line is seeing no downturn in US cruise passengers sailing ex-UK. “We’re seeing no impact of that,” he said.

“Apex is doing really well out of Southampton – so get customers booked early, 2025 has pockets of availability left and 2o26 is already selling very well”.