Multi-generational cruising
Children, parents and grandparents travelling togther is a rising trend and, as finds out, choosing a cruise could be the ideal way to tick everyone's box
Why sell it now
Cruise ships are a dream fit for family groups thanks to the variety of attractions onboard and ashore easily spanning the generational divide. Add to that a rising tide of larger ocean ships and more modern river vessels and interest levels are ramped up for all ages.
According to Cruise Lines International Association's (CLIA) Senior Vice President and UK & Ireland Director Andy Harmer, multi-generational cruising has increased significantly in recent years as more families recognise the wide scope of activities that cruises now provide.
“This growing trend creates fantastic opportunities for agents selling cruise with the offer of an excellent mix of activities to suit all ages,” he explains.
“The rise of multi-generational travel also gives agents the opportunity to introduce cruise to those who have not been on a cruise holiday before, with the likelihood they will then become repeat cruise customers.”
River cruise line A-Rosa has been targeting the family and multigenerational cruise market for some years with its flexible approach to life onboard, led by anytime buffet-dining.
“Flexibility is key, with different generations able to go off on very different excursions or choose to come together as a family and enjoy an experience together,” said UK & Ireland Managing Director Lucia Rowe.
What to sell
The Mediterranean is a favourite for family groups, especially as ex-UK sailings are easier for those travelling with older passengers and/or very young children. The variety of ports, from beach destinations and water parks along the Spanish coast and French Riviera to the cultural lure of Rome (from Civitavecchia), Pompeii (from Naples) or Florence (from Livorno) add interesting diversions across the board.
Miles Morgan, owner of miniple Miles Morgan Travel, praises the region’s good mix of ports that appeal to all generations.
“Palma, for instance, is where grandparents can walk along the waterfront while the children go off to a nearby waterpark,” he explains.
Morgan says demand is split between ex-UK and fly-cruise departures, adding: “Sailing from the UK is no hassle, though there are more sea days so families would be looking at a larger ship. Smaller ships, without so many onboard attractions, lend themselves to fly-cruises with more ports of call.”
Alternative destinations include the Norwegian fjords, whose spectacular scenery is guaranteed to captivate all ages plus activities including powerboating, hiking and kayaking for more active family
members. Further afield, the lure of the Caribbean, with perfect sand beaches and cerulean seas along with the engaging West Indian culture is another good choice, especially as many sailings depart Miami and Port Canaveral, which are easy to combine with beach stays or visits to Florida’s theme park capital Orlando.
How to sell
Like most aspects of cruising, it’s about picking the right ship and sticking with the main cruise companies that already cater for families. Lines such as Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and MSC Cruises all have ships packed with facilities ranging from waterslides, zipwires and climbing walls to spas, stylish restaurants and adult-only areas.
Other lines, like P&O Cruises or
Celebrity Cruises, may not offer such high-energy attractions, but with their mix of swimming pools, kids’ clubs and entertainment they still cater admirably for all ages.
Many newer ships have family accommodation aimed at larger groups, whether it is inter-connecting cabins for up to 10 passengers or larger suites with two or three bedrooms and a general living area or self-contained private
What's new
For family thrills, Carnival Cruise Line’s new ship Mardi Gras, which is due to launch this November, leads the way with the first roller-coaster at sea along with Family Harbor staterooms that have access to their own family-friendly lounge.
Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas is another, arriving around the same time with bumper cars, a skydiving simulator and the North Star viewing pod that extends up to 300 feet above the waves.
Other new ships that lend themselves to multi-generational groups include P&O Cruises’ Iona, the largest ship built for the UK market and Celebrity Cruises’ stylish addition Celebrity Apex.
On the rivers, A-Rosa is planning an innovative new vessel in 2021, designed specifically for families and multigenerational groups with its family cabins, plus a kids’ playroom and separate children’s pool.
What a difference a month makes. When I wrote this page for the March issue it was February 26 and the FCO had just advised against travel to Italy because of COVID-19. A sobering piece of news, but life here in the UK went on as normal, with people going to work, the pub and flying off on holiday. Six week later and the UK’s travel industry, the UK in general, is unrecognisable.
In some ways the transition has been gradual, at other times it has felt rapid and shocking. The first grim milestone was the first British person to die from the virus, a man onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, on February 28. On the same day the annual travel trade show ITB Berlin was called off after much speculation.
By March 1, COVID-19 had been reported in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. On March 2 a group of British tourists stuck in a Tenerife hotel were finally given the all-clear to fly home with Jet2.
The next day, as British Airways announced it was cutting hundreds of flights for the coming weeks, the Prime Minister declared the outbreak a ‘level four incident’.
For the rest of the first week of March, bookings began to slump and airlines and operators scrambled to offer flexible policies to encourage them back. Coronavirus took its first casualty when the already troubled airline Flybe collapsed.
On March 11 the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and Boris Johnson held a press conference saying that anyone with a continuous cough or a fever should self-isolate and that many more families would “lose loved ones before their time”.
News of cancelled events, including the World Travel and Tourism Council’s annual summit, and cuts to flight schedules rolled in. Gold Medal and Travel 2 were among the many operators to waive cancellation fees.
On March 11, as the Brits on another stranded Princess Cruises ship were finally flown home from the U.S., a British passenger on a Viking cruise ship in Cambodia tested positive for coronavirus. The next day Fred Olsen cancelled a Caribbean cruise after passengers and crew tested positive, Princess Cruises suspended all of its sailings for 60 days, CLIA postponed its 2020 conference and the Government advised the over-70s not to go on cruises.
Over the weekend of March 14-15, life for British people continued relatively normally but the travel industry was in turmoil. More cruise lines suspended operations, the Foreign Office added Malta and Vietnam to its ‘advise against all travel’ list; G Adventures, Intrepid and APT were among the operators to announce a suspension of all tours; Inghams closed its ski programme for the year; and President Trump extended his travel ban on Europeans entering the U.S. to citizens of the UK and Ireland.
The next week (March 17) agents no longer had to keep up with the FCO’s everchanging advice as Britons were advised against all non-essential travel for 30 days.
The Foreign Office has now updated this to advise against all non-essential travel ‘indefinitely’ and in the weeks in-between we have seen the travel industry fight for survival from every corner. Agents across the country are working from home and, between helping clients still stuck abroad or cancelling imminent trips, are left wondering how they will carry on. All we know is that this will continue to change and that the industry must ride it out together.