Oceania Cruises has set a new single-day booking record, with reservations for its 2024 Around the World in 180 Days voyage selling out within 30 minutes when bookings opened on March 2. Additional new reservations on the same day led to a nearly 12% increase over the cruise line’s previous record, which had been set in September 2021.
Amazing Response to Amazing Voyages
The 2024 Around the World in 180 Days sailing will set sail from Los Angeles, California, on January 14, 2024, aboard Insignia, a Regatta-class ship that can accommodate 698 passengers at double occupancy, with space for up to 824 passengers when fully booked.
The 6-month cruise will visit stunning ports worldwide, from Hawaii to French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, China, Vietnam, India, Egypt, Greece, Spain, France, Iceland, and so much more, before arriving in New York City on July 12.
In conjunction with the world cruise, the company also launched four new 72- to 82-day Grand Voyages in the Asia-Pacific region aboard Regatta, Nautica, and Riviera. While not as intense as the full world cruise, these voyages visit intimate ports and offer experiences not available on shorter sailings or larger vessels.
Together, the reaction to these cruise offerings has been outstanding.
“The response to our 2024 world cruise and the new grand voyages clearly illustrates the resiliency, enthusiasm, and passion that drive our guests to travel the world,” said Howard Sherman, President and CEO of Oceania Cruises. “The fervent demand for these globetrotting experiences is also a testament to our officers and crew and the travel partners that have steadfastly championed the worldwide return to travel.”
While the world cruise has sold out, interested passengers can still apply for the voyage’s wait list in the hopes that cancellations may occur and new space may become available.
New Guests Turning to Cruising
While world cruises typically attract many loyal repeat guests, Oceania Cruises’ 2024 world cruise saw almost half of all bookings come from first-time guests who have never sailed with the line before.
“The tremendous response from our loyal repeat guests and new first-time guests alike continues to illustrate the epic pent-up demand for immersive, destination-focused cruises and the strong allure of our acclaimed small-ship experience,” said Sherman.
Oceania Cruises, which was founded in 2002 and is part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, specializes in intimate, luxury experiences, visiting ports of call unavailable to larger ships. The line also carefully curates dining experiences to offer a rich culinary experience to passengers, bringing the flavors of the regions it visits onboard for guests to enjoy.
Insignia offers open-seating dining for guests to choose their dining experiences according to their own preferences, with classic Continental dining and global tasting options at the Grand Dining Room, as well as specialty restaurants offering an even wider range of tastes. All dining options are included in the cruise fare, including 24-hour room service, with no surcharges.
More Record-Breaking Bookings
Many cruise lines are seeing bookings on the rise, not just for such phenomenal offerings as world cruises, but even for more familiar sailings. As the cruise industry has restarted since summer 2021, Carnival Cruise Line saw record bookings for the end of 2021 and all of 2022, with new reservations surpassing the record-breaking bookings of 2019. Other cruise lines have seen similar booking surges as cruising continues to restart.
The confidence both returning guests and new passengers are showing in cruising is an indication of how safe and convenient cruise travel is. With strict protocols that have managed to minimize the risk of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships, guests are feeling more confident about setting sail, and demand for cruises of all types is sure to continue to rise in the months ahead.
