41 experimenting with itineraries that avoid marquee ports altogether – one example is our ‘Off-The-Beaten-Path Greek Isles’ itinerary – and I expect us to offer more cruises like that in the future.” Second, the brand has started cruising in Europe year-round. “While we hope to attract local European cruisers, this is still mainly aimed at our core North American market,” says Peterson. “The Mediterranean is extremely pleasant in the winter, and we can go to places like Naples, Italy, that we would avoid in the summer due to crowding. We call it the ‘Local Season’, because there are fewer tourists and we can focus on major cities, which are lively year-round and less touristed in the off season.” To help Windstar Cruises change its approach to itinerary planning, Peterson calls for communities to share clear rules and regulations around how they manage tourism and crowding. “We believe it improves the experience of our guests and ensures that tourism is sustainable and welcome in the future,” he explains. “However, it’s important for communities and ports to be proactive. Rather than react to one summer of big ships and crowding, it’s better for a community to anticipate issues, set reasonable limits, and give cruise lines ample notice. “Ultimately, I’m a fan of ports that have placed clear limits on cruise tourism in a way that welcomes ships, while improving the experience for guests and the community. For example, I like ports that accept one ship per day. We also love small ports that are just focused on small ships, such as Sibenik in Croatia, Fowey in the UK, and Harlingen in the Netherlands.” Virgin Voyages, which could not be more different than Windstar Cruises, is still relatively new in the market and is approaching things slightly differently. Natasha Salzedo, director of itineraries and destinations, believes the cruise market is in a dynamic phase right now. “Based on current deployment patterns, new ship orders, traveller preferences and broader travel trends, we are exploring new types of itineraries,” she says. “We are testing cruises of varying lengths, open jaw itineraries that may allow a sailor to pursue a back-to-back voyage and curate the length that best suits them, and uncovering new destinations that are on sailors bucket lists. “We love to offer unique destinations within a voyage that sailors may not have thought about visiting before. We aim to leave them with a moment of being glad they got to discover a new city they may not have seen if they had not booked a voyage. “We now offer itineraries of various lengths for sailors who are new to cruise and want to dip their toes into the brand with shorter voyages, as well as more longer and in-depth cruising options. For example, our six- to 11-night deeper Caribbean voyages allow sailors to spend more time onboard and experience the brand and see the Caribbean at a slower pace.” UK-based brand Marella Cruises has also recorded a rise in guests looking for shorter cruises, says Neil Duncan, head of trading and planning. “For sure, we are seeing a stronger demand for shorter “ We are experimenting with itineraries that avoid marquee ports altogether” Jess Peterson, Windstar Cruises Windstar Cruises regularly calls at Harlingen in the Netherlands, which is an ideal port for small ships Photo: Edwin Kooren
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