Amex issues a cruise bucket list

Most customers are not put off by the recent spate of bad news in the cruise industry, though perhaps it’s at the root of an uptick in river cruising versus ocean voyages.

That seems to be the gist of an internal survey of travel agents released yesterday by American Express at Cruise3Sixty.

Fifteen percent of the 250 respondents said cruise sales have been hurt by the recent events.

More than a third (38%) noted increased demand for small ships and 27% said customers are asking for river cruises. 

Indeed, said keynote speaker Tony Gonchar, vice president of the American Express Travel Representative Network, "the great news is there is a cruise experience for everyone – from the launch of new ‘mega-ships’ to the increased popularity of river cruising."

Small ship experiences are "hot on the mind of consumers who want to explore unexpected locales," Amex says. 

Regions such as the Mediterranean (37%) and Caribbean (22%) are most popular, but the agents said they also are seeing interest in new destinations like Italy’s Po River (19%);  Cambodia and Vietnam on the Mekong River (27%); and South America on the Amazon River (20%).

Nearly 75% of the agents surveyed said balcony staterooms are the most requested rooming category, while 21% cited suites and penthouses, and 69% reported an increased demand for higher-end room categories.  

Still, value is important. Fifty percent said an onboard credit is the most common request from clients and 84% feel discounts and offers such as free-air promotions and onboard credits are the most impactful tool to help them generate and drive cruise business.