Cruising, as a vacation option, continues to be one of the fastest-growing and most resilient sectors in global tourism. As cruise tourism surges to new heights, we seek to understand the latest trends emerging in the Indian cruise market. TTJ spoke to some key B2B players in the Indian cruise space to delve into the evolving demand, needs, challenges, and new developments.
– Gurjit Singh Ahuja
Exploring India’s evolving cruise market, from distribution dynamics and sales strategies to customer preferences and booking challenges, reveals significant growth opportunities.
India’s Cruise Industry Dynamics
In India, cruise lines predominantly depend on General Sales Agents (GSAs), Preferred Sales Agents (PSAs), and cruise consolidators to distribute their offerings, focusing heavily on providing marketing and sales support to these key distribution partners. Cruise consolidators, in particular, play a pivotal role, with their relationships varying from single to multiple cruise lines, depending on their strategic agenda and market focus. Aarish Khan, Chief Commercial Officer, TBO.Com, explains, “As one of the B2B market leaders, our portfolio includes major international ocean liners such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Resorts World Cruises, MSC, Costa Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, and Holland America. We have also recently established a partnership with Disney Cruise Lines. Additionally, we promote two prominent river cruise lines: Avalon Waterways and Uniworld Cruises. In the expedition segment, we feature Silversea Cruises. We also promote Cordelia Cruise, India’s domestic cruise line. We offer a complete cruise portfolio covering all major segments of the cruise market.”
Enhancing Cruise Sales
With greater online access to information and options, customers and agents must be highly responsive and well-informed to deliver the ideal cruise experience. Cruise lines are committed to continuously enhancing product knowledge throughout the distribution chain, ensuring strong brand recall and smoother sales processes.
Abdul Thingna, Vice President of Hotels and Holidays at TripJack, highlights the importance of supporting travel agents, “At TripJack, we continually enhance our offerings to provide travel agents with a diverse range of cruise options and personalised support. We focus on equipping agents with comprehensive content and precise details, enabling them to exceed customer expectations and ensure a seamless booking experience.”
Aarish Khan adds, “We focus on cross-selling cruise options in metro cities while initially targeting tier two and three cities for Far East and Middle East cruises. Additionally, we conduct educational and training seminars for travel agents in metro and tier two and three cities to equip them with the knowledge and skills to promote cruise holidays effectively.”
Understanding Indian Preferences
The Indian cruise client can primarily be divided into first-timers and repeat clients. A first-time cruise guest may opt for a three-night or four-night cruise option, but a repeat guest is willing to experiment and explore. Vineet Srivastava, Managing Director, Yorker Holidays Services, mentions, “Domestic cruises covering Goa and Lakshadweep are hot, but for international cruises, Singapore is a popular destination, followed by the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Alaska cruises. With the advancement of the winter season, sailings ex Dubai is also manifesting a lot of interest.”
Vineet adds, “In recent years, India has seen a growing preference for longer cruises, with four to seven-night itineraries becoming more popular than shorter two to three-night trips. Balcony staterooms are now the top choice, and the average age of cruise travellers has decreased.”
With Dubai emerging as a significant cruise hub in the Middle East and Singapore enhancing its offerings with the launch of Disney Adventure in 2025, there will be an increase in demand for cruises by appealing to a broader audience from India seeking unique and family-friendly experiences.
Cruise Booking Challenges
Like every industry, cruising has its own set of challenges. Indian customers tend to book late. This leads to higher fares and limited availability. Also, visa concerns abound. Cruise guests often face uncertainty, risking cancellation penalties due to potential visa refusals. Aarish addresses these concerns, “We collaborate with cruise lines to offer early booking promotions, encouraging travel agents to book well in advance. We also advise our partner travel agents to offer cancellation protection plans to their clients, ensuring their money is protected in case of visa issues or delays.”
