Australians may but cutting back on spending, but not on luxury cruises

Various surveys over the past year all concur on one thing: Australians would rather cut back on anything except travel.

Travel Associates, a premium travel brand owned by Flight Centre, recorded a 57 per cent surge in luxury cruise spending in 2025 compared to the previous year. It says demand for upmarket cruise lines such as Explora Journeys, Regent Seven Seas and Scenic has increased significantly.

Demand for expedition cruises to pricey destinations such as the Arctic and Antarctic is also strong.

Cruisers are spending more money in other ways too, with an uptick in world cruises, back-to-back cruises and longer itineraries. The cash is also being splashed on upgraded cabin categories.

The wider opening of wallets was once attributed to revenge spending following the COVID-19 pandemic, but clearly other forces are now at play. It seems we’re willing to pay for I-deserve-it treats, and more intimate and personalised cruise experiences.

Another reason spending on cruises is rising, however, is that holidaymakers are looking for more all-inclusive packages. That could be interpreted as an effort to save rather than to spend more.

Nevertheless, cruising attracts big spenders. Will the trend slow as the world seemingly gets more uncertain? Luxe hotel chains don’t think so. Aman, Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton have or will launch ships whose daily rates set new and wince-inducing benchmarks for what people are willing to pay for a cruise.

Suites on a Four Seasons cruise in the Mediterranean are currently hovering at about $US4000 ($5800) a night. It wasn’t so long ago that $US2000 a night for an entry-level cabin was considered the limit for luxury cruises.

At the premium level, $1370 for two starts – alarmingly – to sound reasonable. That’s the fare per day on the longest world cruise currently on offer, 244 days visiting 53 countries and 125 ports on Oceania’s Vista, departing in January 2027.

Do the maths though and you’ll see that a couple will have to cough up $334,280 for the whole journey.

Yet that seems like an absolute bargain compared to a mere nine-night Mediterranean cruise on Regent Seven Seas’ new ship Seven Seas Prestige departing in June 2027, on which the top suite goes for $159,050. That’s a person, twin share.

Luxury cruise lines are banking on passengers paying for add-ons, too. Anthology restaurant on Explora Journeys’ ships has menus starting from €200 ($334) a person including matching wines, although that’s chump change for those availing themselves of a new watch in the only Rolex stores at sea.

Even so-called budget ships expect occasional big spenders. A 100-minute couple’s body massage treatment in Royal Caribbean’s Vitality Spa costs $US599 ($870), far more than the entire basic fare on some of its multi-day cruises.

And on Disney Cruise Line, bottles of 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc wine from the prestigious Bordeaux estate are reputedly priced at $US25,000.

EVERYONE ASKS

What does a cruise director do?

Cruise directors are one of the most senior crew members and the most visible – and audible, since they make most of the announcements on board.

You’ll see them buzzing around ships organising all the onboard activities, from the simplest of trivia quizzes to theme parties, deck barbecues and evening Broadway-style shows. They’re in charge of overseeing everything that the hotel director doesn’t: all the activities, entertainments and shore-excursion scheduling.

Cruise directors are the forward face of the cruise line and need big personalities, endless smiles and great interpersonal skills. But they’re more than entertainers. They also have to deal with passengers, take responsibility for guest satisfaction and oversee the ship’s safety and security.

They also have to be highly organised and efficient, act as brand ambassadors, manage the entertainment budget and drive shipboard revenue for those activities that involve add-on cost.

They’re the emcee, the ringmaster and activities and entertainment manager. They do all that while working ridiculously long hours. Cruise directors may have some assistants but on small ships will be a one-man or one-woman band.

Cruise directors can make or break the atmosphere on a cruise ship, especially on smaller ones where they will likely interact with every passenger.