Ambassador booking revenue up 341% as Brits look for value in 2023
- Holidays remain a necessity, not a luxury, with 94% of people looking to go away this year according to new survey from the no-fly, premium-value cruise line
- Brits set to be more cautious with their holiday spend in 2023, with almost a quarter looking for great value
- The expense of travel, flight delays and cancellations and fluctuating exchange rates all noted as reasons why people might not fly abroad
- Ambassador’s January booking revenue up 341% year-on-year, suggesting premium value, no-fly cruising could be the answer to 2023 travel woes
Holidays continue to be top of the priority list for Brits, with 94% wanting to book a break this year according to a new survey from Ambassador Cruise Line. However, the expense of holidays (64%), fluctuating exchange rates (32%) and delays and last-minute flight cancellations (29%) have been revealed as some of the top concerns for travellers heading into 2023 following a survey of 2,000 respondents commissioned by the premium-value cruise line.
These insights come as Ambassador revealed that booking revenue was up 341% year-on-year for the first two weeks of January, with a healthy outlook on future sailings across both its cruise ships - Ambience (currently in service) and Ambition (launching May 2023 and serving seven UK departure ports, meaning less spending on high-cost flights before the holiday has even begun).
While airport queues, flight cancellations, exponential increases in travel costs and other factors, such of the high cost of living, were all key themes throughout the past year, Ambassador’s survey revealed that, while we are still looking to travel, getting genuine value for money is key when it comes to choosing which type of holiday to enjoy.
While the majority of respondents said that they will book a holiday this year, almost two-thirds of us (60%) are planning to spend £2,500 or less on holidays in 2023, with one in three of us aiming to spend less than £1,000 – making Ambassador’s premium-value offering even more compelling for guests who don’t want to compromise on their traditional cruising experience while enjoying one of the cruise line’s many sailings available for less than £1,000 per person*.
Ambassador’s survey identified the top holiday hotspots for Brits over the coming years, revealing that people are most interested in the Mediterranean (41%), Caribbean (21%), Scandinavia (20%) and the UK (41%) - destinations that can be enjoyed on a number of cruise experiences with Ambassador^.
The survey also showed the types of holidays people are seeking, with city breaks (37%), beach breaks (33%) and all-inclusive (25%) holidays all ranking highly - all of which feature in Ambassador’s array of itineraries spanning two to 120 nights offer guests a variety of holiday types, taking in top city break and beach destinations. Ambassador also offers a range of carefully-curated Destination Experiences, paid for in sterling, which help guests make the most of their time ashore, as well as the option to go all-inclusive with the Ambassador Fare, which includes all meals, premium wines, spirits, teas and speciality coffees, gratuities & service charges.
Christian Verhounig, Ambassador Cruise Line’s Chief Executive Officer, says: “We know that Brits love to travel, and despite the challenges of the current climate, people still want to have a memorable holiday in 2023.
“However, it doesn’t surprise us that we are being more mindful when it comes to spending on holidays this year – the cost-of-living crisis and airport issues are fuelling concerns for lots of travellers. What these survey findings highlight is that no-fly cruising could be the answer for those seeking true value for money when booking their next holiday experience - nowhere more so than with Ambassador, whose premium-value offering includes outstanding cuisine, amazing entertainment, exceptional service and sterling as our onboard currency.
“25% of our forward-bookings have been made by guests who have already experienced the ‘warmest welcome at sea’ with Ambassador, which is an incredible achievement after just nine months of operation. With nine out of 10 guests saying they would recommend Ambassador, our record-breaking start to the year suggests that guests are looking to book sooner rather than later to secure their cruise of choice, while also indicating that those who typically book with more established and higher-priced cruise companies are now looking to enjoy a truly authentic, premium-value experience with Ambassador in 2023.”
ENDS
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Notes to Editors:
Findings based on a YouGov survey of 2,000 respondents in December 2022 commissioned by Ambassador Cruise Line.
* Sailings for less than £1,000 PP include the 12-night Arctic Voyage to North Cape & Land of the Midnight Sun (from £879pp) and the 12-night Iberian & Northern African Escape (from £939pp).
^ Favourite destination cruises include the 32-night Grand Mediterranean sailing; the seven-night Majestic Fjordland sailing; the 38-night Christmas and New Year in the West Indies and Dutch Antilles sailing; and the 11-night Easter British Isles Discovery sailing.
Ambassador’s Turn of Year offers - available until 31 January
Until 31 January, guests can benefit from Ambassador’s Turn of Year offers, which include savings of up to 30% on selected sailings from April 2023 through March 2024, offers on drinks package upgrades & gratuities, up to £840^ of complimentary onboard credit, low supplements for solo travellers, kids go for £99 on multi-gen cruises and more. For more information, click here.
About Ambassador Cruise Line
Ambassador Cruise Line launched in 2021, offering premium-value no-fly cruises to the UK market. Based in Purfleet, Essex, Ambassador provides authentic adult-only experiences combined with a selection of multi-generational itineraries to multiple destinations including the Nordics, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Africa. The cruise line’s first ship, Ambience, entered the fleet in May 2022, operating from her home port of London Tilbury.
From the 2023/24 season, guests will sail onboard Ambience as well as Ambassador’s second ship, Ambition, which joins the fleet 12 May 2023 and heralds the launch of sailing from seven regional UK ports: London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol, and Falmouth.
Ambassador’s extremely experienced management team is led by Chief Executive Officer, Christian Verhounig, and its principal shareholder is Njord Partners LLP, London. Ambassador is a member of ABTA, the UK’s leading travel trade association widely acknowledged as the mark of trust and reassurance associated with travel brands. Consumer funds are protected by means of a financial failure insurance policy managed by TMU Management Limited and underwritten by Accelerant Insurance Europe SA, who are regulated by the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA 3193). The scheme is fully compliant with the Package Travel and Linked Arrangements Regulations 2018.
For more information, visit www.ambassadorcruiseline.com