‘Hundreds’ of agencies can now sell Oceania Cruises after year-long trade project
Harry KembleOceania Cruises has agreed commercial deals with “hundreds” of UK and Irish agencies over the past 12 months, following an intensive push to engage with all types of travel retail businesses.
Just over a year ago, the line’s international sales vice-president Jason Worth told TTG of plans to target a “subset” of agents that “fit well with our product”.
Ahead of the launch of Oceania’s new 2026 Collection, which opens for bookings on 23 October, Worth revealed how successful the trade engagement exercise had been.
He said: “Our team have done a great job at expanding our agency partnerships. We’ve had a different strategy this year. There are hundreds of agents who are now able to book us.
“We now partner with any agent that wants to work with us. We’re excited to open up these channels.”
He noted how Oceania’s UK and Irish sales team, led by sales director Louise Craddock, had approached every consortium in the country.
Worth added: “The first step is setting up trade partnerships and then there’s the training followed by the fam trips and ship visits after that. We’re very focused on those three things.”
Oceania reported more than 1,400 UK and Irish agents had joined one of the 29 ship visits the line had hosted so far this year, with one more in Portsmouth to come.
The 2026 Collection features more than 100 itineraries, including 35 “Grand Voyages” on six of the line’s eight ships.
However, despite Oceania Cruises’ boss Frank A. Del Rio hinting that the line could base a ship in the UK if conflict in the Middle East continued to escalate, the line has decided against offering full ex-UK season in 2026.
Craddock explained: “Oceania Vista is offering eight ex-UK sailings next year – and we’re having success with that deployment. There are couple of sailings where we’re going to fill the ship entirely with UK and Irish guests.”
She added that Oceania’s deployment strategy for 2026 had changed “a little bit”. “We’re focusing on fly-cruise sailings more,” said Craddock.
The incoming Allura, Insignia and Nautica ships will operate more than 50 Mediterranean itineraries in 2026, ranging from seven to 14 days.
Worth said customer demand had persuaded Oceania to up the focus on fly-cruises rather the drive-cruise market.
“It’s really about our guests from all over the world and what they are looking to do and see,” he said. “Spending more time in the Med is giving the people what they really want.”
Meanwhile, Craddock added: “We will have lot of 2026 sailings with only one flight. Either one flight to Reykjavik and then cruise to Southampton or one flight to Barcelona and then cruise to Southampton.”
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