Undeterred by international cruises still barred from entry into New Zealand due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, some operators are planning ahead.
Oceania has announced that its 2024 Around The World in 80 Days voyage, which includes stops in Aotearoa, sold out in just 30 minutes, setting the fastest single-day booking record in the company's history.
Oceania said close to half the bookings were from “first-time, new-to-brand guests”, while a huge 42 percent were from travellers sailing on the current 2022 Around the World voyage.
President and CEO of Oceania Cruises, Howard Sherman, noted that there is a large pent-up demand for global sailings.
“The response to our 2024 world cruise and the new grand voyages clearly illustrates the resiliency, enthusiasm, and passion that drives our guests to travel the globe,” said Sherman.
“The fervent demand for these globetrotting experiences is also a testament to our officers and crew and the travel partners that have steadfastly championed the worldwide return to travel.”
The ship, which can hold 684 passengers, is due to leave Los Angeles, US on January 14, 2024, and will visit more than 100 Unesco World Heritage sites across 96 destinations, before finishing in New York on July 12.
It is due to arrive in New Zealand on February 11, 2024 with a visit to the Bay of Islands, before touring around the country with stops in Auckland, Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and cruising Milford Sound.
