The luxury cruise sector has seen a significant amount of change in the past two years and this looks set to continue as we move into 2023 . We spoke to James Cole , Founder and Managing Director at Panache Cruises to discuss the latest trends and future innovations within the sector .
SPECIALISTS IN LUXURY
“ Since the global pandemic , we have seen much more interest in luxury cruises on much smaller vessels and we expect this trend to continue into 2023 . I think there have been a number of drivers for this . Firstly , due to the pandemic , some people have become much more crowd conscious and this has prompted a move away from mass-market style holidays . The much lower passenger numbers associated with luxury and ultra-luxury cruises have clearly inspired people to try an ultra-luxury cruise for the first time . Once you ’ ve experienced an ultra-luxury cruise , it is hard to go back . The differences are stark in terms of personal space , levels of service and the standard of cuisine . There are many other associated benefits of course . Due to their size , luxury vessels are able to visit much smaller ports and in more picturesque locations . Scenic cruising is also another aspect which is often overlooked as well . Because large ships have to stick to dedicated sea lanes due to their increased draught , smaller vessels are free to roam much closer to the shore and can stop off at small islands with much greater flexibility .
THE ART OF LUXURY Issue 56 2023