Oceania Cruises boss Howard Sherman says Australians flocking back to cruising but this time round its closer to home

After North Americans, Australian cruisers have overtaken the rest of the world as the second highest demographic of guests on Oceania Cruises’ ultra-luxury ships.

Howard Sherman, president and chief executive officer of Oceania Cruises, says bookings are at a record peak for its ships. Picture: Jane Dempster

After North Americans, Australian cruisers have overtaken the rest of the world as the second-highest demographic of guests on Oceania Cruises’ ultra-luxury ships, as the line’s vessels start arriving in November for the Australian and New Zealand summer cruise season.

Oceania’s president and chief executive, Howard Sherman, says bookings are at a record peak for Oceania’s line of six ships – with a further two under construction at the Fincantieri shipyards in Italy.

“Australia has always punched above its weight,” Mr Sherman says, reckoning that there’s a lot of pent-up demand from older Australian travellers who missed out on travelling due to Covid.

“Many of our older retired ­clientele … they feel the urgency of time … they feel the loss of the ­opportunity that they had to travel these past few years. They feel that very keenly.

Oceania Cruises ship Riviera. Bookings are at a record peak for the line’s six ships.

“What’s on the table for us is a record 2023 … forward bookings are greater than 50 per cent better than before the pandemic,” Mr Sherman tells The Australian in an interview in Sydney, adding that Oceania is nearing 70 per cent booked for 2023.

“Australians book out further, they spend more, they buy a better category of suite even than people from the United States do. They’re the only market that does that.

“The typical average American will book 10 nights, whereas the Australian will book 14 nights.”

But do Aussies spend more on cocktails and shore excursions?

“I am not sure anyone spends more than the Brits on drinks,” Mr Sherman quipped.

Australians may not be the biggest drinkers on Oceania, but they have become very keen on buying cruises closer to home – preferring not to fly too far, according to Steve Odell, senior vice-president and managing director Asia Pacific, Oceania Cruises.

Howard Sherman says that the Oceania brand is very popular with retirees, particularly those aged in their early-60s.

The Sydney-based Mr Odell says the flight to closer ports has been a noticeable trend since the pandemic, but there is still a liking for Mediterranean, Northern ­Europe, and the British Isles from Australians. While Caribbean and Alaskan cruises are not as popular with Australians.

Mr Sherman says that the Oceania brand is very popular with retirees, particularly those aged in their early-60s.

“It’s popular with people who have made their money. There are no lines, it’s the best food at sea, there’s a different port every day because they are smaller ships, and it’s for people who can afford to travel the world and stay in a Four Seasons hotel,” he says. Mr Sherman is a big advocate of more cruise terminals in Sydney, saying that Oceania would “love to be here more”.

“There is nothing more dear than a cruise space on Sydney Harbour.”

Through the pandemic, Mr Sherman, who admits the company owes a lot more money than it used to, took the position to retain staff and to continue to spend on marketing had paid off.

“We’ve come out of the other side in a much stronger position than a lot of our competitors.

“Major travel agents and the ones that kept their staff through the pandemic are coming out the other side better off,” he said.

The companies that let their travel staff go were having a lot of trouble rehiring, he said.

Mr Sherman, who is visiting Australia to meet with major travel agents and travel advisers, says one of his personal regrets through the pandemic was the loss of time.

Originally published as Oceania Cruises boss Howard Sherman says Australians flocking back to cruising but this time round its closer to home