The House of Travel Group has launched a new group-wide cruise strategy to ensure it is well-resourced to capitalise on the sector’s immense potential for expansion.

The number of new to cruise agents is on the rise, including amongst those who have had years in the trade but not previously actively sold the category, says Jeff Leckey, general manager of HOT Cruise.

A leading cruise practitioner has welcomed what he describes as Azamara’s commitment to New Zealand in ‘grand style’ for summer 2021/22.

The comments from Jeff Leckey, general manager cruise at House of Travel, follow the news that a full circumnavigation of New Zealand is planned on Azamara Journey for 20 January 2022.

Embarkation on cruise ships is likely to be much quicker as cruise lines adopt more self check in technology and paperless documeyation post the Covid crisis, says one leading cruise practitioner in New Zealand.

Jeff Leckey, general manager cruise with House of Travel Group, says the tendency of many people to turn up early for their cruise check in has meant long waits at the cruise terminal and winding queues to get to check in desks.

Jeff Leckey, general manager cruise at House of Travel Group, is unlikely to mourn the probable passing (at least for a while) of cruise buffets.

‘When local cruise line P&O did away with the buffet a few years ago and replaced it with The Pantry, there was a sudden intake of breath from traditionalists,’ Leckey says in a Hoot Cruises Blog. ‘Could they seriously

A stalwart of New Zealand’s cruise industry says a lack of home porting in New Zealand presents a challenge to the industry here in coming years.

House of Travel says it is committed to getting more Kiwis ‘on-board’ with cruising, especially those who have not cruised before.