Carnival Cruise Line took ownership of the Costa Venezia from sister cruise line Costa Cruises and is rebranding it as Carnival Venezia, which debuted in May 2023 in New York but will sail from Port Canaveral beginning in December 2024. Cruises have become more popular than ever during the “shoulder season,” travel experts say.
They agree that the shoulder season, for better or for worse, just isn’t the same as it was in years’ past. Airfare is still high, leading to more people choosing cruises over other travel methods, especially so in Europe. And travelers are more interested in booking further out into the future — from spring 2024 to fall of 2025 — than they have in more recent years.
Sara Jane Stroupe, of Cupcake Castles Travel Company, agrees with the last-minute trend: “A lot of clients are doing last minute trips due to airfare constraints, natural disasters — having to pivot from original plans — or budget constraints.” “I have had multiple clients booking fall travel in the past few weeks for not just this year but for fall 2024 and 2025 as well,” said Jeremy Hall, Operations, Sales and Marketing for Cruise Vacations International with Aspire Associates Group. “Europe, Asia and Egypt have been high on the list with a heavy focus on river cruises for all three. I’m noticing my clients are starting to plan further ahead than they were for the past two years.