Ambassador Cruise Line CEO Christian Verhounig has written to agents warning that they can no longer relay on ‘short booking windows, last-minute demand and price slashing’.
In a letter sent to partners this week, he said that, due to the war in the Middle East, there has been a shift in booking behaviours.
“Quite simply, the lates market is dying,” said Christian. “Geopolitical shocks are no longer rare disruptions; they are becoming a defining feature of the global economy and consumer behaviour is adjusting fast.
“Travellers are not naïve. They understand that geopolitical instability, fuel price swings and wider economic pressures can quickly translate into higher fares and reduced availability, not just in peak periods but throughout the year.”
He said Ambassador is already witnessing a change in customer behaviour, with more than 87% of its capacity sold across the programme.
“On Thursday 12 March 2026, we launched our 28/29 season, with sales in the first hour alone amounting to over a third of the total we achieved across an entire day when launching our 27/28 season in June 2025,” he added.
“Together, these figures make it abundantly clear that guests are booking earlier and in far greater numbers to lock in prices and secure the itineraries, cabins and sailing dates they want before global events potentially drive costs higher, even with companies such as ours hedging fuel prices to maintain competitive pricing.
“For the travel industry, the message is stark. The era of short booking windows is drawing to a close and the lates market with it.
“Persistent geopolitical volatility will force both operators and travellers to plan further ahead, without the fallback of distressed inventory suddenly appearing to boost suppliers’ coffers and tempt consumers with a perceived bargain.”
He said the Government has a role to play in reassuring customers of the financial protection available to give them confidence to book in advance, as well as providing ‘advance, timely and coordinated travel guidance’.
Christian also reassured partners that Ambassador is ‘well-positioned from a fuel and cost perspective’, having fully hedged its 2026 and 2027 programmes.
He said the cruise line currently has no plans to introduce any fuel surcharges.
“You and your teams can therefore continue to sell Ambassador with confidence, safe in the knowledge that we remain committed to offering the affordable quality and value that our guests expect, alongside the warmest welcome at sea,” added Christian.
