South Africans are starting to ‘Catch the Wave’

South Africans are starting to ‘Catch the Wave’

By: Gaynor Galbraith Neill - GM Cruise Vacations

 It’s catching on in South Africa, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday before it, ‘Wave Season’.  The history of ‘Wave Season’ is not new, but when the phrase was coined is unclear. What is clear is that this is another Northern Hemisphere marketing trend which is fast catching on in South Africa.

So, what exactly is Wave Season? With the obvious pun intended, this relates to the wave of bookings experienced by cruise lines in the first quarter of the year. Through the collection of data over the years in the US it was found that statistically the peak cruise booking season of the year was during the months January through March.  This led cruise lines to cash in on this trend by offering special offers and enticers to maximise sales.

 From it’s origins in the USA, this early year booking trend has been attributed to factors such as the planning of a summer vacation following a long winter as well as the discussion and planning of ‘next year’s vacation’ over Thanksgiving and the festive season holidays. Co-incidentally the trend has taken hold here in the Southern Hemisphere with similar sentiment, indeed the lengthy festive season break is a time when planning often begins for new year adventures but equally a time when many South Africans are considering warmer climes, for when the winter season begins. As a result, the first quarter of the year is also statistically a busy booking season, and so the Wave Season offers are perfectly timed for SA passengers.

It is well known that ocean and river cruise lines run seasonal offers throughout the year, however, during the Wave Season they are renowned for offering more aggressive deals as well as value-added extras, these might include anything from substantial savings to on board spending credits, upgrade offers, extended drinks packages and sometimes experiences and excursions. 

Unlike Black Friday or Cyber Monday, this is no one-day ‘blockbuster’. There is no need to set an alarm for midnight and hope that you grab a deal before an almost predictable server crash. By running over a three-month window, Wave Season is less designed for last minute specials (although there are likely to be some), and more so for passengers planning ahead and getting the best value for their Rand on their chosen itinerary.

Whatever might be on offer, there is no question that this first quarter is an ideal opportunity for agencies who specialise in cruising, those who rely heavily on this lucrative travel segment or indeed agencies who are strategising to grow their cruise sales to take advantage of an array of offers that would give weight to their marketing campaigns and sales efforts, a time to ‘catch the wave’.

 Gaynor Galbraith Neill is the General Manager of Cruise Vacations, locally appointed General Sales Agents for Silversea Cruises including Silversea Expeditions; Star Clippers, Scenic, Emerald Waterways and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Cruise Vacations  Tel: +27 11 5140564     [email protected]