Choosing a cabin on a ship is one of the biggest barriers to selling to new-to-cruise customers, according to a leading UK based travel agent.

“The Travel Village managing director Phil Nuttall said cabin grades and numbers can be off putting for agents and customers unfamiliar with cruise ship accommodation,” the Travel Weekly reports on its website.

Customers choose their cabin at the time of booking and are often faced with a huge choice of room types. Cabin types are new-to-cruise agents’ “worst nightmare”, Nuttall was cited as saying.

“Despite what all the cruise lines will argue – cabin grades are right up there with the biggest barriers to selling cruiseWe must find better ways of selling the positions of cabins.”

Nuttall, who is also chair of the Clia UK travel agent advisory council, said cabins should be allocated on arrival and if passengers wanted to choose their cabin beforehand, they should pay a fee, the report said.