The UK cruise market has shown resilience so far despite rising cost of living, although households are expected to face another significant increase in energy prices from the autumn onwards.

Princess Cruises has reported customer demand for 2023 sailings is “well outstripping” previous years – two months after the line achieved its record booking day in the UK, Travel Weekly reports.

Eithne Williamson, the line’s vice-president of UK and Europe, explained how the biggest-ever booking day in late June had been a key driver for the current 2023 cruise booking volumes Princess was seeing.

She said there was “great interest” from UK passengers for fly-cruises in the Mediterranean as well as highlighting how demand was returning for destinations such as the Caribbean and Alaska.

However, she added that her team should never take things for granted and highlighted how the line had recently cancelled 11 Diamond Princess sailings over staffing challenges, she pointed out.

Meanwhile, research by the online agent cruise.co.uk has shown that cruise enthusiasts are still prioritising their holidays at sea despite the current increases in cost of living.

A survey of 1,015 people by the company found that almost 70% have booked or will book a voyage this year. Of this number, around three-quarters will travel on their first-choice sailing, with the final quarter still cruising but opting for a lower-priced option than they would usually book.

The results were published on 19 July, which was about a month before news of significant further increase in energy prices that households would face from the autumn onwards.

Of the remaining survey respondents, 20% stated they would go on a non-cruise holiday this year, either in the UK or overseas. The final 10% have postponed their holiday plans until 2023 or beyond. Nearly 20% of the overall respondents have at least one sailing lined up in both 2022 and 2023.

There is an even 50/50 split between cruisers either sailing from the UK or flying overseas to meet their ship, with little sign the ongoing issues at airports have affected plans.

For those yet to book this year, the Mediterranean is the favourite destination, with the Caribbean second and Norwegian Fjords / North Scandinavia third. The growing popularity of river cruises continues, as sailing a European waterway is in fourth place.

Photo: Ambiance is the first ship of new UK cruise operator Ambassador Cruise Line that started sailing in the spring.