Australian luxury travel agency Travel Associates has kicked off the luxury cruise season with a pop-up event at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal. The event, marked by a towering 7-metre tall purple gem, was held in collaboration with ten of the world's leading luxury cruise lines.

The towering gem, delivered in collaboration with IVY PR, was created as a symbol of the brand's 'one-of-a-kind' positioning.

Travel Associates Australia and New Zealand General Manager Rachel Kingswell said the brand's activation came following a resurgence in luxury cruising across the globe.

“Last year we saw luxury cruising come back in a big way but this year we’ve seen an even stronger uptake in bookings as travellers are keen to invest more in experiences over things,” said Kingswell.

"Travel Associates is proud to have taken over one of the most iconic cruise ports in the world, Sydney, alongside our incredible partners, to officially launch the 2025 luxury cruise season.

"It was incredible to be joined by Australia's leading travel media and some familiar and famous cruise-loving faces who helped us mark this special occasion under our beautiful Travel Associates gem."

Head of Brand and Marketing for Travel Associates Australia and New Zealand, Maddison Done, said: “We’ve identified a new luxury traveller emerging in our market, and the way to connect with them requires a less traditional approach that blurs the lines across luxury categories, considering fashion, beauty, travel, art, food and interiors.

“We know that the new luxury traveller requires an experiential edge that crosses these verticals to cut through the travel clutter, which is why this particular installation leans on almost all of them, to really celebrate the unique USPs of luxury cruising and put our one-of-a-kind experiences on show.

“Our data shows the luxury cruise market in particular is growing at an astounding rate as this new market discovers for the first time just how enjoyable a 5-star, all-inclusive hotel experience at sea can be. It only felt right to bring this to life in a disruptive and striking marker true to our brand, surrounded by so many of our industry partners and friends from the broader luxury category.”