One of the recent booking trends noticed by Peter Trembath, brand director at True North, is that guests are booking further ahead than they used to. “We are currently experiencing strong interest in our products, and one of the most pleasing trends is that guests are more prepared to book further ahead,” he said, according to 2021 Expedition Market Report by Cruise Industry News.

“This is obviously very reassuring for everyone associated with the True North and (shows) very strong faith in our still family-owned operation,” he added.

Earlier in 2021, True North had completed an annual refit on its only ship – the 36-passenger True North.

“Each year, the True North is removed from the water, and no expense is spared in bringing all onboard facility back to showroom condition,” he said.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus onboard and help ease the effects of the pandemic, True North launched “True North Fresh.”

“(It’s) a program designed to ensure that our company can continue to provide market-leading levels of guest satisfaction,” the company said.

True North Fresh is based upon four pillars: enhanced hygiene, amendments to general booking conditions, restated values, and amended pricing and product.

The hygiene changes include getting rid of non-essential items in guest cabins, a two-tier sanitation process in the air conditioning system, cleaning the floor with a hospital-grade cleaner once a day and surface areas and contact points twice a day, among other measures.

The amendments to booking conditions mean that anyone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, developed a symptom, or came into close contact with someone who tested positive or developed symptoms, will be offered to defer their voyage arrangement to an equivalent one without having to pay the penalty. This also applies to guests who are no longer able to travel because of coronavirus-related restrictions.

Additionally, True North claims to have reduced itinerary pricing by around 25 percent in 2020.

The cruise line regards the small size of its ship, having an all-Australian crew, and being able to offer multiple activities on every day of every itinerary as its strong points.