But rises reported during 2011
Cruise prices remain in consumers’ favour going into 2012, according to the Cruise Holidays 2012 Cruise Trends survey, with prices to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean still averaging lower than they were between 2008 and 2010.
However, prices to these destinations have actually risen slightly since 2011, which is seen as a positive trend by the cruise industry because it demonstrates increased demand for travel. Additionally, it appears that cruisers’ tastes are becoming more sophisticated: Celebrity Cruises – a premium cruise line – boasts the most popular new ships for 2011 and 2012, according to Cruise Holidays cruise experts across North America.
The survey is based on actual bookings from Cruise Holidays’ proprietary booking system, as well as from a supplementary opinion survey taken by top owners and agents. The bookings include any staterooms booked by Cruise Holidays from 1 January, 2011, to 21 December, 2011, for any cruises beginning in 2012.
Ship ahoy
Price is only one factor contributing to cruisers’ vacation decisions. The ship itself, along with the itinerary, is just as important. The survey selected the Celebrity Silhouette as their favourite ship to debut in the past calendar year. They voted the fifth and final Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Reflection, as the ship they are most anticipating for 2012. Reflection will sport an additional deck compared to previous Solstice-class ships, with three new types of suites, and more than 50 international craft beers in its enhanced “Michael’s Club.” Reflection will do a short series of European itineraries when it debuts in October, then cross the Atlantic to begin cruising the Eastern Caribbean.
The second most popular ship expected in 2012 is an upscale river cruise ship: AmaWaterways’ Amacerto. The Amacerto is a 164-passenger ship that will sail itineraries on the Danube, Rhine, Main and Mosel Rivers. It features extra-spacious suites, deluxe hotel-style bedding, and a heated sun deck swimming pool.
River cruising allows passengers to explore Europe’s greatest treasures from the middle of the action – the ships often dock right in the heart of historic cities and provide vacationers with instant, convenient access to explore Europe.
Rounding out the top five in the survey of most popular ships for 2012 are the Disney Fantasy, Oceania Cruises’ Riviera and Viking River Cruises’ Freya, also a river-cruise ship.
Popular Cruise Destinations
While Caribbean cruises are the perennial and overwhelming favourite, early bookings to Europe continue to outpace those to Alaska, for the second year in a row. Highlighting cruisers’ continuing love affair with Europe, cruises to the Baltic and Scandinavia increased, further cementing Europe’s second-place ranking. A shift in cruise capacity away from the Mexican Riviera, and ports such as Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta, means this region is down to seventh place after being as high as third between 2006 and 2008. The Caribbean, including Bahamas, accounted for 59.88 per cent of cruises, Europe (includes Mediterranean, Baltic, Scandinavia & Greek Isles) was 11.47 per cent.
Western Caribbean cruises are the most popular cruise destination overall, followed by Eastern Caribbean cruises and then Southern Caribbean cruises.
Looking ahead to the first three months of 2012, otherwise known as Wave Season, a period in which many bookings are made in the cruise industry, the level of optimism is at a three-year high for Cruise Holidays experts. More than 73 per cent of respondents say they are very optimistic or somewhat optimistic about Wave Season, with an additional 25 per cent feeling neutral. That level of optimism demonstrates an excitement that bookings will be strong in the first quarter of 2012, said the company.
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