THE FAR East is proving to be the fastest-growing cruise region as passengers look for alternative destinations to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
Figures from the Passenger Shipping Association show that 21,202 UK passengers took a cruise in the Far East in 1998, up 144% on the previous year’s figure. In 1994, the figure was 8,040.
The numbers are still small compared to the 257,555 UK passengers who cruised in the Mediterranean last year, or the Caribbean, which attracted 160,000 UK cruisers.
But the PSA believes the Far East is the next top cruise destination.
PSA chairman Bill Gibbons said:”The Mediterranean has become fairly crowded so tour operators are looking for new cruise areas to offer their customers. The Far East is proving very popular.”
Much of the credit for growth has been attributed to Singapore-based Star Cruises, the only operator which offers year-round sailings in the Far East. The operator is also set to increase its capacity by 50% after launching two new ships at the end of 1999.
Its success has prompted other cruiselines to expand their product range in the region and has led mainstream operator Airtours to break new ground with a Far East itinerary for 2000/2001.
Airtours’ ship Seawing will operate two seven-night cruises from Phuket with a lead-in price of £799 per person.
The Singapore Sling cruise will call at Krabi Island, Singapore, and Melaka and Penang in Malaysia, while the Flavours of the Orient itinerary takes in Singapore, Port Kelang, Belawan in Sumatra and the Malaysian island of Langkawi.
The cruises can be combined for a 14-night holiday, or passengers can link a week’s cruise with a week’s land-stay in Phuket. Fourteen-night packages start at £999.
Airtours is also offering a series of one-off cruises for the ship’s repositioning voyages between Europe and the Far East.
Airtours senior marketing manager for cruise Vicky Wilby said:”Nearly one third of Airtours’ passengers have already cruised with us before so it is important we continue to develop new itineraries which will keep them coming back for more. There is a gap in the market for cruises to the Far East from companies such as ourselves.”
Star Cruises will operate itineraries out of Hong Kong and Bangkok this year in addition to its traditional hub of Singapore.
Its ship SuperStar Europe will sail from the port of Laem Chabang, just outside of Bangkok, to Ho Chi Minh City and the islands of Son and Phu Quoc in Vietnam, and to the Thai island of Koh Sumai before returning to Bangkok.
SuperStar Leo will operate three and five-night sailings to China and Vietnam. The three-night cruise-only starts at £290.
Swan Hellenic sales director Carolanne Dieleman said: “The Far East is one of our fastest- growing destinations for a lot of reasons.
“People are much better travelled than ever before and most who have cruised have done the Mediterranean and are looking for something that is more exotic and different.”
She added: “When it comes to land tours, some people are still a bit apprehensive about going to some faraway countries because of the hygiene aspect.
“Cruising has become an ideal way of seeing a lot of those destinations in comfort and ease.
“You can be really adventurous during the daytime and at night go back to your ship and be among familiar and comfortable surroundings.”
“Cruising in the Far East allows people to see more countries in one trip. People want to be adventurous and they want to explore but they don’t want to reduce standards of comfort and hygiene, which may happen on a land-based trip.”
Carolanne Dieleman, sales director, Swan Hellenic
“The fact that Airtours is basing a ship in Asia in the winter will be a huge boost to the region. Tour operators are always looking for new cruise areas in order to expand their portfolio. A lot of people choose to combine a cruise in the Far East with a land-based stay. You can go to the destination and do a cruise as part of an overall holiday experience.”
Bill Gibbons, chairman, Passenger Shipping Association
“Hong Kong is very much a must-see destination, while Vietnam is also very interesting. It is a country that 10 years ago was a no-go area. When you go on a ship it is much easier to get to some of these places. Halag Bay, for example, has rock formations rising out of the sea which are all weird and wonderful shapes. If you travel there over land, it is really difficult to get to. That is one of the real benefits of cruising.”
Paul Ellerby, UKsales manager, Orient Lines