The number of British people taking a cruise in the first nine months of this year has risen 5% compared with 2008, despite the recession.
Figures released today at the Travel Convention in Barcelona by the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) show 1.55 million Britons will take a cruise this year, up from 1.48 million in 2008.
The PSA had predicted no growth this year because there was no new ship capacity launching dedicated to the UK market, and the Island Cruises fleet was cut from two ships to one after TUI Travel bought the other 50% share in the company in October 2008. This month, Ocean Village also goes from two ships to one.
However, cruiselines have been reporting strong sales this year in response to the discounts and incentives introduced to keep people booking through the recession.
In June, Regent Seven Seas Cruises said bookings for the first five months were up 48% between January and May, while Silversea said bookings during three weeks in May surged 150% compared with the same month in 2008. Holland America Line said last month that bookings so far this year were up 88%.
PSA director Bill Gibbons said this year’s growth reflects the value and quality of a cruise holiday, where on-board meals and entertainment are included in the price.
He said: “The all-inclusive nature of cruising and the very high standards of quality, innovation and customer service have made cruising a compelling and mainstream holiday choice.”
Gibbons said the number of Britons taking a cruise in 2010 is expected to increase 6.5% to 1.65 million due to the launch next year of P&O Cruises’ Azura and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, both dedicated to the UK market.
Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Eclipse will also be dedicated to the UK market next summer, and will sail from Southampton.
New cruiseline Cruise and Maritime Voyages will be operating Marco Poloyear-round from the UK from January 2010, and is adding a second ship, Ocean Countess, which will be sailing from regional ports in the UK.
Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas will be operating year-round from Southampton instead of during the summer only starting from April 2010, and Holland America Line is offering its first full-length cruises from Dover aimed at the UK market.
Gibbons said: “There is now a sustained interest and excitement in cruising that will be reinforced in December with the introduction of the largest ever cruise ship by Royal Caribbean International with Oasis of the Seas.”