Cost, convenience and comfort are encouraging more passengers to cruise direct from the UK rather than fly to their destination, an independent cruise specialist has claimed.
Since the beginning of the year, Gill’s Cruise Centre has seen a 20% rise in ex-UK passengers and, so far, 67% of its customers have opted to cruise from the UK.
That figure mirrors the trend across the trade that saw 531,000 Brits starting and finishing their cruises in the UK in 2008, which was 20% up on the previous year.
By contrast there was only a 4% year-on-year increase in the number of passengers taking a flycruise between 2007 and 2008.
Ex-UK sailings are also being boosted by the increasing number of cruiselines offering them and choosing to base ships in UK ports. These companies include Cunard, Fred Olsen, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises and Voyages of Discovery.
Gill’s Cruise Travel Centres chairman Alistair Gill said: “I put this new trend down to what I call the 3Cs: cost, convenience and comfort.
“Ex-UK cruises are often a bit cheaper as there is no flight to pay for, there is no waiting around at the airport at either end and you can take your time to get settled onboard before the main itinerary begins. And, of course, without airline restrictions, passengers can take as many bags as they like,” he said.