More than half of cruise passengers say that avoiding air travel aggravation was the biggest plus in choosing to sail from a UK port.
Another quarter of respondents cited lower cost as the best reason for sailing directly out of Britain, with 15% selecting the choice of destinations now available. Only 8% preferred to fly to start their cruise, according to the poll by cruise review website Cruise Critic.
The figures emerged after the Passenger Shipping Association found that more than one in three British cruise holidays will sail from a home port. Cruise Critic editor in chief Carolyn Spencer Brown said: “First-off, most people no longer find flying with its delays and three hour check-in a pleasant experience and will try to avoid it if at all possible.
“Last year the strikes and ash clouds compounded the situation driving more people to seek out a home port option. Conversely the investment by ports in improving passenger facilities has made sailing to and from the UK a much more pleasurable experience.
“Then we have the cost. On average, the fly part of a fly cruise holiday will add 25% to the total cost. Currency is also a major consideration in these days of the weak pound. Most ex-UK cruises will be paid for in pounds and on-board costs will be charged in pounds.
“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, there is the huge increase in choice. The choice of ports, ships, cruise lines and itineraries is greater than ever before fulfilling a latent demand for homeport cruising.”