Cruise Diary page 3 of 5
Wednesday 7th October 2009
By Steve Read
Record Breaking Cruises
CRUISING is set to break new records next year, as more Brits realise it's the best way to afford a holiday during the recession.
By December, 1,550,000 will have gone on a cruise this year - and next year the number will rise by another 100,000.
Bill Gibbons, chairman of the Passenger Shipping Association, says: "There is now a sustained interest and excitement in cruising.
"The difficult economic climate has made this year a testing time, but the exceptional value offered by a cruise holiday has been reflected in continued record growth."
Next year's new UK-based big ships - AZURA from P&O, the CELEBRITY ECLIPSE and Cunard's QUEEN ELIZABETH - mean fares will stay competitive as the cruise lines compete for "heads on beds".
And new ships that won't even be based here, like OASIS OF THE SEAS, CARNIVAL DREAM and NORWEGIAN EPIC, will attract fly-cruisers.
→ Book a Cruise with Sky Travel
QM2 Reigns
QUEEN MARY 2 will never be overtaken as the biggest ship in the Carnival Corporation fleet, chairman Micky Arison said today.
He has no plans to build anything like rival Royal Caribbean's OASIS OF THE SEAS, which will carry 5,400 passengers - more than double the number on the Cunard flagship.
Mr Arison told the ABTA convention in Barcelona today: "There's nothing wrong with larger, but it's different strokes for different folks."
Details Released...
MORE details are emerging about what the German cruise line Phoenix Reisen plan to do with P&O's child-free ARTEMIS when they take her over at the end of May, 2011.
Phoenix have already bought the ship, but have chartered her back to P&O until she has completed her winter 2010-11 season.
Then the ship will go into dry dock for a refurbishment, which will include fitting extra balconies.
Pirates cause cruise lines to cancel
SEABOURN are scrapping their planned cruises around the Indian ocean next year, because pirates make it too dangerous to get there.
Instead the SEABOURN LEGEND will sail around the Caribbean.
Chief executive Pamela Conover says that while the shoreside destinations remain safe for visitors, the high seas routes between them are vulnerable to incidents of piracy that have not been adequately controlled.
She says: "It makes me sad to have to cancel these cruises.
"I personally loved touring Kenya's game parks, and the islands of the Seychelles, Madagascar and Zanzibar are lovely and exotic destinations.
"We look forward to a time when the sea routes are controlled enough for us to cruise there for a season."
Sister ship SEABOURN SPIRIT will dash through "pirate alley" near Somalia next year, as she heads from the Med for a winter
season in Malaysia and Australia.
Four years ago, that ship came under attack in the same area. Safety officer Michael Groves and master-at-arms Som Bahadur Gurung later received bravery awards.
→ Book a Cruise with Sky Travel
Recommended Offers
 |
FREE Disney gift card worth up to $1000 Book a 14 night Disney holiday with Disney's Ultimate Tickets on selected dates and receive a gift card with a value of up to $1000! |
|
|
Low deposits on Summer 2010 Holidays Book your holiday for next summer and only pay a small deposit - from just £50pp! Then you only have to pay the balance 8 weeks before you travel. |
|
|
Top TV Offers Deals of the week including Cyprus, the Maldives, Rhodes, USA and Northern Europe Cruises. |
|
Beach holiday bargains Deals from your local airport Sky Travel cruise offers Tailor-made holidays City breaks and hotels |
|
Subscribe to Sky Travel's Newsletter
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter, packed with exclusive holiday deals, competitions, quizzes and travel ideas.
