NEARLY three-quarters of Australians (73%) believe cruising is the best way to travel – so much so that more than a quarter would only choose a cruise for any future holiday.
These are some of the key findings from a recent survey of nearly 5,000 Australians, which also found almost four-fifths are planning to sail again this year, and more than a quarter are already planning a sailing in 2026.
The survey, commissioned by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), also revealed almost all (95%) of its past cruisers like to go ashore in every port, for city sightseeing (77%), scenery (73%), and history tours (70%).
The findings underpin NCL’s program of destination-rich itineraries in Europe, Asia, Alaska and Hawaii, which include few or no sea days.
Value compared to land-based itineraries was the secondary motivator (66%) for booking a cruise, behind destination motivation, with the quality of food and dining experiences on board also a high priority (65%).
The survey also confirmed the Mediterranean (pictured) as the country’s most sought-after destination, and dining as the top choice for shipboard experiences.
Four-in-ten of us listed the Med as the destination of choice, followed by Asia (32%), Northern Europe, and the Baltics (30%) with Alaska, the South Pacific and Hawaii also popular choices.
“Our research confirms that NCL is delivering more of the elements our guests value the most, such as over 400 destinations to explore, extended time in port and greater value with NCL’s ‘More at Sea’, including more specialty dining, more premium beverages, more wi-fi minutes, and shore excursion credits in every port,” Vice President & Managing Director Ben Angell explained. MS