What’s on the horizon for cruising? Cruise Weekly has five
predictions for the year ahead.
1. Emphasis on safety
The Costa Concordia controversy will see all cruise lines focus
attention on safety procedures, navigational equipment and the
competency of their crew. Lifeboat/muster drills will be held before
sailing – and passengers will listen more closely. It may also be a less
common sight to see the Captain having a glass of wine at dinner or
cocktail parties. Scenic cruising by big ships will come under scrutiny.
2. River cruising as a first cruise
New fears about ocean cruising are also likely to boost the appeal
of sailing on small ships in uncomplicated waterways.
But more relevant is this year’s debut of 13 river vessels, which will
freshen the offer to travellers planning to do Europe or Asia by road
or rail. This abundance of shiny-new ships, providing personalised
service and port-intensive itineraries, will look a lot more attractive
than driving, coach tours or booking trains, planes and accommodation.
3. More young cruisers
The arrival of more modern, activity-based ships in Australia is
bound to push curious first-timers over the line.
People in their 20s and 30s will be lured by the greater evidence of
fun onboard, from ice-skating rinks to waterslides – features not
experienced before on local cruises.
Leading the charge for youth are Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival
Spirit from October) and Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas (from
November).
Expect to run into a few bucks and hens parties at sea, as well as
groups of friends trying something different to Bali or Byron Bay.
4. Ship within a ship
As cruising becomes more mainstream, some people want to be
separated from the ‘riff-raff’! The ‘ship within a ship’ concept allows
luxury-style cruising on non-luxury cruise lines, with passengers
paying extra for access to exclusive areas and pools, concierge
service and perks such as free drinks and canapés.
Best examples are Cunard’s Queens Grill, MSC’s Yacht Club,
Celebrity’s AquaClass, Disney’s Concierge Level, and The Haven on
Norwegian Cruise Line.
In some ways it could be seen as a throwback to the class system of
decades ago, but it’s not necessarily reserved for the super-wealthy.
MSC Yacht Club, for example, only costs $35 per person, per night,
more than the price of a balcony suite.
5. Asian invasion
The size of the cruise industry in Asia has doubled since 2005, with
more than 20 full-time ships and 40 seasonal vessels.
The potential market from China and India alone is estimated to be
74 million passengers.
Various ports in China and Singapore are clamoring to become
known as the hub of Asian cruising, building state-of-the-art
terminals to attract the best and biggest ships.
Chinese and Korean cruise lines are on the way, and China is also
tipped to start shipbuilding.
Less than 0.05% of the continent’s population has taken a cruise,
but with almost 3 billion people and a growing propensity for travel,
Asia has the potential to lead the cruising world.
