Cruisers more inclined to go upscale
New surveys repeatedly show the growing trend of cruising as a hot vacation option for 2011 and low-priced deals are particularly pushing the popularity of luxury outings, travel experts say.
“I think it’s definitely the hottest and most interesting growth area,” Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com, told McClatchy Newspapers.
One in five travel agents who are members of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reported growth in luxury cruises. Good deals are helping to drive the development, according to the CLIA survey.
“Luxury cruise fares are also at – or near – historic lows, making luxury cruises an even greater value than there were just a short while ago,” says Avid Cruiser.
The site reported late last year that cruises could be booked for under US$300 a day.
That’s a particularly attractive rate when considering the fare often includes dining at gourmet restaurants, fewer lines and more exclusive features such as a better ratio of cruisers to service personnel. Free alcoholic and soft drinks may also be included.
Vacations to Go, a large cruise agency, advertises 75 percent off brochure prices.
The company founded more than 25 years ago sells “excess inventory” at deep discounts, says the site “How Life Works.”
By David Wilkening
David
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