Cruises winning battle with airlines
An emerging trend among travelers: an inclination to eschew air trips for cruises. Why?
"A big reason for the shift is the raw deal consumers are getting from airlines, but don’t expect the financial end of that raw deal to change anytime soon," writes MainStreet.
US airlines collected about $5.7 billion in airline baggage fees and reservation changes in 2010, according to the US Department of Transportation.
"With profit margins thinner and fuel prices higher, airlines are going to keep those fees in place, but risk facing a backlash against the traveling-bound consumer as the summer holiday season beckons," says MainStreet.
So one option is cruising.
Cruising has been growing steadily in recent years and almost 15 million Americans turned to cruising in 2010, according to CLIA (Cruise Line International Association). Reasons include cheaper prices over the year, the all-inclusive (mostly) nature of the business and the variety of free amenities that include room upgrades.
There’s also no need to travel far to ships because most Americans live within six hours of a cruise port, according to LastMinuteCruises.com.
By David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements