Cruise holidays - information
Currently, the cruise industry is the fastest growing leisure sector, with an average growth of 9% per year. The passenger Shipping Association (PSA) say that numbers have doubled in the last 10 years, with over 1.8 million UK passengers in 2009 and this trend showing signs of continued growth.
Clearly from these figures, more and more tourists from the UK are choosing to have a holiday on a cruise ship.
The Mediterranean area and the islands in the western Atlantic, such as the Canaries and the Azores are the most popular destinations for cruise holidays for UK tourists.
Many people take the opportunity to fly from the United Kingdom to meet their ship at a Mediterranean port. This is known as a fly-cruise. About 40% of cruise passengers start their journey at a British port, whereas 60% opt for a fly-cruise. Southampton is the most popular port for beginning a cruise holiday from the United Kingdom.
Development and structure
In recent years cruising has become fashionable, with more people being able to afford this type of holiday. In the past cruising was seen as expensive and ‘up-market’ with the need to dress formally for dinner. Some tourists still like the ‘up-market’ feel of a cruise ship and enjoy the high quality service.
However, more recently the cruise companies have provided a range of different options so that people can choose the type of programme that meets their needs. For example, many cruises now cater for families. It is expected that more and more younger people will start to take cruise holidays in the near future.
Different types of cruises and the facilities they offer
Ø Fly- cruise
Ø Round the world cruise
Ø Mini-cruise
Ø River cruise
Ø Luxury cruise
Ø Special interest cruise
Ø Transatlantic cruise
Ø Sail ship
Ø All-inclusive
Ø easyCruise.
Fly – cruise
All of the major cruise lines offer fly – cruises. This type of cruise takes the biggest market share for UK travellers. Prices for fly-cruises include the flight and all of the arrangements are made for the passenger. The accommodation in cabins, meals and usually room service, activities and entertainment on board are also included in the price. Cunard cruises, (flagship QE2) are one of the cruise companies that offer the luxurious cruises while Thomson and Carnival cruises are less formal and usually appeal to package holiday makers.
Advantages of fly-cruise include
Ø Speedy delivery of passengers to the destination region
Ø A wide range of destinations and categories of ship available to choose from
Ø Cruises can be from a few days to a few weeks.
Round the World.
The ultimate cruise experience!
Prices start from about £10,000 per person but can be double or triple that price depending on the choice of accommodation. Customers tend to be older, retired, people as they have the time and the money.
Mini- cruise.
Mini-cruises have been developed as a way of bringing more business to passenger ferries. They offer a good range of facilities to passengers that include
Ø cabins
Ø restaurants
Ø shops
Ø cinemas
The cruise may last for one or two nights and sometimes offers a city stay in the middle of the cruise. Cruises depart from UK ports such as Hull, Harwich and Newcastle.
River Cruise
The river Nile, Egypt, is probably the best-known river cruise but many more areas are popular. Danube, Seine, Rhine, Mossele, to name a few.
River cruising is very different from ocean cruising. On a river passengers feel always close to the shore and can see sights clearly. Shore excursions are often included in the price. River ships are much smaller than cruise ships.
A river ship may carry 100- 200 passengers; a cruise vessel may carry thousands
Luxury Cruise
Luxury cruise lines are described by the PSA as ships with fewer than 1000 passengers, a staff to customer ratio of at least 1:2 and a space to passenger ratio of more than 40 sq. meters. The cost will be at least £500 per day.
Ultra – luxury cruise lines include Crystal Cruises, Hebridean Island Cruises, Seabourn and Windstar.
Special Interest Cruises
Special Interest Cruises offer a more unusual product like Christmas shopping in Rio, Greek and Roman History, Nordic legends, and many, many more.
Many of these special interest cruises appeal to a younger group of customers who are looking for more activities on their cruise with some adventure too.
Some special interest cruises to Alaska include dog sledding and whale watching.
Transatlantic Cruise
This is a legendary travel experience. It aims to copy the journeys of the early cruisers and is still an amazing way of travelling to America. The Queen Mary 2 is one of the more famous ships making this crossing. The Titanic is the most famous passenger ship to attempt the crossing!
Sail Ships
An exciting way to cruise! Passengers take a tall ship or ‘windjammer’ and take part in this very informal type of cruising. Passengers can help sail the ship themselves on this type of cruise. This type of cruise is classed as being very adventurous. A small crew sails the ship under the expertise of a skipper and first mate. The holiday is hard work but fun. Accommodation is basic and informal.
easyCruise
easyCruise like easyJet is the budget side of cruising . It is aimed at 20,30, and 40 year olds and ditches anything to do with formality.
There are no frills but prices are cheap with cabins starting at £29 per night. The easyCruise ship sails in the Mediterranean and then in the Caribbean.
Passengers make their own arrangements to reach the ship and book nights on board just as you would book a hotel.
Passengers are encouraged to book using the Internet – just as they would for easyJet.
Meals and drinks have to be paid for – just as they would be on easyJet flights.
The most popular cruise areas are
Ø The Mediterranean
Ø Asia/ Far East
Ø The Caribbean/ Americas
Ø Scandinavia
Ø Antarctica
Ø The Nile
Impacts of cruising on the main cruise areas of the world.
Impacts of Cruising
Economic benefits
Ø Jobs – servicing the port and the ship
Ø Jobs in construction – ship building , ports and shopping areas
Ø Increased spending by visitors
Ø Increased wealth for locals.
Environmental impacts
Ø It is greener to fly than to cruise when you weigh up the CO2 emissions
Ø International ships are said to be the world’s largest virtually uncontrolled sources of air pollution and is rising almost unchecked.
On a typical one week voyage a cruise ship has
Ø More than 50 tonnes of garbage.
Ø A million tonnes of grey (waste) water
Ø 210,000 tonnes of sewage
Ø 35,000 gallons of oil-contaminated water
Ø Passengers on cruise ship each account for 3.5 kilograms of rubbish daily compared with 0.8 kilograms generated by each person on shore.
The International Maritime Organisation have imposed basic environmental standards on cruise companies as a result of these impacts.
Cruise ships are introducing recycling and cutting down on disposable items to reduce waste. Carnival, a cruise company, has achieved a 65% recycling rate.
Social / cultural impact.
Advantages
Ø New facilities provide social benefit to local people.
Ø Local residents have the chance to meet and interact with different cultures
Disadvantages
Ø Meals are usually provided on board so passengers do not use local restaurants
Ø Accommodation is on board and so they do not use in hotels at any of the destinations
Ø Passengers on shore for one day spend less than those tourists who stay for one or two weeks.
Employment opportunities
There are lots of employment opportunities on board ship that include:
Ø Crew – captain , first mate, purser, etc
Ø Entertainment
Ø Engineering
Ø Bar and restaurants
Ø Fitness
Ø Tour guides
Ø Reception
Ø Medical
Ø Beauty and hairdressing
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