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Cruise figures are up despite ‘challenging’ year
Cruise passengers are up with 20,000 more Brits cruising in 2012 than in 2011, according to Passenger Shipping Association figures.
The trade body estimates that 1.72 million took an ocean cruise this year compared to 1.7 million in 2011.
More than 2% growth is expected for 2013 with close to 1.76 million passengers expected.
This is despite a challenging year for the industry with the January tragedy where Costa Concordia capsized with the loss of 32 lives and the subdued UK economic climate.
Eight out of ten UK cruise sales are still coming through travel agents, spearheaded by those specially trained to advise on cruise options through the Association of Cruise Experts (ACE), reports the PSA.
Nearly $5 billion has been invested globally by the industry in six major new cruise ships launched this year, and a further $3.2billion will be spent on six more ships scheduled to enter service next year
PSA director William Gibbons said: "There is no doubt that the cruise industry faced a unique set of challenges this year but our UK figures show that the cruise sector has outperformed the rest of the holiday sector.
"The sheer diversity of cruises offered by our 41 members, coupled with unrivalled value for money has helped to attract the ‘new to cruise customer’, key to boosting growth within our sector."
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