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Next summer’s cruise sales showing ‘phenomenal’ growth
Wednesday, 09 Oct, 2009
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Cruise sales for summer 2010 are showing “staggering growth” with consumers looking for the best value rather then rock bottom prices, according to a leading researcher.
Forward sales for next year are currently 29% up with prices of more than £1,600 being achieved.
Sarah Smalley, managing director of GfK Ascent-MI which researches forward bookings, described the growth as “phenomenal” compared with the rest of the holiday market.
“People are choosing value, not just the cheapest,” she told delegates attending the first Cruise Forum as part of the ABTA Travel Convention in Barcelona.
Her comments follow the Passenger Shipping Association predicting a 6.5% rise in the number of British cruise passengers next year to 1.65 million following a projected five per cent growth in 2009 (see previous TravelMole story).
Royal Caribbean International vice president and UK managing director Robin Shaw described how cruise holiday prices needed to rise following a period of discount-led sales driven by the abrupt economic downturn.
“Prices need to go up in cruising. We have had double digit reductions and we do need to recover from that pricing – that’s an absolute must,” he said.
Shaw claimed that even if prices went up by as much as 20% over time, cruises would still represent “amazing value” at a time when cruise companies needed to ensure a return on the massive investment being made in new ships.
But Thomas Cook commercial relations director Marc Bennett warned cruise lines to be careful not to de-stablise the situation.
“There is a perception that cruise is good value. When something’s not broken there’s no need to fix it.”
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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