the review: cruise
Cruise Update
River cruises run fast
cruiseexperts.org
CRUISE NEWS IN BRIEF AGENTS can save their clients up to £614pp off Active Discovery cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers by taking advantage of a new offer from Avalon Waterways. The luxury river cruise specialist is offering the discount for 2019 bookings on four itineraries including Active Discovery on the Danube, sailing from Budapest to Linz, and Active Discovery on the Rhine, from Amsterdam to Mainz. Prices for the nine-day Danube sailing start from £2,140pp, with prices for the eight-day Rhine cruise from £2,184pp.
ANDY HARMER, CLIA UK & Ireland Director
THIS year we have talked a lot about ‘Generation Cruise’ – that is, the fact that cruising has broken through into the mainstream and is no longer a specialist holiday. But we know that there are still a lot of holidaymakers who have yet to even consider a cruise holiday. So, throughout September and October CLIA is running a campaign encouraging even more people to #ChooseCruise. We divided the campaign into eight weekly themes that focus on the onboard experience, including Family Cruising, Food and Drink, Entertainment, Themed Cruises and Spa and Wellness. This is because the onboard experience is at the very heart of the cruise industry. Travel agents sell the vast majority of cruises in the UK, as customers rely on them for expert knowledge and guidance through the booking process and those choices around cabin types, activities, entertainment, dining options, and more. So now is the time for all of us to pull together to show the British holidaymaker just how incredible cruising is, no matter what their age or particular interests. This truly is the time to #ChooseCruise!
61
BY STEVE HARTRIDGE
avaloncruises.co.uk
THE rise of river cruising continued in 2017 with another record year of growth. According to CLIA UK & Ireland’s latest UK River Cruise Review, passenger numbers rose by 21%, with total bed nights up by 24% over 2016. In 2017, the UK river cruise market reached 210,400 passengers, against 174,400 in 2016, with European river cruises making up 90% of the bookings. Cruises in Central and Western Europe accounted for almost two-thirds (62%) of all river cruise bookings, with the Rhine and Danube leading the way. But it was Eastern and Southern Europe that saw the most growth last year, predominantly on the waterways of Russia and on the
Douro (which flows through Spain and Portugal). Outside of Europe, three rivers accounted for the bulk of passengers: the Mekong (southeast Asia), Nile (Egypt) and Irrawaddy (Myanmar), with the Ganges (India) and Brahmaputra (India) also performing well. Andy Harmer, Senior VicePresident Membership and CLIA UK and Ireland Director commented on the report: “With continued investment and innovation in this sector, and with new events and initiatives to engage travel agents, the growth in river cruising continues to be an important part of the overall cruise industry.” cruiseexperts.org
Selling Emerald Xmas cruise is a piece of cake EMERALD Waterways has a Christmas Danube cruise that will feature afternoon tea with Mary Berry. Departing December 1, ‘Festive Delights of the Danube with Mary Berry’ will travel from Nuremberg to Budapest and also take in Vienna and Bratislava. Prices start from £2,795pp for a cruise that will also include a gala Christmas dinner and a Q&A with the TV celebrity.
CELEBRITY XPEDITION has been revitalised by an array of enhancements. New for the 100-guest ship is redecorated staterooms, lounges and restaurants, and faster Wi-Fi. The ship will debut the new suites, services and amenities next June, to coincide with the arrival of the new Celebrity Flora. Both ships will explore the Galapagos Islands. celebritycruises.co.uk
PRINCESS Cruises’ fifth Royal-Class ship will be named Enchanted Princess. Scheduled to launch on June 15 2020, it will sail a series of European voyages and will be a sister ship to Royal Princess, Regal Princess, Majestic Princess and Sky Princess. princess.com
SAGA has a new Croatia island-hopping cruise, priced from £1,149. Including flights from Gatwick with Croatian Airlines, the Coasts and Coves of Dalmatia tour, aboard MV Maritimo will depart on 17 dates between April and October 2019. travel.saga.co.uk
emeraldwaterways.co.uk
sellingtravel.co.uk
Cruise news.indd 61
9/28/18 11:19 AM