p22 cruise jan23 20/1/09 17:04 Page 22
Cruise
Lee Hayhurst
020 7921 8001
lhayhurst@ttglive.com
For the latest cruise news, visit
ttglive.com/cruise
ANALYSIS.
in the first week of ‘wave’ [turn-of-year sales
period] by a substantial margin and we will
have another record week this week. Internally,
we are asking ourselves why this is.”
Shaw said the figures suggested that Royal
Caribbean’s brand building and commitment to
the UK market was paying off.
Extraordinary prices
Shaw’s upbeat assessment was shared at
Cunard, whose president Carol Marlow said
people were taking advantage of “extraordi-
nary prices” in “extraordinary times”.
The line’s Cunard Sale is advertising trans-
atlantic sailings on Queen Mary 2 from £699,
making the six-day crossing historically cheap.
“Business across our two ships is doing very
well. This is really happening. Some people may
be delaying but they will book and there is very
little downtrading,” said Marlow.
The best explanation for this recession-
bucking performance is that the type of people
who traditionally cruise are not suffering under
mountains of debt. Indeed, they are generally
Royal Caribbean has reported record booking levels for its January sales period, despite the economic downturn retired or time-rich and have cash in the bank,
and with savings rates plummeting they are
opting to spend their money instead.
Cruise sales buck
Record sales
Peter Beadles, managing director of Reader
Offers, said: “It’s a really peculiar situation. We
the tide of gloom
are in the midst of a recession, it’s all doom and
gloom, but things are going quite well.”
Beadles said his agency was 25% up in the
Are people still prepared to cruise in a recession? The answer
first 18 days of January and had already sold
seems to be yes. Lee Hayhurst gauges the sector’s strength
more Royal Caribbean and Fred Olsen Cruise
Lines sailings than throughout last January.
Gary Wardrope, managing director of Get
S
peaking to TTG last week about the tor Robin Shaw said January was “exceeding all Cruising, said: “Our January sales are signifi-
state of the travel industry, one airline expectations” and that these were set high. cantly ahead of last year and well ahead of
boss declared “don’t believe anyone He claimed phones were 50% busier in the budget. Cruise will continue to do well as it
who tells you business is booming”. call centre. And, he added, contrary to reports represents excellent value for money relative to
Well, it’s time to suspend your disbelief, from other sectors, people were not booking other sectors and also due to the demographic
because the cruise industry insists that so far later: the proportion of forward bookings was shift of the ageing population.”
2009 is faring exceptionally well. in line with previous years. More cautious, but still positive, was Jetline
How can this be? Aren’t we in the grip of the Cruise director Ian Gilder. “I’m realistic; it could
worst downturn since the Great Depression? Booking trends have been a lot worse, it could always be better.”
In the past week cruise lines have been eager One change in booking patterns has been an The Passenger Shipping Association has
to claim how well things are going. increase in people opting to cruise closer to the forecast no growth in the sector this year but
While actual sales figures are being kept UK, with 70% booking a European cruise as early signs suggest UK passenger numbers
close to chests, this view is being endorsed by opposed to 60% last year. Otherwise, Shaw could increase for a 12th consecutive year.
agents, who sell around 90% of cruises and added, the same demographic of people were
who have less reason to talk things up. booking, just in larger quantities.
ttglive.com
The latest cruise news, and preview of the
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line managing direc- “We had a record week in terms of bookings UK Cruise Convention:
ttglive.com/cruise
22 23.01.2009
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84