UK cruise market grew 5% in 2011, first timers number 700,000

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Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 07 March 2012 07 March 2012

The UK ocean cruise market grew by 5% to a record of 1.7 passengers in 2011, with nearly 700,000 people taking their first ever cruise, figures of the Passenger shipping Association (PSA) show.  “Passengers cite the key attractions to cruising as value, service and the wide choice of worldwide destinations. More British passengers than ever chose to begin their cruise holiday from a UK port – up 100,000 on the previous year to 753,000.  And if current trends continue, within three years half of British passengers will join their cruise ship in a UK port,” PSA said in a statement.

Cruising continues to grow within the package holiday sector with one in every eight package holidays now being a cruise when it was only one in 25 just nine years ago.  Ultra-luxury cruises saw a surge in winter holidays with a seasonal rise of 33% - over the year, this related to an eight per cent increase. The top destination remains the Mediterranean, which showed a 10% increase in the number of British passengers visiting the region followed by Northern Europe which retained second place.  However, the highest increase in popularity goes to the Atlantic Islands – the Canaries plus Madeira – which recorded a rise of 19%.

An emerging trend for short cruises from UK ports has led to nearly 50% of all cruises booked being of seven nights or less.

PSA Director William Gibbons, said: “It’s clear the exceptional value, high standards and choice of destinations have contributed to a record number of British passengers taking a cruise in 2011.  The increased costs of fly-cruise holidays have led to more people joining their cruise at one of the UK’s 50 ports.  The sheer diversity of the cruise market means there is a holiday for everyone.”

Carnival to invest $155 million for the Destiny refit, rename her Carnival Sunshine

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 06 March 2012 06 March 2012

Representing Carnival Cruise Lines’ most ambitious refit and transformation project ever, Carnival Destiny will undergo a $155 million makeover next year that will incorporate all of the line’s “Fun Ship 2.0” dining, bar and entertainment features, as well as a variety of exciting innovations unique to this vessel. The refit will also include a reconfigured layout, the addition of a partial deck and the expansion of two other decks within the forward section of the ship, providing the opportunity to incorporate a number of new and exciting on-board spaces. One-hundred and eighty-two cabins will be added, as well.

The redesign will be so extensive and wide-ranging that the ship will be renamed Carnival Sunshine following the 49-day dry dock, which will take place from February to April 2013. The refit work will be completed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. Following the dry dock, Carnival Sunshine will embark on a schedule of 9- and 12-night Mediterranean voyages from Barcelona and Venice from April to October 2013 then launch year-round 7-night Caribbean departures from New Orleans beginning November 2013.

"This is our most ambitious ship conversion project to date and it will radically transform the Carnival Destiny into essentially an entirely new ship offering a variety of exciting dining and beverage choices, spectacular outdoor spaces and entertainment options, and on-board innovations not available anywhere else," said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.