Australians are choosing cruise holidays in record numbers
The appeal of a high seas adventure is proving more popular than ever for Australians, with more than a million people choosing to cruise last year. The 2014 Cruise Lines International Association report released recently showed 1,003,256 people took a cruise in Australia, an increase of 20.4 per cent or 170,000. The milestone comes six years earlier than expected, as a result of double-digit year on year growth since 2002.
As a result Australia has retained its position as the world leader for market penetration with 4.2 per cent of the population taking a cruise last year, compared with 3.4 pre cent of North Americans.
There are many reasons for cruising being so attractive here including the following:
Taking the easy way out and back – The purpose of a holiday is to get away from the stresses and responsibilities of ordinary life – to relax, rest and recharge. It sounds great in theory, but all too often the planning, organising and travelling are exhausting and often frustrating, making the trip more draining than rejuvenating. A cruise holiday means you unpack once and kick back for the rest of the trip with most of the itinerary taken care for you.
Holiday on your way to a holiday – Often the allure of a cruise holiday lies in the fact that it offers a multiple holiday in one. Before you even get to your destination you’ll be enjoying your vacation. For many passengers, the ship is really the destination.
One trip, many destinations – Even though the ship itself may be a holiday enough, exotic and exciting destinations are a part of the whole cruise experience. A cruise can take you to all sorts of places you might not otherwise visit: South America, the Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Mexico and Hawaii.
The South Pacific was the favourite destination for Aussie cruise-goers in 2014, followed by Australian ports while 93,259 people travelled all the way to Europe for a cruise. Another 31,000 Australians cruised the Caribbean, and almost 28,000 headed for Alaska.
Trips of eight to 14 days duration remained the most popular for Aussies, attracting 54 per cent of the market, although short four-day cruises experienced a big surge in interest. New South Wales continued to be the biggest source of cruise passengers, accounting for 41 per cent of the market.
Due to this growing popularity the industry has expanded significantly in recent years, it means there is growing range of ships and itineraries on offer across the globe.
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