A MONTHLY DIGEST TO INFORM, ENLIGHTEN AND HUMOUR MEETING PLANNERS VOL. 4 ISSUE 2
March 2006 Edition
Passengers flock to cruise lines Industry sees strongest revenue growth since 9/11 cruise lines, passengers and crew. The global cruise industry created 135,000 direct jobs paying US$4.8 billion in wages. As seagoing vacations continue to grow in popularity, cruise lines have introduced new ports of call around the world and next year will be no different. In 2006, travelers will find a portfolio of new cruises to the far reaches of the globe. The 19 cruise line members of the CLIA take travelers to 1,800 ports of call on more than 150 ships of varying styles, from yacht-like luxury ships carrying 150 passengers to mega vessels carrying more than 3,000 guests.
A cruise can be a unique destination BY LEO GERVAIS
Old man rhythm is in my shoes No use sittin’ and a singin’ the blues So be my guest, you got nothin’ to lose Won’t ya let me take you on a sea cruise? – Frankie Ford From the song “Sea Cruise” (1959)
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he open sea. Gorgeous sunsets. Luxurious suites and cabins. Exotic ports of call. Is there anything not to like about a voyage on a cruise ship? For many Canadians, apparently not. More than 443,000 Canadians took cruises in 2004, an increase of 7.5 percent from 2003, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The number of people from Ontario taking cruises was up seven per cent, with its total 178,700 total passengers representing 40 per cent of Canadian cruise passengers. B.C. had 126,725 people ship out last year, a rise of about one per cent. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia also had large increases in their cruise population. Americans are even more keen to travel the deep blue seas: 8.9 million passengers, an 11 percent increase from the year before, booked cruises in the United States. Americans make up about 77 per cent of global cruise passengers. The North American cruise industry generated US$30 billion for the U.S. economy in 2004, through direct and indirect spending by
Interestingly, many in the cruise industry see big resort-type destinations like Disneyworld and Las Vegas as the big competition to the cruise industry. More than 90 percent of cruise ship customers are families and couples. Few among us would ever consider a ship as a place to hold a meeting. But one step inside these luxurious cruise liners reveals a cornucopia of possibilities for holding events: ballrooms, entertainment shows, meeting rooms and first-rate food and service. Add to that the fact that bringing a family or a spouse would make the business/pleasure mix very palatable indeed.
What’s ahead in 2006 In 2006, travelers will find new and enhanced Caribbean itineraries – including more sailings to the deep Caribbean from New York City. CLIA-member lines are also positioning more ships then ever before on the other side of the pond in anticipation of a sizzling hot season in Europe. Some of the industry’s largest ships will cruise the continent, and itineraries will be available in all shapes and sizes, from seven days to 28 days and longer. Other cruise lines will take guests to remote, lesserknown ports as far north as the Arctic Circle and exclusive, intimate resorts in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. ••• Ed. note: This is the first in a series of articles about the cruise ship industry. Watch for future articles in upcoming issues of The Planner.
ARTICLE INDEX CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 4