During this year’s cruise travel season, an unrelenting battle for every guest is expected in the market. Several large ships ordered in previous years are being launched, and the offerings are becoming very similar to ‘all inclusive’, writes Deutsche Welle.
Cruise travel has not been known as an offering for every guest until now. Customers are generally of deeper pockets. The cruise offering has not been mass market, like ‘all inclusive’ vacations on the Turkish Riviera. However, this year could change everything, according to the German press. In 2010, price will be a decisive factor in choosing a destination, and due to certain circumstances, cruise travel could become precisely what providers of this type of tourism have so far resisted with all their might – a mass market. This year, as reported by the Munich newspaper “Süddeutsche Zeitung” (SZ), eleven new ships will be launched into the world’s seas. The largest of them has a capacity of up to 5,400 passengers, and together they can carry around 25,000 tourists eager for sea, sun, and entertainment… The cruise industry’s offering is increasing in a very short time by as much as 25,000 beds, which is a huge change for this market segment – with unpredictable consequences for package prices. SZ assumes that the offering could become more diverse (for pockets of various depths), prices could drastically drop, and thus the margins of pampered providers. (Deutsche Welle)
