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Cruise Travel

By on June 9, 2017

If Titanic, checked shorts, and a purple rinse romance blossoming over a riveting game of deck quoits is your idea of an ocean cruise, think again.  Cruisers are broadening their appeal and attracting young families with children.

Increasingly exciting destinations and exotic ports of all together with more choice and flexibility to do what you want, when you want, has resulted in a burgeoning group of travelers interested in cruising.

A whole new world has opened up with far-flung destinations around the South Pacific, Dubai, Norway and Alaska. It is not just the expanding routes that have caused this new interest but the new generation of ships. Liner companies are constantly aiming for the biggest and best.
Huge tonnages and dimensions are bantered around. Take for example the fleet of Royal Caribbean the largest of the cruise companies. They have invested some serious ducats in their newest ocean going resorts. ‘Freedom of the seas’ was launched with a Gross Tonnage of 160,000 and has a length of 339m ,but this monster is dwarfed by their latest creation hot off the drawing board, ‘Genesis’. Sounding like an intergalactic starship, when it launches next year, ‘Genesis’ will carry 5,400 passengers and an estimated 2,000 crew. At 220,000 tonnes, it is 5 times the size of the Titanic and will dwarf all existing liners. Currently taking shape at the Turku shipyard in Finland, it will seal the new dynamic image of cruising in the 21st century.
Large carbon footprints, minimal benefits to the local communities who have to deal with the waste that the cruise ship leaves behind and the pollution to the oceans in remote regions are all factors that environmentalists say the cruise companies have to be concerned about when expanding their lines.

The number of cruise guests sailing from around the world has grown from 17.8M in 2009 to 22.4M in 2014 and is projected to increase to 24.2M.

As a result, cruise companies are pulling out all the stops to attract potential passengers. The new liners have all the facilities of an amusement park, Vegas pleasure zone and tropical resort all rolled into one. Ice rinks sit alongside giant rock climbing walls. Jacuzzis and surf simulators, peaceful relaxation zones that separate the raucous from the restful. Staterooms are no longer the claustrophobic caves where “deluxe” was shipspeak for a rabbit hutch with a porthole. Rooms now feature flat screen televisions, giant beds and lots of space. Many new ships have balconies. Indeed the new ‘Genesis’ will have an open air central park, complete with trees and grass in the middle of the ship, so you can sip your cocktail from your balcony whilst perusing the microcosm of ship life.
Cruise ships have become the ultimate all-inclusive holiday experience where everything is paid for before you board. Safety, ease, comfort and luxury are all taken into account and with these new colossal ships taking to the water, cruising is the wave of the future for family holidays.
Planning your next cruising adventure?  Let these cruising experts guide you:
Japan only :   JTB

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