Cruise Trips: Just How Popular is Cruising?

The results are in for 2004. The number of people looking for travel deals has reached record levels for cruise trips. 10.5 million cruise passengers got on board cruise ships last year.

According to the 19 cruise line members of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) this was a new record for cruise vacations. The Association expects that number to increase in 2005 to over 11 million.

Most of the cruisers included in these numbers are from North America, totaling about 8.8 million. Many of these vacationers are looking for travel deals for cruises only. Cruise vacations have become so popular that cruise lines are recommending that potential cruisers book their cruise packages at least 6 months in advance. Even this does not assure that you will be able to get your preferred cruise destination and itinerary aboard your preferred cruise ship in your preferred stateroom category.

CLIA is the cruise industry's chief marketing organization and the largest travel industry association based on agency membership in North America. The president and CEO of the association says that cruise vacation bookings are coming in "fast and furious". Consumer demand on cruise ship trips continues to rise and cruisers are looking to farther destinations like Europe and the Asia.

Even though there are more cruise vacation departures and more cruise ships and itineraries than ever before, the cruise lines' ships are operating at capacity. A total of 68 new cruise ships will have debuted between 2000 and the end of 2005!

Since 1975 when CLIA was formed, there is about three times the number of home ports in North America. With 30 home ports, North American cruisers have more choices to start their cruise vacation trips from.

For more information on cruise vacation trips, visit some of our other interesting and informative articles. To check out the best deals on-line for cruise vacations, visit our cruise discount home page at a1-discount-cruises.com. Click on the merchants' links that you will find there. Compare the values and choose the very best cruise deal. Then book your cruise on-line and get excited!

Brian A Schmidt is the author and web publisher of a1-discount cruises.com. This site is your #1 source for cruise information, discounts and deals! Visit http://a1-discount-cruises.com to book your special cruise vacation. For more interesting and informative articles relating to cruises check out our Site Map.

In The News:


Ed Perkins on Travel: It's a great time to cruise
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 8 hours ago
An early season (April 25) seven-night sailing to Alaska on the Norwegian Star starts at $429 per person. A mid-January 10-night trip to the Canary Islands, ...

ABC News

Pirate attack on cruise liner is 'unlikely to put off cruisers'
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 9 hours ago
The attack on Nautica happened at around 9.30am on November 30, when the ship was sailing through the Gulf of Aden, in an area patrolled by anti-piracy task ...
Video: Cruise Ship Attacked by Pirates Is Now Docked AssociatedPress
Cruise lines react to pirate attacks TTG live
Could Pirates Attack Your Cruise Ship? Cruise Critic
NYU Local - CBS Newsall 1,153 news articles

Cruise lines slash prices to lure consumers
Palm Beach Post,  United States - 21 hours ago
That dictates that cruise ships sail full with two passengers per berth; often, they fill the third and fourth berths available in cabins. ...

Royal Caribbean to Open Office in Australia in Response to Rise in ...
MarketWatch - Dec 2, 2008
... cruise experience." Next year, Rhapsody of the Seas will embark on its third season in the South Pacific and Australia. Rhapsody of the Seas will sail ...

Home and Away

Kids Cruise Free, Ships Add Balconies
Home and Away - Dec 2, 2008
By Marge Peterson Kids sail free this winter on Costa Cruises when traveling with their parents. This value is available on all 12 seven-day ...

North Sails - A wealth of experience
Sail World, Australia - 1 hour ago
... and his love of sailing brought him to New Zealand in 1999, when he purchased a Lidgard 44 called ‘Hijacker’ and spent two and a half years cruising the ...

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Cruising World, FL - Dec 2, 2008
Simply fill out this form to receive a complimentary issue of Cruising World! If you like it, pay just $19.97 for 11 more issues (12 in all) and receive ...

Carol Cronin's first book is full of surprises
Jamestown Press,  USA - 6 hours ago
She has since retired from Olympic sailing and now focuses her life on writing for magazines such as Sailing World and Cruising World, as well as Seahorse, ...

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Sail World, Australia - Dec 2, 2008
As Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Matt Allen said after winning the IRC Division 1 aboard his Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban, ‘Today it was like sailing ...
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UK & France. 'Gordon Brown could learn from Fountaine Pajot' says ...
BYM News (press release), Spain - 15 hours ago
Sales success has also coincided with further improvements with the fleet’s sailing performance, with the option of Fountaine Pajot’s new CST (Cruising ...
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