By
Rebecca Gibson |
Around 30% of British adults would consider swapping an all-inclusive land holiday with an all-inclusive cruise trip of the same value, according to new research from Amadeus and YouGov.
The survey also indicated that 7% of the 2,000 British adults surveyed had already booked a cruise or were planning to book a cruise in the next 12 months and although 42% of the respondents had never been on a cruise holiday, they would be tempted to do so in future. This included 52% of 25-34 year olds had not been on a cruise.
In fact, 31% of adults who holiday abroad stated that they would be more likely to book a cruise if they were offered the chance to visit more unique and remote destinations, while 19% would be tempted by smaller ships and more onboard activities. Being able to access fast wifi networks, travel with like-minded individuals and having a more personalised service while onboard the ship was also high on the agenda for 62%, 18% and 17% of consumers respectively.
However, 44% of respondents were discouraged from taking a cruise by the thought of spending an extended period of time onboard the ship, while 29% did not like the idea of noting being able to set their own itinerary. In fact, the proportion of 18-24 year olds who said that not having control of their itinerary was a major factor for not choosing a cruise has increased significantly in the past two years, from 26% in 2013 to 39% in 2015.
Almost half of the respondents indicated concerns about the overall travel costs, while 35% were concerned about the perceived lack of transparency on additional charges. The percentage of people aged between 18 and 24 who perceive cruise travel as too expensive has grown by 12% from 40% in 2013 to 52% in 2015.
In addition, almost a third of people said that the cruise industry needs to do more to make cruising more relevant and appealing for younger passengers.
“There is a clear opportunity for travel sellers and cruise providers to communicate the breadth of product, wide range of experiences and terrific value that cruise holidays offer to new and existing customers in 2015,” said Rose Fernandez, director of marketing at Amadeus UK and Ireland. “Being able to propose more customised travel options will be essential for tapping into this huge market of consumers who, until now, haven’t traditionally opted for a cruise. Defying outdated pre-conceptions about cruise travel will continue to be a crucial success factor in how the industry engages with modern travellers and particularly with the growing proportion of millennials willing to try a cruise holiday.”