Asia, Europe top liners' list

Western Australians have joined the global trend in ocean cruising, signing up for local and international voyages well in advance of their departure dates.

Destinations in vogue this year include South-East Asia and Europe, particularly around the Mediterranean, while Alaska is also on the itinerary for many.

At Bicton Travel, the SuperStar Gemini’s seven-night tour from Singapore is by far the most requested cruise holiday for WA passengers.

The ship will be based out of Singapore in 2008, with calls scheduled for Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Krabi, Phuket and Langkawi.

For a seven-night cruise in April, prices range from $1,226 for a windowless cabin, to $3,396 for the executive suite with balcony.

Bicton Travel owner Carol Smethurst said river cruising in Europe was also very popular this season, with strong demand for cruises along the Rhine, leaving from Amsterdam, and along the Danube from Budapest.

Meanwhile, this season’s Sun Princess cruises from Fremantle have nearly sold out, and are among the top performing cruises for Leederville-based specialist cruise agency, Best Cruises.

The Sun Princess’s operator, Princess Cruises, made the decision to home port the ship in Fremantle this season, following an increase in WA passengers on other cruises in previous seasons.

The ship will operate two 21-night cruises in May and June, visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, before returning to Fremantle.

Prices start from about $4,000, while a cabin with balcony costs up to $5,645.

Best Cruises manager Lisa Humphries said demand had been strong for both the Sun Princess and Dawn Princess, with the latter departing from Sydney for a series of cruises to New Zealand.

In addition, the Dawn Princess will do the first true world circumnavigation from Australia in July next year, leaving from Sydney.

It will coincide with the Sun Princess’s 46-night Indian Ocean voyage, considered the longest round trip voyage from Fremantle ever undertaken.

Ms Humphries said she had already fielded inquiries for the trip, reflecting a growing interest in longer cruises, particularly among retirees. 

“One trend we’re seeing is the increase in the number of Australian passengers on world voyages,” she said.

“People are more willing to fly further to catch cruises out of cities overseas.”

Ms Humphries said Mediterranean cruises were also more popular this season than in previous years, with bookings for the European summer up about 40 per cent on last year.

She said demand was strong across the board, partly due to changing demographics.

“Although cruising is traditionally perceived to be a holiday for older people, the average age of passengers is definitely coming down,” Ms Humphries said.

Bicton Travel’s Carol Smethurst agreed that, while the retiree market remained strong, consumer trends were changing.

“We’re catering mainly for the 50-plus segment, particularly for the longer cruises. Anything over 14 days is usually an older market,” she said.

“But there’s definitely a younger market for cruising in the South Pacific and Asia.”

Ms Smethurst said younger clients favoured shorter cruises of about seven days’ duration, from cities like Sydney and Singapore.

“People realise it’s all inclusive and they’re getting good value for money,” she said.

The repeat passenger market is another growth area for operators.

Classic International Australia managing director Grant Hunter, whose company operates the 550-passenger Funchal, said a large number of passengers were now returning for subsequent trips, which had helped the company achieve a growth rate of 7 per cent year on year for the past few seasons.

“There’s been steady growth, but the growth factor is more the repeat passenger market. For some operators, 30 per cent of customers are past passengers, particularly for longer cruises,” Mr Hunter said.

According to Edith Cowan University’s Professor Ross Dowling, who heads the school of tourism, baby boomers and families are fuelling the growth in the cruising market.

He said changing perceptions of the industry had also helped.

“Where cruising used to be seen as firmly in the realm of wealthy people, it’s now within the reach of everybody,” Professor Dowling said.

He said the repeat passenger segment of the market had grown significantly, as had the number of young couples without children taking to cruising.