It`s not just the Caribbean`s sugary beaches that are white-hot. Travel agents polled in a survey by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), substantiated what cruise insiders have known all along : The Caribbean`s mantel as the most popular cruising destination remains undiminished and grows more popular by the day. In fact, nearly 80 percent of more than 500 CLIA travel agents polled named the destination as the most popular cruising ground for their agencies` customers.
Further cementing the survey findings was the fact that 88 percent of agents reported that the total number of Caribbean cruises sold at their agencies in 2006 increased over 2005 - with 93 percent of respondents predicting that 2007 sales totals would surpass 2006 levels.
"With Caribbean cruises, travelers basically get a two-for-one - they can enjoy warm weather and beautiful beaches and destinations that are second to none - and on ships that are destinations in themselves," said Michelle Fee, a member of CLIA`s Travel Agency Advisory Board and CEO of Cruise Planners in Coral Springs, Fla. "Getting there couldn`t be more convenient or flexible, with cruise lengths, itineraries and embarkation ports to suit virtually any budget and interest."
Customer satisfaction rates also soared, with nearly 90 percent of agencies reporting that their clients were very satisfied or extremely satisfied. Total satisfaction ratings were 98.5 percent.
The high level of satisfaction comes as no surprise to CLIA member cruise lines, which have debuted large numbers of their newest and most cutting-edge ships in the region. "Hands down, cruise vacationers will find the cruise industry`s most innovative ships in the Caribbean," said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of CLIA, whose members include 21 premier cruise lines and 16,500 North American travel agencies. "The Caribbean is a veritable candy store when it comes to the array of cruise lines and ships that are available to travelers."
Other survey findings include:
Sixty-four percent of respondents said their clients rated their chosen cruise lines and ships as the best attribute of Caribbean cruises, and also cited selling points as the Caribbean`s climate, overall ambiance, ports-of-call, beaches and shopping. Forty-nine percent cited that a cruise was the perfect way to sample Caribbean islands that they wish to visit again by ship or by land.
Generally comparable with capacity deployment, 53 percent of respondents sold Western Caribbean itineraries most often, 34 percent the Eastern Caribbean and 9 percent the Southern Caribbean. Seventy-five percent cited seven-day itineraries as the most popular cruise length, 13 percent voyages of five days or less, and 10 percent cruises of eight to 10 days.
"No other warm-weather destination presents so many choices of ships and cruise itineraries, from a three-night getaway to an extended voyage to Central America and beyond," said Dale.
Source: traveldailynews.com
