Cruises, as alternative to air travel chaos!
As the cost of hotels, airfares and nearly every other part of the travel experience surges, one industry is determined to do otherwise, and that is the cruise industry
There are over 2,000 cruises that cost under $100 a day for an interior stateroom through the end of the year, including 53 sailings that cost less than $50 a day, according to data from Cruise Sheet, prices include taxes and port fees.
Meanwhile,
the average daily rate for a hotel room was up nearly 20% compared with 2019 levels, according to the most recent figures from hospitality data and analytics company STR. Airfares rose significantly, according to the Labor Department.
*Norwegian Cruise tweet
In this episode of Embark with NCL, we are island hopping through the Caribbean with Zay Harding. Come experience luxury at sea aboard Norwegian Encore and explore the beautiful virgin islands of St. Thomas and Tortola. #CruiseNorwegian https://t.co/qVkCgzg1cW
— Norwegian Cruise Line (@CruiseNorwegian) July 8, 2022
Booking a marine getaway these days is cheaper for multiple reasons.
This time last year, cruise lines were sailing very few ships as they first returned to operation out of U.S. ports after the Covid-19 pandemic caused the industry to shut down.
Today, multiple cruise lines have returned their full fleets to service—providing travelers with a much wider array of options.
Flying to major ports can still be expensive. Plus, vaccine and testing mandates remain in place for most cruise lines, making it more difficult for companies to fill staterooms.
The low prices for cruises have some people rethinking their travel plans.
An inside cabin on a five-night cruise to the Caribbean, the Bahamas or Bermuda in July costs $619 a person on average, according to data collected by cruise-review website Cruise Critic
“We’ve never seen pricing this low,” says David Crooks, senior vice president of product and operations at World Travel Holdings, a Boston-based travel agency that operates multiple cruise-booking sites including CruisesOnly and Cruises.com.
A spokesman for Carnival Corp. says that cruises grow in popularity during times of rising inflation, given the inclusive nature of the experience. Some cruise lines are offering packages that include drinks, food, onshore excursions and even airfare.
Some travelers remain hesitant to get on board with the pandemic continuing, while ongoing vaccination and testing requirements have caused other people to opt against going on cruises
In addition to their low rates,
Norwegian Cruise Line offered onboard credits add-ons such as drink packages, Wi-Fi, excursions and even airfare can be included in the overall price.
