Will 2009 be cruising’s biggest year ever?
Um, not so much. Many fans of ocean and river travel are asking: “Can I afford to go?”
The better question: How long can the cruise lines afford to go without you? If you’ve ever thought about cruising, this is year to try it.
There are 10 things you should know about cruising in 2009:
1. Bad economy might equal good prices: Expecting that economic fears will turn passengers into landlubbers, cruise lines are “just trying to sell everything they can,” said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief for online Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com).
2. There’s no place like home ports: Expect a big return to domestic cruising. “If (passengers) can cut the experience and expense of flying, they’ll do it,” Brown said.
3. European fare is fair: Don’t expect big-ship sailing in Europe to die, however, even with the tight economy. The cruise lines want to move cabins and the euro is far more reasonable, said Paul Motter, editor of online resource Cruise Mates (www.cruisemates.com).
4. Fuel charges up in smoke: The fuel surcharges introduced last year when oil was more expensive per ounce than French perfume have all but disappeared. On average, that’s $140 per couple back in your pocket.
5. Rolling up the Rhine: There hasn’t been this much action on European rivers since, well, ever. Several river-cruise operators are on building sprees, presumably in anticipation of river-loving throngs.
6. Size matters: At 220,000 tons and with space for 5,400 passengers (two per cabin), Oasis of the Seas will become the record-holder (also owned by Royal Caribbean) when it lumbers out of port in November. Features: 300 balcony cabins, themed neighborhoods, a bar that also an elevator and zip-line rides. The downside: When it does dock, 5,400 passengers are all headed for the exits. Yikes.
7. Pirates of the Gulf of Aden: A couple years ago, it was a punch line. Somali pirates attacked a luxury cruise ship, but were repelled by a Flash Gordon-style sonic gun. Pirates in Somalia have since nabbed a few dozen oil tankers and freighters.
8. Proud queens no longer rolling on a river: Majestic America Lines closed shop in December, leaving the Columbia Queen, American Queen, Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen (as well as Empress of the North) to languish at docks across the country.
9. Last of Hawaii’s Pride: Norwegian Cruise Line’s last U.S.-flagged ship, Pride of America, will continue to sail weeklong trips around the Hawaiian Isles, but Pride of Aloha and Pride of Hawaii were renamed, reregistered and reassigned.
10. Plus-size 2009 fleet: Carnival, Celebrity and MSC are all building ships that top or tie fleet records for largest, and Royal Caribbean will unleash a new behemoth roughly the size of Pittsburgh (but with better restaurants).
Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service
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