Australians have picked their top five destinations at home and abroad – and amazing deals have turned their favourite into a paradise for cruisers.
Royal Caribbean as offering an 11-day trip to Fiji for a price that’s as low as $63 a day.
Carl Frier, Managing Director of Cruise1st, has produced the top five favourite destinations for Australian cruisers in the first weeks of 2015 – the South Pacific is by far the most popular.
“P&O, Carnival and Royal Caribbean all have some amazing price points on these itineraries if you are prepared to travel quickly,” said Mr Frier.
He added that the low dollar was doing nothing to dampen demand.
“The weakening of the Australia dollar has potential to impact international sales – but at this stage we haven’t experience any decline. From our perspective it isn’t currency change driving the increase in homeport cruising, it’s the all-inclusive value driving increased interest.
“Most cruise lines have amazing last minute prices in the market at present with great on board value.”
The list of Australia’s Favourites shows Asia – and Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in particular – are where Aussie cruisers like to go.
The results echo new figures out this week from Cruise Lines International Association Australasia (CLIA) that again puts Australia as the world’s strongest growth region, followed by Asia.
Australia’s favourites since January 1, 2015
Local cruises
South Pacific by far the biggest with some unbelievable deals
New Zealand still has capacity and the deals are hot
Top end cruise touching Queensland is generating plenty interest.
Bottom end Southern short duration cruises including Tasmania
International
Asia with a focus on Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam
Japan China itineraries proving to be strong
Repositioning cruises that touch Hawaii
Alaska
Greek isles
*Figures based on Cruise1st bookings taken since January 1, 2015
