Cruises providing value for money
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The cost of cruises has fallen by more than a third over the 10 years, The Telegraph newspaper has reported cruise giant P&O as claiming.
In a recent report the UK-based line said that a two-week cruise now costs GBP1,579 (US$2,806) - down from GBP2,520 (US$4,478) in 1998.
A P&O spokesperson said the figures were partly due to growing demand for cruise holidays, especially among younger couples and families.
“There’s a wider choice for consumers which forces down prices,” the spokesperson said.
Extra capacity created by the construction of new mega-ships is contributing to the fall in prices. P&O’s latest ship, Ventura, has a capacity of 3,100 passengers, while Royal Caribbean’s newest liner, Freedom of the Seas, can accommodate 4,300. The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) has said that 44 more cruise ships will be built by 2012.
In addition, cruises have not been as affected by the high oil prices that have hit airlines so hard this year. Although P&O and other lines have imposed fuel surcharges, the PSA believes the industry is able to ride the current global economic storm.
“The inclusive nature of cruises makes it easy to budget for and is proving appealing to holidaymakers in the current financial climate,” said PSA spokesperson Penny Guy.
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