By Paul Motter, iCruise Blogger | January 04, 2018 ( Comments)
I am looking at the very recently completed iCruise survey results (respondents were past iCruise clientele) and it’s no surprise that 98% of them want a vacation in 2018. With the brutally cold weather hitting much of the U.S. in early January, many of us are having visions of the Caribbean Islands. But in fact, our respondents also have plenty of other destinations in mind. Let’s take a look.
50% say the destination is the most important factor in selecting a cruise, but the diversity of destination choices is surprising. While the regular “Caribbean cruise” gets the most votes, it was only picked by 31%. In second place are Europe cruises (+Mediterranean) at 26%, Alaska cruises get 9%, Hawaii cruises 7%, Australia cruises 4% and Africa cruises 1%.
Is 2018 the year to take your dream vacation? Well – no one is getting any younger. The economy is getting stronger and we just had a record year in the stock market (hopefully you have something tucked away).
If you are retired, or have extra vacation time coming, if your children independent, and you are in decent health – what are you waiting for?
When it comes to “how many days do you want for a vacation this year?” the largest group of our respondents (45%), picked the longest option we offered; up to 10-days. Additionally, 35% of respondents want to spend more money this year for a more exciting vacation.
Top 2018 Cruise Destinations
It’s no surprise 80% of our respondents want their vacation to be a cruise. The big question is “where to cruise?” 53% respondents say the destination is the most important consideration, and the diversity of destinations shows they are eager to experience new things. In order of preference:
The top pick is a Caribbean cruise (31%), but perhaps it’s time for a new itinerary? The Eastern Caribbean features the best shopping and leisure experiences, while the Western Caribbean features the best water excursions; snorkel or scuba, or land tours like zip lines and horseback riding. Finally, the Southern Caribbean to distant and arid islands like Curacao and Aruba offers warm days at sea and plenty of time to enjoy the ship.
But a European cruise (25% of survey respondents) is also my top cruise destination choice, and airfare to Europe is unbelievably affordable this year. Your choices include the western or the eastern Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea or a river cruise on the Rhine, Danube, Seine or even more rivers. I suggest highly suggest taking advantage of one of the iCruise Cruise/Land package offers for a cruise combined with stays in either Rome, Barcelona, Copenhagen or London – with all details pre-arranged for you at one price.
Alaska (10%) is a destination everyone should see at least once, if not several times. Be sure your cruise includes a visit to a glacier, whale watching and a taste of fresh salmon. For more details read my Alaska blog.
Hawaii (7% of respondents) is another wonderful vacation choice, especially in winter, and if you want to see most of it in a week there is really only one choice – Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America – the only ship that sails round-trip from Honolulu (so you don’t require four days at sea to reach Hawaii from California).
Best Cruise Ships in 2018
When asked which aspects of a vacation are most important to iCruise survey respondents, by multiple choice most said accommodations are the most important concern (65%). Is 2018 the year to make the leap to luxury cruises? If so, the Caribbean offers the best luxury bargains. But the truth is that not all luxury cruise lines are the same, so you will want to do lots of research before you pick your first one.
Food is also selected by 40% as one the more important aspects of a cruise, and for cuisine and staterooms the luxury cruise lines Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal and Regent Seven Seas take cruising to a level most cruisers have never imagined. Each features truly gourmet cuisine, the plushest accommodations and top quality service. These ships have more space per passenger, and carry fewer passengers (300 to 800) than most cruise ships.
But coming in close to the luxury brands are the upscale vessels of Oceania and Viking Ocean cruises. These two brands feature ships that carry about 1000 people, but the food is also excellent and the ships are beautiful. Oceania has some of the best cuisine at sea, while Viking Ocean offers excellent incentives, like shore tours included in the cruise fare and free Internet while in port (62% rated sightseeing is one of the most important vacation details).
Although most respondents (45%) said they plan to travel with just their spouses, if you want to plan a family vacation or just want to spend less, there are many brand new vessels from Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney, Princess and Holland America that have oodles of onboard features; great for family cruises – and they visit the same destinations as the luxury brands.
Why Should I Use a Travel Agent?
By far most people do their own research but also rely on travel agents to take care of the details. Our survey says most respondents, 82%, do their vacation research online but only 7% rely solely on their travel agent. An even smaller amount, only 4%, book directly with the cruise line. And why should it be any different? There is no cost benefit in booking on your own cruise directly, and if you need help during your vacation (knock on wood) the travel agent and cruise specialist will be there to help you out of a jam, advise you on less known details, and unique opportunities!
