Crystal Cruises has reduced its required deposit from 10% to 5% for all 2009 bookings except for the World Cruise.
For the World Cruises, passengers now only need to put down $1,000-$1,500, depending on stateroom, not 20% of the cost as before.
The cruiseline is also giving people a week to pay their deposit (it was three days) and has cut the no-penalty cancellation period from 75 days to 45 days.
The announcement is all dressed up in words like "secure", "risk-free" and "investment", but at the end of the day it suggests that even six-star passengers need coaxing to part with their money as the credit crunch turns into a recession.
Jane Archer
