The British are still booking their cruises, but it's tough in the US. That's the message I've been getting for the past couple of months. But it seems things are not all that bad after all.
MSC Cruises US president and CEO Rick Sasso told this month's Cruise Shipping Miami conference (that's the annual Seatrade get-together but with a new name) that a survey showed about 80% of travel agents thought peak season bookings were equal or better than last year.
He reckons the number of cruise passengers this year will rise 300,000 to 13.4 million, which is roughly what the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) was predicting in January.
Of course we all know the numbers are being achieved on very low prices - "unprecedented" is the word that's been used many times in my conversations with cruiselines - so the cruiselines are hurting profits-wise, but I agree with Gerry Cahill, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, who told the conference that filling capacity is key to survival.
When we come out of this - and we will - it's vital holidaymakers are still thinking cruise. It'll be tough to get them to accept higher prices, but hey, without these challenges life would be just too easy.
Jane Archer
