Extra cruise capacity out of Australia isn’t just boosting local cruise passenger numbers (well beyond projections), it’s also enticing more Aussies to cruise abroad.
It’s like they get a taste of the sea life and want more, but outside their homeland.
Speaking to media last month, Royal Caribbean’s local boss said basing ships locally is having a positive effect on international cruises, particularly those in Europe.
Despite the distance between Australia and Europe, he said the line is welcoming more Aussies aboard on European itineraries because it’s one of their “preferred ways to travel around the region”.
Latest figures show that of the 25 million people cruising every year, around six million are choosing to do so in Europe. That’s one in five people, making it the number two destination in the world for cruising, second only to the Caribbean.
Bringing it home, of that six million cruising in Europe, around 100,000 originate from Australia.
“That’s a massive number in itself.”
Adam Armstrong, Royal Caribbean Managing Director of Australia and New Zealand
This bumper season, Armstrong is expecting around 25,000 of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises’ European passengers to be either Australian or Kiwi. That’s a massive increase from just 5,000 back in 2008.
He said one in four Australians and Kiwis are choosing the company’s three brands in Europe because of the “quality and style of the cruise product we’ve introduced in Australia”.
During the European wave season, Royal Caribbean will have 16 ships sailing out of Europe, including two brand new ships (Harmony of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas); Celebrity Cruises has four solstice class ships; and the two Azamara ships.
He expects Australians will be more likely to book “off the beaten track destinations” this year, such as cruises in northern Europe, Norway, Iceland and the British Islands.
