Planning a cruise brings about so many decisions. Cabin type. Cruise line. Length of cruise. And probably the biggest decision: "Where?".
Most people end up picking the Caribbean. That according to a report just out from www.cruiseholidays.com, that ranks the Caribbean as getting more people cruising than all other American tourists combined. (Caribbean includes the Bahamas) Second place isn't even close!
The survey is based on Cruise Holiday bookings for 2012. Cruise Holiday is a cruise seller, but figures should be fairly indicative across the board for the industry.
According to them, the top ten destinations for 2012 and percentage of bookings are:
- Caribbean 59.88%
- Europe 11.47%
- Alaska 5.7%
- Bermuda 4.7%
- Hawaii 2.78%
- Panama Canal 2.48%
- Mexican Riviera 2.26%
- Trans-Atlantic 2.03%
- Canada/New England 2.0%
- South Pacific 1.52%
(Figures don't add to 100% because some additional destinations earned small percentages.)
The Caribbean is broken into regions, and they rank 1) Western, 2) Eastern and 3) Southern in popularity.
A major change in the standings in recent years involves the Mexican Riviera, which was as high as #3 in 2008. Major cruise lines have shifted emphais toward other destinations, based on demand and in some cases on fear of violence in some Mexican ports.
Bermuda is undergoing struggles with the industry as well, with several lines curtailing calls into the island nation this year, presumably because of strict rules requiring them to close their casinos while in port. (Those rules could possibly be changed soon)
The company also named their "cruise value leaders", with the Caribbean and Europe on top, tied at 36.4% each, followed distantly by Alaska/Pacific Northwest, Mexican Riviera, 'Other' and Trans-Atlantic.
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