Press Release
For Immediate Release
3 Cruise Trends That Will Remake The Face of Cruising in 2020
Big Things in Small Packages, The Innovations of Expansion, and A Fresh (Water) Take on Cruising
DETROIT (Jan. 7, 2020) – Thanks to their more than 1.3 million members and expert knowledge of the cruise line industry, CruiseCompete has an insider’s take on cruise trends on the horizon for 2020.
Here are CruiseCompete’s Top 3 predictions for the most noteworthy trends of 2020:
- Expansion and Innovation- Many of the cruise lines are employing a “bigger is better” philosophy, building ships that have amenities that rival their on-land counterparts’ finest amenities. That means an unparalleled at-sea vacation experience.
For example, Royal Caribbean debuted the world’s largest cruise ship, the 228,081-ton Symphony of the Seas in 2018. It features robot bartenders, a water slide with a 92-foot drop, and a nine-story zipline. But they’re not stopping there. They’ve begun construction on a new ship, scheduled for a maiden voyage in 2021. This ship, the Wonder of the Seas, is Royal Caribbean’s fifth Oasis Class ship and will set sail from Shanghai, China. It will feature the line’s seven-neighborhood concept and promises to offer the ultimate in features and amenities.
-
Expedition Ships Scale Down- There’s a new generation of yacht-like expedition ships hitting the water, and this cruising niche is flourishing. Why? Seasoned travelers are looking for unique, intimate destinations, and to get there, cruise ships must be able to navigate smaller bodies of water.
Crystal Cruises leads the way in this category, offering big things in small packages. The all-suite Crystal Esprit visits iconic yachting destinations from the Dalmatian Coast and Greek Isles to the Arabian Peninsula and Seychelles and features a staff of 90 catering to just 62 guests in 31 butler-serviced suites.
Celebrity Cruises also has a boat in this race, so to speak. The Celebrity Xpedition is an expedition-based ship that sails the Galapagos Islands.. With a passenger capacity of just 100 passengers, her compact size allows guests to view the many islands and natural wonders of the Galapagos in an up-close and personal way.
Other lines that offer this small-ship expedition experience include: PONANT, Emerald Waterways and Scenic.
Great Lakes Cruising – There’s been a surge in interest for domestic cruising, as evidenced by the popularity of U.S. river cruise lines such as American Queen Steamboat Company and Blount Small Ship Adventures, and the Great Lakes are another domestic cruising destination that’s gaining momentum.The Great Lakes are a series of freshwater lakes that span the U.S.– Canada border, which makes them an easily-accessible cruising destination from both countries. A number of U.S. cities can serve as ports, including Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit, among others. These areas are seeing a rebirth that’s well-worth exploring. Detroit, for instance, has a gorgeous waterfront and pier area, a lovely art center that’s experienced a renaissance, and beautiful churches and architecturally-significant buildings.
Cruises in the region offer a window into history- today’s ships trace the same routes visited by historical figures such as Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and former United States President William Howard Taft.
Plus, this compact region offers rich culture– there are 93 languages spoken Toronto, alone! And because the Great Lakes region only accommodates small ships, a stop in port means that only a few hundred people disembark, so their visit doesn’t overwhelm the city or compromise the nature of its culture.
CruiseCompete member-agents are the most well-educated, forward-thinking and trusted cruise specialists in the industry. If you’d like more information or assistance planning a future cruise or a cruisetour, please visit CruiseCompete and try the Virtual Cruise Advisor™ or Live Help.
Find CruiseCompete’s “Sea Tales 2020 Family Cruise Travel Planner” at www.cruisecompete.com/resources.php.
To see consumer feedback click here. Also see links to high quality cruise shore excursions at substantially lower prices than the cruise lines. Enjoy a more intimate tour experience away from the crowds. See by port or by ship: https://www.cruisecompete.com/shore_excursions_by_port.php or https://www.cruisecompete.com/shore_excursions/.
# # #
About CruiseCompete
CruiseCompete has been the premier online cruise marketplace since 2003 (see media praises).
Consumers come to CruiseCompete to research and book cruise vacations. More than 1.5 million users have generated close to 4 million requests from consumers, and agents have delivered almost 17 million quotes since 2003. They can compare offers from trusted travel agents, see consumer reviews of agents and agencies responding, then contact travel agents directly for more information and to book cruises. CruiseCompete is a member of the Family Travel Association, the leading authority and resource for family travel information and is home to the Sea Tales 2020 Family Cruise Travel Planner at Travel Resources.
CruiseCompete CruiseTrends™ offers monthly stats for an inside look at consumer trends and what consumers want in cruise vacations.
CruiseCompete takes top honors in Travel + Leisure's “Top 60 Best Apps and Websites for Travelers” with an honorable mention. The Wall Street Journal praised CruiseCompete as “Best Cruise Travel Site,” The New York Times says, “… independent travel agents compete to offer you the best deal," and follows similar praise from Travel + Leisure, Kiplinger and The Washington Post. The Street says, “Score luxury cruises at bargain prices.”
For more information, please visit https://www.cruisecompete.com/ or
https://www.cruisecompete.com/group_cruises/. CruiseCompete is an Iowa limited liability company, is not a travel agency or owned by a travel agency.
CruiseCompete – Find us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Our Blog!
Media Contact
Heidi M. Allison
Shane and Shane, Inc.
+1-248-651-4491 office
+1-248-935-3224 mobile
Heidi@ShaneandShaneInc.com
