UK cruisers report spending same on fares in 2015 as 2011; Med stays top destination; Two thirds of cruisers are below average retirement age*, according to Cruise Critic findings

- Survey results of almost 6,000 cruisers announced -

LONDON, July 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic^® the world's largest cruise reviews site and cruise community, today announced the results of an annual survey revealing insight into preferred cruise destinations, and the booking and spending habits of UK cruisers.

Desirable destinations – next cruise
Survey participants were asked which destinations they would most likely visit on their next cruise, and while the Mediterranean is king, the Caribbean is hot on its heels. The top five choices were:

• Mediterranean (including Greek islands): 49%
• Caribbean: 30%
• Norwegian Fjords: 18%
• Canary Islands: 15%
• Baltic: 13%

Young at heart – cruise is for all ages

• A quarter (26%) of respondents are aged between 35-54
• Two thirds (64%) of respondents are under the age of 65

Cruising company - travel companions

When asked with whom they are most likely to cruise, a huge 84% of respondents selected their spouse/partner. Other selections included:

• A friend or group of friends: 17%
• Extended family: 9%
• On my own: 5%

Regular wave rider – cruise frequency

Three quarters (74%) of those surveyed cruise regularly (every couple of years or more), with a quarter (25%) taking to the high seas several times a year.

• Just over a fifth (21%) of respondents have yet to cruise or have done so only once

It's all about the money – cruise fare cost

• Almost half the respondents (45%) typically spend between £1,000-£2,000 on their cruise fare per person (not including air fares or onboard costs)
• Those spending less than £1,000 accounted for around a fifth (21%) of respondents
• Around half (49%) of those who cruise once per year spend at least £1,500
• According to the survey, people are spending the same in 2015 as they did four years earlier

So much choice – number of lines sailed with

• Respondents have sailed with three different lines on average
• Those who have cruised between 11-20 times have tried approximately five different cruise lines

Cruise don't lose – deals

With many cruise deals now available both on and offline, survey participants were asked where they look for these, and the Internet came out top:

• 94% look for deals on travel sites, such as Cruise Critic
• One third (33%) consult a travel agent
• One quarter (26%) like to hunt for deals in newspapers, compared with only 6% of US respondents

Planning tips – the importance of reviews

When planning a trip, cruise reviews remain the most important tool to help with the process, ahead of advice from family/friends and travel agents:

• Almost all respondents (95%) rate reviews as very or somewhat important
• 89% regard advice from Cruise Critic members/forums as very or somewhat important
• One quarter (26%) deem professional advice from travel agents as very important, while two thirds (66%) rate advice from non-professionals, such as family/friends and Cruise Critic members, as very important 
• Around half (52%) say that social media advice is important

"It's interesting to see cruisers reporting that spending is flat, most likely because cruise lines have looked to onboard costs and add-ons to increase revenues, to keep base fares competitive. To this end, it's important to make sure that when you are booking a cruise, you look at what the total cost of your holiday is likely to be, including shore excursions and onboard spending. As a rough measure, we advise budgeting for about a third of the base fare in additional costs," explained Cruise Critic, UK editor, Adam Coulter.

The survey, which ran on the Cruise Critic site in 2015, received responses from 5,814 people.

*Based on current UK state pension age for men.

About Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.co.uk)
Cruise Critic^® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travellers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 100,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travellers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers. Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet, launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

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Media Contact:
Vikki Bulbeck, Cruise Critic
vbulbeck@cruisecritic.co.uk
T: 020 3194 2137