The
cruise industry is always evolving to meet the needs and interests of loyal
passengers and attract new ones. What can you look forward to in cruising
during 2017? Expect to hear more about river cruising, expedition cruising and
themed cruising.
River
cruising, already a major trend, looks like it will continue to be the big
story in 2017. European river cruising is now a regular feature on lists of “top
five” cruise destinations; and, river cruise operators are set to expand their
list of destinations. Soon, it will be possible to sail a river cruise ship
into the heart of Borneo’s rainforest, along Africa’s Chobe and Zambezi rivers,
and to the Delta of the Danube (south of Budapest, Hungary).
In
addition, river cruises are offering more active options for days in port. In
addition to walking and coach tours, passengers on more ships will be able to
borrow bikes for touring or kayaks for exploring the riverbanks. Avalon
Waterways already offers an itinerary on the Danube that emphasizes active
pursuits on shore – including hiking, jogging and canoeing tours – and plans to
develop one for the Rhine, too.
There’s
also growth in expedition and adventure cruising, which takes passengers to
more remote, less-developed destinations: think Antarctica, the Amazon, Myanmar
and more. Expedition cruises use smaller vessels that are specially equipped
for adventurous destinations: they may have reinforced hulls for breaking ice,
or be specially equipped for diving excursions.
Looking
ahead to 2018, Crystal Cruises will take delivery of a 200-passenger ship, the
Crystal Endeavor, built to sail in the polar regions and equipped with two
helicopters for aerial tours; two submarines for deep-sea dives; and a
recompression chamber for serious SCUBA divers. That’s adventurous!
Themed
cruise choices are on the rise, too. A themed cruises immerses passengers in an
event or activity: it could be a popular TV show or music genre, or a hobby
like wine tasting, golf or yoga. Your Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert
can help you find a themed cruise that appeals to you: how about a cruise
focused on NASCAR (Richard Petty and Bobby Allison are scheduled to be
onboard)? There’s also a cruise that celebrates AMC’s popular show about
survivors of a zombie apocalypse, “The Walking Dead” (sail with Daryl [Norman
Reedus] and other characters). Or, one example of a music themed cruise is the annual
“Sail Across the Sun” cruise hosted by Train, with other musical guests.
Stay
tuned – there are sure to be more cruise trends emerging in 2017!
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