Originally published March 2 2005
Cruise lines luring travelers with niche marketing
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
With the popularity of cruises growing, cruise lines are working hard to create niche cruises that will lure travelers while they are researching cruises on the internet. Whether they offer photography classes, wine selections for aficionados, or opportunities to discuss books with a famous author, cruises designed for special niche markets are becoming all the rage.
More people are taking cruises than ever before.
And more options are available to cruisers than ever before - more destinations, a bigger variety of activities on and off the ship, even more choices for dinner.
Niche cruises abound, from sailings for wine aficionados to trips that teach photography.
And even though most cruisers use travel agents to book their trips, the Internet is playing an increasingly important role as a research tool.
Nearly 8 million people took cruises in 2003; about 10.5 million took cruises in 2004, according to the Cruise Line Industry Association, which represents 19 cruise lines serving 95 percent of the North American market.
Noncruisers may understandably think of cruises as a refuge for sedentary passengers who spend their days filling up at free buffets.
Depending on the destination, Royal Caribbean cruises offer everything from glacier-climbing to cliff-rappelling to biking adventures, and its ships are known for amenities such as rock-climbing walls and ice rinks.
To entice repeat customers to come back, cruise lines are also adding new ports of call.
Holland America Lines even has a name for repeat cruisers for whom Mexico and the Caribbean are old news.
Crystal Cruises offers signature dishes from Wolfgang Puck; the Queen Mary 2 has a Todd English restaurant, and Silversea offers a wine series with tastings and guided excursions to vineyards.
Also on the rise is the increased importance of the Internet.
Although CLIA's market research finds that 80 percent of cruisers still use travel agents to book their trips, cruise Web sites are proliferating.
Dale, the CLIA president, says the array of choices available to cruisers is part of what keeps them coming back in such high numbers.
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