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Cruise website claims that UK cruise industry will benefit from volcanic ash disruption

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By The Drum Team, Editorial

May 25, 2011 | 3 min read

Cruise website Cruise Critic has predicted that the cruise industry will benefit as a result of the disruption caused to holidaymakers for the second successive year as a result of volcanic ash clouds.

Having yesterday seen airports across Scotland closed as a result of volcanic ash clouds overhead, the website held a poll that showed just over half of cruisers planned to avoid the hassle and would embark on their holiday from a UK port. Another quarter said that the lower cost was the best reason to sail out of Britain rather than fly.

Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic said that a surge for the Cruise industry would be down to a combination of factors. “First-off most people no longer find flying with its delays and three hour check-in a pleasant experience and will try and avoid it if at all possible. Airport strikes and the eruption of further ash clouds will compound the situation driving more people to seek out a home port option.

“Conversely the investment by ports in improving passenger facilities has made sailing to and from the UK a much more pleasurable experience.

“Then we have the cost. On average the fly part of a fly cruise holiday will add 30% to the total cost. Currency is also a major consideration in these days of the weaker pound. Most ex-UK cruises will be paid for in pounds and on-board costs will be charged in pounds.

“Finally and perhaps most importantly there is the huge increase in choice. The choice of ports, ships, cruise lines and itineraries is greater than ever before fulfilling a latent demand for homeport cruising.”

According to the Passenger Shipping Association, this year more than one in three British cruise holidays will sail from a home port.

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