Cunard's Queen Mary rules the ocean waves, taking an impressive 14% of search traffic.
Price comparison site dealchecker.co.uk have been taking a closer look at cruisers, to see which type of ship travellers are searching for. ‘The Cruise Off’ can reveal a preference for mid-size ships over the very small or the super liner.
Cunard‘s Queen Mary rules the ocean waves, taking an impressive 14% of search traffic. Next was P&O’s Oceana with 5.6% of searches. The smallest of the fleet is next in line with P&O’s Adonia taking 0.9% of searches. And last but certainly not least was the spectacular Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas with 0.4% of cruise searches.
Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt, editor of dealchecker comments: “The beauty of a cruising holiday is that it can be tailored to suit a wide range of tastes and budgets. The optimum size for British travellers seems to be ships that accommodate between 2000 and 2800 passengers, as these ships offer the perfect balance of facilities, space and privacy for a holiday afloat….It was fun to see that the good old British reserve has crept into the cruising market with many UK travellers seeking out the smaller mid-size ships over the super liners.”
Mid size ships offer great value and still maintain a certain level of intimacy. The ships offer a little bit of everything and are suited to couples, singles and families alike. Prices are more reasonable than the smaller ships and service will generally be friendly and efficient. The entertainment is usually substantial and there is a wide choice of activities without the queues. If this is your kind of cruise experience then book ships like Grandeur of the Seas, P&O‘s Oceana, Celebrity Century, Disney Wonder or Holland America Westerdam.
When it comes to cruising ‘small’ is indeed perfectly formed. Offering luxury, intimacy, personalised service, plush cabins, high quality dining, elegant entertainment and an altogether more refined experience from a cruise dealchecker’s assistant editor Em is a total convert of small ships she comments:
“I once travelled around the Greek Islands on P&O’s Adonia, I’d never go back to the big ships, the sense of intimacy you get with a smaller ship really makes the holiday. If you make friends you actually see them again rather than them being gobbled up by a massive super liner.”
Party animals should aim high, if ‘the bigger the better’ is a motto you travel by then head for a mega liner. Home to an impressive 6,000+ people, the cabins are not always as plush as the smaller ships but the fabulous facilities are hard to beat. Enjoy a wide choice of entertainment and activities. Plus a great choice of restaurants, pools, water parks, spas, kids programs, casinos, bars, nightlife and more. Get organised and book ahead for activities, as it usually gets very busy onboard.
Photo caption: Cunard’s Queen Mary rules the ocean waves, taking an impressive 14% of search traffic.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
