so that there is a constant supply of fresh crew for serving the passengers. A passenger will have access to the basic amenities such as food and accommodation. Other onboard facilities include things like casinos, fitness centers, buffet restaurants, sports amenities, infirmaries and morgues, and many other things.
Countries that Love Cruising
Data from 2016 shows that the United States has the highest number of people who went on cruise ships, about 11.5 million, while China is a distant second with only 2.1 people in the same year. Germany is third with about 2.0 million people while the United Kingdom and Australia are fourth and fifth with 1.9 million and 1.3 million people respectively. Closing the top ten are Brazil and Spain with only half a million people each.
More Americans have now taken to going on cruise ships after retirement or if they wish to take a break from the usual hustle and bustle of life. In fact, data from 2012 shows that around 17 million Americans went on a cruise of some sort, which shows that the figure in 2016 is actually a drop. One of the reasons why cruises are so popular is the relatively lower cost involved. Even though the costs vary with different companies offering different services, the average cruise ship costs around $100 a day. This price includes accommodation, food, entertainment, and transportation from one port to another. In a month, this equates to about $3,000, which is lower than what most people pay in rent or mortgages every month. In some cases, passengers can get a huge bargain where they will spend between $50 and $75 per day. These sorts of bargains are mostly available to customers who book a cruise far in advance or to people who are regulars on cruise ships. The regulars can use their loyalty points to get better rates or get some rewards within the cruise, which may include upgrades or other free rewards.
Another reason why cruises are so popular in the US is their flexibility. There are cruises that last for as short as one week or a month to several years. This flexibility means that people are able to organize themselves in advance depending on their schedules. In the case of people who have large families, they can use loyalty points in order to reduce the financial strain. Surveys also show that a reasonable number of elderly people would be open to retiring in the sea, especially if they get good offers.
Looking at China, the future of cruising does not look that bright, which is in stark contrast to the expanding economy. In 2017, the figure increased slightly to 2.8 million travelers from the 2.1 million of 2016. However, despite the desire of the Chinese government to improve the sector, the number of people going on cruises is projected to decrease by at least 14.3% in 2018. This decrease has now forced cruise operator to start pulling out from the country. The reason for this decline includes things like strict Chinese regulations, tourism bans, poor relations with South Korea, and other things. An example of a negative Chinese regulation is one that does not allow cruise companies to sell goods directly to Chinese consumers, which has left cruise companies in a bad financial situation. Another possible reason for the decline is that people are slowly getting out of traditional cruise ships where everything is preplanned. Instead, people are now leaning towards independent planning where they get to enjoy themselves as much as they want.
Spain is one of the countries with the highest numbers of tourists in the world. However, these tourists do not necessarily get there via the sea. The low number of cruise ship travelers to Spain can be attributed to the anti-tourist protests in some parts of the country. These protests are aimed at cruise companies for the pollution they case to the sea. This trend has also been observed in Italy.