Cruise Trips: Just How Popular is Cruising?

The results are in for 2004. The number of people looking for travel deals has reached record levels for cruise trips. 10.5 million cruise passengers got on board cruise ships last year.

According to the 19 cruise line members of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) this was a new record for cruise vacations. The Association expects that number to increase in 2005 to over 11 million.

Most of the cruisers included in these numbers are from North America, totaling about 8.8 million. Many of these vacationers are looking for travel deals for cruises only. Cruise vacations have become so popular that cruise lines are recommending that potential cruisers book their cruise packages at least 6 months in advance. Even this does not assure that you will be able to get your preferred cruise destination and itinerary aboard your preferred cruise ship in your preferred stateroom category.

CLIA is the cruise industry's chief marketing organization and the largest travel industry association based on agency membership in North America. The president and CEO of the association says that cruise vacation bookings are coming in "fast and furious". Consumer demand on cruise ship trips continues to rise and cruisers are looking to farther destinations like Europe and the Asia.

Even though there are more cruise vacation departures and more cruise ships and itineraries than ever before, the cruise lines' ships are operating at capacity. A total of 68 new cruise ships will have debuted between 2000 and the end of 2005!

Since 1975 when CLIA was formed, there is about three times the number of home ports in North America. With 30 home ports, North American cruisers have more choices to start their cruise vacation trips from.

For more information on cruise vacation trips, visit some of our other interesting and informative articles. To check out the best deals on-line for cruise vacations, visit our cruise discount home page at a1-discount-cruises.com. Click on the merchants' links that you will find there. Compare the values and choose the very best cruise deal. Then book your cruise on-line and get excited!

Brian A Schmidt is the author and web publisher of a1-discount cruises.com. This site is your #1 source for cruise information, discounts and deals! Visit http://a1-discount-cruises.com to book your special cruise vacation. For more interesting and informative articles relating to cruises check out our Site Map.

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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/activities--interests/cruising/sailing-russias-frontiers/2008/10/08/1223145445627.htmlcid=1256307706ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNGc5ZCK2Sj6a7gd7rZeJlfVTzAt3Qimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=5eGQr9q4wxsJimgurl=www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/10/10/Aurora_Ship_wideweb__470x313,0.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Sydney Morning Herald/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/activities--interests/cruising/sailing-russias-frontiers/2008/10/08/1223145445627.htmlcid=1256307706ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNGc5ZCK2Sj6a7gd7rZeJlfVTzAt3QbSailing/b Russia#39;s frontiers/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSydney Morning Herald,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Creative bCruising/b has a two-night bsailing/b from Sydney to Brisbane on Oriana in mid-February from $299 a person, twin-share. From Fremantle, a six-night b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.easier.com/view/Travel/Holidays/article-208807.htmlcid=1255918283ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNHvfOcJuUvT3OWejdSG9B3cXpOaSAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=6bl3lXhAxQ8Jimgurl=www.easier.com/myads/images/208807-41.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Easier (press release)/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/kids-sail-free-costa-during/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B1A466616-1174-4F19-9D86-DEF48CC4210F%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255918283ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNG1wyIO6j8ZRPr_ZVVwgBCojZ1DbwKids bSail/b for Free with Costa During 2008-2009 Winter Caribbean b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Costa bCruises/b is Italy and Europe#39;s number one bcruise/b line. For the past 60 years its ships have sailed the world, offering the best in Italian style, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ibtimes.com/prnews/20081009/fl-costa-cruise-kids.htmcid=1255918283ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNF1hRNIh156CoQ1iHXPtwtjbql7AwKids bSail/b for Free with Costa During 2008-2009 Winter Caribbean b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInternational Business Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255918283hl=ennobrall 9 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/travel/10/12/1012shortcruises.htmlcid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNEqsWmlq9vM8nuurXOIQY87PAMTPgShort bcruises/b offer travelers chance to see if the sea is for them/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAustin American-Statesman,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The ships are expected to start bsailing/b again from Galveston next month. Travelers who haven#39;t tried a bcruise/b can find out whether they#39;re the seafaring b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/disney-cruise-line-sets-sail/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B6CB3796E-D56E-4625-B403-FC9A35EF5507%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1254875402ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNFxQaCaHGxPc686Yy2_lGdXiy6nEADisney bCruise/b Line Sets bSail/b for Russia, Northern Europe and b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 6, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1For the summer of 2010, the Disney Wonder will shift to four- and five-night bcruises sailing/b to Nassau, Key West and Disney#39;s private island, Castaway Cay. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sail-world.com/news.cfm%3FNid%3D49622%26SRCID%3D4cid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNE0j6--807dtvplACRnJhziDXmjDwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=hWtQkKk_BdgJimgurl=www.sail-world.com/photos/Alt_Dick%2520Smidlin.jpg width=55 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Sail World/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sail-world.com/news.cfm%3FNid%3D49622%26SRCID%3D4cid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNE0j6--807dtvplACRnJhziDXmjDwDick Smidlin bsails/b his last race/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSail World,nbsp;Australianbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A sailor since a teenager, he had been a member of the bCruising/b Yacht Club of Australia for the past 22 years, but his membership of Middle Harbour Yacht b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/cruise/6047635.htmlcid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNGociBn1kZyTfJ_uwCjvqFYFsvP5Qimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=-YDAFj2QaaIJimgurl=www.chron.com/photos/2008/09/11/13440237/260xStory.jpg width=80 height=52 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Houston Chronicle/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/cruise/6047635.htmlcid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNGociBn1kZyTfJ_uwCjvqFYFsvP5QTaking it to extremes/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHouston Chronicle,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Most people think the only thing extreme about bcruising/b is the excessive pampering and the volume of food. But a growing cadre of vacationers seeks more b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pr.com/press-release/110299cid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNHHvyICJeF1iqhOpIxekuKiBLjRswGift of bSailing/b Includes a Free Sailor#39;s Jacket/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR.com (press release),nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1If bcruising/b is their dream, the next step is learning on 41-49-foot yachts. “Confidence is achieved in less than a week,” said Colgate, “and because there b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/travel/sfl-1010-cruises-world,0,5355656.storycid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNEvOixM4g6Ij3zWrBQOT3eqcCeggwDrive to Port Everglades and see the world/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSun-Sentinel.com,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Cunard Line, Holland America Line and Princess bCruises/b are among the lines offering world bcruises/b from Port Everglades. Other lines bsail/b from US ports b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ff%3D/c/a/2008/10/10/TRQM13AVI3.DTLcid=1256165733ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNHxHWTrFmiwuAaXfxBj-FlJZpaDXwTravel deals abound during tough times/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Francisco Chronicle,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In bcruising/b, Cunard#39;s giant new ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2, is permitting tour discounters to sell a 15-night Caribbean bsailing/b from Fort Lauderdale, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/10179.htmlcid=0ei=gEjxSPWLHo3W6gOS1dmyBwusg=AFQjCNEj68cBvYtl5LsxTVJfbD_vxbtCDgYachts Are They Just the Reserve of the Rich and Famous/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTimes of the Internet,nbsp;Ohionbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1This is a great way to experience the thrill of bsailing/b on the open seas at a fraction of the cost of buying and maintaining your own luxury yacht. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
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