Cool Water Cruises on the Rise

‘Cool water cruises’ to northern Europe have seen a sharp rise this year with the overall number predicted to be up by 16 per cent compared to 2011.

The data compiled for CLIA and the European Cruise Council estimates that a total of 1.49 million cruise passengers are expected to cruise in northern European waters this year, which is up by 16 per cent from 1.28 million last year.

The number of passengers cruising the Arctic, which includes Iceland, is predicted to increase by 37 per cent compared to 2011 and cruises to the Norwegian fjords are expected to rise by 29 per cent. U.K. cruises are also forecast to increase by 16 per cent.

Bo Larsen, director of Cruise Baltic and partner to the European Cruise Council, said: “The Northern European cruise market is growing rapidly, benefitting both from the region's newly extended range of destinations and also from the cruise lines' desire to extend their season here well into the colder months of the year.”

In total, cruise ships from a total 44 cruise lines serve 253 ports in the northern European region. Of which, 52 are in the Baltic, 78 in Norway and the Arctic region, and 123 in North-Western Europe.

‘Cool water cruising' is likely to receive a further boost following the news that a London-based travel specialist, BAway, will be the first agent to package a new visa-free cruise and stay package from Helsinki to St. Petersburg.