Aussies keep on cruisin’

By Hannah Edensor

Australia’s cruise industry is on track to becoming the biggest in the world, according to experts.

Members of the industry have gathered at the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) Cruise3Sixty Australasia 2015 conference today to hear the forecast for the cruise industry.

“Australasia is the largest shared gainer of cruising in the world,” CLIA’s chairman Adam Goldstein said.

“If you had asked me a few years ago, I wouldn’t have said that 12% of the world’s cruising would be in this region [Australasia] by 2015, but it is.”

“The incredible growth in cruising here is inspired by China and Australia.”

And it is this sentiment that was echoed by other cruise experts in the event’s first panel.

“This year’s focus is on spreading the national footprint,” P&O Cruises outgoing senior vice president Tammy Marshall said, adding that 80% of cruising came out of Brisbane and Sydney.

Marshall added that the cruise line would be a lot more hell bent on regional and coastal cruising down under, with regional ports integral to “adding diversity”.

Princess Cruises’ vice president for Australia and New Zealand Stuart Allison also made the announcement that because the Aussie market is such a strong one, both year round and seasonal fleets in the company will soon move to onboard Australian currency.

“Australians spend more nights cruising on Princess than any other ship,” Allison said. “This new change will give cruisers more confidence in their overall holiday spend.”

Carnival Cruise Line VP for Australia Jennifer Vanderkreeke said that the Australasian market was integral to any future strategies.

“It’s all about supply and demand,” she said. “And the Australasian market is bucking this supply and demand.”

“Two and a half years ago, we weren’t even in the market,” she added. “Then we brought Spirit here, and then Legend, which is two thirds of the way through her season.”

And while Vanderkreeke wouldn’t confirm if Carnival Legend would become full time down under, she did allude to the possibility, if the ship could enter and utilise the Brisbane port.

“Some major changes in infrastructure are needed if ships like Oasis of the Seas is to head down under to Sydney,” added Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s vice president of commercial Sean Treacy.

Asked their thoughts on the cruise market down under in the next 10 years, the panel proved very optimistic about the outlook.

“One day [Australasia] will be the biggest cruise market in the world,” Allison said. “The future is looking very bright for this region.”

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