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Traditionally, taking a flight has all been an integral part of a summer holiday and one of the exciting moments in getting away. Recently, since the Twin Towers terrorist attacks in particular, the thought of flying is considered one of the less desirable parts of a trip. Crowded airports, long check-in queues, reduced baggage allowance, higher taxes, over zealous security, flight delays and strikes mean that people are thinking about options other than flying - not to mention those who have a flying phobia in the first place. So it’s unsurprising that taking a no-fly cruise sailing directly from the UK, is becoming such a highly popular choice for holidaymakers. For many UK cruise aficionados, the ultimate attraction of a cruise is not so much the multiple restaurants or huge choice of activities, but the simple joy of travelling in your own car to a UK port, where staff are ready to unload as much luggage as you care to pack with no excess baggage charges. In no time at all, you are aboard your cruise ship with a drink in hand and starting your holiday off in style. The statistics speak for themselves as they show that the number of passengers cruising from UK ports in 2010 was 837,000, up 14% on 2009 and a staggering 123% since 2003*. P&O Cruises, Cunard, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Cruise & Maritime Voyages continue to be the main operators sailing from the UK, however other cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Holland America and Princess Cruises have also started offering cruises from the UK. They have all increased the number of departures from UK ports as well as basing larger ships in their fleets in the UK. For example, Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, the second largest cruise ship in the world now sails from Southampton throughout the year whilst Celebrity Cruises has based its new Solstice Class ship, Celebrity Eclipse in Southampton. While a Mediterranean cruise is still the favourite destination for UK cruisers, the choice of itineraries is extensive from more than 10 ports throughout the UK. As well as the Mediterranean, cruise ships leave for the Baltic, Norway, Iceland and Greenland, the Canary Islands,the Caribbean, the east coast of America and round the world plus of course, trips around the British Isles and Ireland. Durations range from two-night mini-cruises to round the world voyages taking many months. Southampton is the UK’s busiest cruise liner port with 11 cruise lines offering departures from there including P&O Cruises. P&O has more than 130 departures planned in 2011 from their state-of-the-art £19 million Ocean Terminal which offers a fast check-in process, spacious lounge and impressive viewing gallery. The fast check-in process means that passengers can be on board within 30 minutes of arriving at the Southampton terminal. It’s little wonder that the number of people choosing to cruise directly from the UK is increasing at such a rate. With cruises from the UK, you start your holiday the moment you board the ship. You avoid the hustle and bustle of crowded airports, and have more time to enjoy your holiday. * Source: IRN Research - Cruise Port Statistics 2010 The author is a cruise enthusiast and recommends searching for late cruise deals at Cruise118.
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