Top cruising trends from Cruise Critic

It’s that time of year they call wave season, when cruise ships book the bulk of their passengers. It’s also a great time to find a deal on a cruise because so many ships are competing with one another. 

Cruise Critic, a cruise reviews site, has released its list of the top cruise trends for 2014, based on industry insight and consumer habits.

1. Build  Your Own Cruise Deal

Cruise lines continue to add unique onboard experiences for guests, but many times they come at an added cost. Cruise lines are now introducing pick-your-own deal offerings that allow passengers to choose the deal of their choice – airline, onboard credit, etc.

2. More Quick Getaways

Short two- to four-day cruises have typically been reserved for older ships in cruise line fleets. Looking ahead, more new ships are offering short cruises – including Norwegian Breakaway, which launched in 2013 and will offer some two-day sailings.

3.  Balcony Smoking Stubbed Out

Six cruise lines announced amendments to onboard smoking policies in 2013, and it’s expected that a number more will follow in 2014. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Cunard, PO, Disney Cruise Line, and Seabourn all announced that they would be ban some, if not all, smoking on balconies by 2014, and MSC announced new smoking bans on US-based MSC Divina.

4. A Genuine Taste of the Port

A majority of cruisers (80 percent) book shore excursions prior to embarkation – 45 percent of those book through an independent operator, rather than the cruise line. To counter this excursion competition, lines are introducing new, immersive shore experiences that cruisers can only experience by booking directly through the line.

5. Hot Destinations for 2014

• Panama Canal: The Panama Canal celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2014 and the new visitors’ center will welcome a number of cruise ship passengers.

• Japan: Watch out for more Japan-centric cruises in 2014. Japan can be expensive and tricky to navigate by land, so cruising is considered an ideal way to see the country.

• Australia: Cruises are a great way to experience all that Australia has to offer, and with more choices offered in 2014, it’s definitely a cruise destination to watch.