Prices for Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises are averaging lower than they were in 2008, 2009 and 2010, according to the Cruise Holidays 2012 Cruise TrendsSurvey, released Jan. 4.

However, prices have risen slightly from 2011, a positive trend because it demonstrates increased demand, said the agency franchise group.

The survey is based on bookings from Cruise Holidays’ booking system as well as from a supplementary opinion survey taken by top Cruise Holidays owners and agents.

The bookings include any staterooms booked by Cruise Holidays from Jan. 1 to Dec. 21, 2011, for any cruises slated to depart in 2012.

Price is only one factor that contributes to cruisers' vacation decisions. The ship and itinerary are just as important, the survey found.

In this year's findings, Cruise Holidays agents selected the Celebrity Silhouette, which entered service last July, as their favorite ship to debut in the past calendar year.

They voted the fifth and final Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Reflection, as the ship they are most anticipating for 2012. The Celebrity Reflection will debut in the fall.

“Most of our Cruise Holidays owners and agents have sailed aboard the Solstice-class ships since Celebrity's development of the game-changing Solstice in late 2008,” said Mark Schiffner, vice president and chief operating officer of Cruise Holidays. “This class of ship has since become one of the most celebrated in the industry.”

Another finding shows the evolving tastes of cruisers: The second most anticipated ship in 2012 is an upscale river cruise ship, Ama Waterways’ 164-passenger Amacerto.

The Amacerto will enter service in April sailing the Danube, Rhine, Main and Mosel rivers.

Rounding out the top five in the survey of most popular ships for 2012 are the Disney Fantasy, Oceania Cruises’ Riviera and Viking River Cruises’ Freya.

Alaska and Europe continue to battle it out in the destination race, according to the survey. While Caribbean cruises are the perennial and overwhelming favorite, early bookings to Europe continue to outpace those to Alaska for the second year in a row, said Cruise Holidays.

A shift in cruise capacity away from the Mexican Riviera means this region is down to seventh place after being as high as third place in 2006, 2007 and 2008, the survey found.

SOURCE

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