The right wavelength

Thousands of passengers will enjoy cruises costing less than £70 per day in 2013 knowing they are fully protected against Air Passenger Duty (APD) which the Government slaps on travellers who fly from Britain.

According to the latest Cruise Review from the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), some 1.7 million Britons took a cruise holiday in 2012, with nearly 700,000 of them heading for the Mediterranean.

The report says that 962,000 passengers set sail from a UK port, and in 2013 that figure will top the one million mark as many holidaymakers decide to avoid the hassle of overcrowded airports.

Demand for cruises departing from Britain is being boosted by the APD tax, which has deterred many from flying to join the ship abroad, says Cruise Review.

Cruising is also boosting local centres in Britain too; the report says that 723,000 passengers visited 52 ports within the UK in 2012, nearly double the total recorded for 2007.

The growth in cruising is being driven by low prices, particularly outside peak holiday periods and on last-minute bookings when cruise firms are most reluctant to leave with empty cabins.

According to the PSA, the average price of a cruise in 2012 was £1,388 – down from £1,434 in 2011 – and an average price per day of £128.

Bob Atkinson, travel expert at travelsupermarket.com, says many get on board for a much lower price than that. “There are some amazing last-minute deals, with many people getting a week at sea for between £400 and £500, if they are prepared to travel outside main school holidays.

“There can also be great value for those who book very early, in terms of the add-ons offered to get them to commit themselves: these typically include free onboard spending money, parking fees paid at departure ports and guaranteed cabin upgrades.”

According to the review, northern Europe saw the greatest growth in UK cruise visitors last year, with a 29 per cent surge to 443,000, up from 342,000 
n 2011. The increase was fuelled by Britons’ growing taste for Norwegian fjords which saw nearly 200,000 passengers visiting the region (44.5 per cent of all northern European bookings).