Agents Reporting Small Ships, River Cruises Becoming More Popular

Bookings for small-ship itineraries and river cruises have increased, travel agents say, as traditional cruises have been canceled or suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and a general reticence to get back on a big boat.

According to a report by Fox Business News, a survey of agents found that more than 34 percent of their clients wish to convert previous vacation bookings to a small-ship cruise. The survey of nearly 500 travel advisors was conducted by Scenic Group.

The survey found that more than 60 percent of travel advisors reported that river cruises account for 25-50 percent of all bookings while 75 percent see small-ship cruise bookings of 250 passengers or less growing to as much as 25 percent of their cruise business.

Fifty-five percent of travel agents surveyed said their clients’ top three concerns are related to safety concerns around COVID-19, including “needing to know the ship’s response protocols for any onboard outbreak,” “knowing the proactive safety measures the cruise line is taking to prevent outbreaks,” and “how the onboard experience will change including food service.”

The cruise ship industry has been battered by the virus, as the Centers for Disease Control last week extended a no-sail order for the third time. According to the CDC’s new order, there have been a total of 2,973 coronavirus cases, or coronavirus-like illnesses, and 34 deaths on cruise ships between March 1 and July 10.