Short & ever so sweet; the allure of short cruises has never been stronger - Cruise Roundup

Cruise Travel, July-August, 2003 by Lynn Seldon

When it comes to cruising this year and next, short cruises can be very sweet. The rapid expansion of North American cruising has also led to the phenomenal growth of short cruises. When you want it short and sweet--and often close to home--it's hard to beat the long list of short-cruise options available today.

More than 2.5 million vacationers are expected to enjoy a cruise of less than seven days on some 1,500 sailings this year. "This reflects an ongoing shift in North American vacation patterns," says Bob Sharak, executive director of the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry's trade and marketing group. "With all the time constraints people are under in today's society, it's very important to get away, and a short cruise is a convenient way to do just that."

The growth of short cruises is due to a variety of reasons, including: they're typically closer to home; they offer a chance to relax, rejuvenate, and return refreshed after only a few days of pampering; they provide an opportunity for a brief romantic getaway for two; they're a quick vacation for time-starved families; and they're a good way to test the waters for first-timer cruisers.

By their very nature, short cruises often mean cruising from North American ports, in that less travel time to the port makes a shorter cruise more viable. With the addition and growth of North American ports of embarkation and debarkation, it's easier than ever to find a short and sweet cruise. Along with traditional options like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, New York, and Vancouver, ports becoming more popular include Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, Port Manatee, Mobile, Charleston, Norfolk, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and many more.

Carnival Cruise Lines has to be considered the king of the short-cruise phenomenon. Year-round, Carnival offers three-day Bahamas cruises and four- or five-day Western Caribbean itineraries out of Miami; four- and five-day Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral; four- and five-day Western Caribbean itineraries out of New Orleans and Galveston; and three- and four-day Baja cruises from Los Angeles. Additional seasonal options include four-and five-day Canada cruises from New York, five-day Bahamas cruises from Charleston, three-day options from San Diego, and more.

"Consumers prefer the flexibility and convenience of taking several shorter vacations over the course of the year," says Bob Dickinson, Carnival president. "Carnival's Fun Ship cruise getaways--offering a diversity of cruise lengths, departure days, and embarkation points--fit in perfectly with today's lifestyles. Additionally, short cruises not only represent a terrific value, but also serve to prime first-time cruisers for longer length voyages by allowing them to test the waters within a modest budget and time frame."

Royal Caribbean International has embraced short cruises close to home in a big way, with year-round options out of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Los Angeles. The line's three- and four-night sailings out of Miami and Port Canaveral call in the Bahamas, while the four- and five-night cruises out of Fort Lauderdale head for the Western Caribbean. Out on the West Coast, Royal Caribbean is offering four-night cruises out of Los Angeles to Ensenada, San Diego, and Catalina, as well as a three-night option that calls only on Ensenada. Last March RCI also started sailing out of Galveston on four- and five-night Yucatan itineraries.

For the ultimate in flexibility, Silversea Cruises has come up with a unique way of presenting shorter cruises. The upscale line's "Personalized Voyages" program allows guests to book any cruise as short as five days on its four luxe vessels. This means passengers can custom-design their cruises by deciding when and where they want to embark and debark (more than 200 ports are approved by the line for this program).

"Personalized Voyages is truly an innovative concept that recognizes the need for more flexibility within the cruise experience," says Silversea CEO Albert Peter. "In some instances, guests can only travel for a short period or a set number of days--we're enabling guests to customize their vacation experiences no matter how long or short."

Seattle-based Holland America Line is especially strong on the West Coast. Out of Vancouver, the Amsterdam sometimes sails on three- and four-day cruises that can include Seattle, Astoria (Oregon), and Victoria (British Columbia). There are also several repositioning possibilities typically available in the spring and fall, with Holland America ships moving between ports like Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego--offering two- or three- day cruises without ports-of-calls.

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises features many shorter Caribbean cruises, including three- and five-night sailings out of Fort Lauderdale aboard the Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner, and Seven Seas Navigator. In addition, the Radisson Diamond sails out of San Juan on several four- and five-night itineraries.