Hardselling is name of the game for cruise firms

new delhi: planning an overseas vacation? well, it’s time you let go of your west-bound travel jitters, more so when it comes to taking a cruise. if the travel industry insiders are to be believed, cruise tags in the us and europe are heading for almost a 30 per cent dip this summer. the reason: prolonged fears of west-bound holidayers. no wonder, cruise companies from the west are hard-selling their destinations and trying to entice holidayers with greater sops.so, while the prices for a cruise in us currently ranges between $90 and $100 (rs 4,500-5,000) for one person per day, it’s expected to touch a low of $70-75 (rs 3,500) by june. however, hitting the far eastern waters, which have post-9\11 emerged as a safer destination, are expected to become more expensive. prices for a cruise on the eastern sector currently hovers at around $115-120 and is expected to touch $150 per person per night, say industry insiders. cruise companies are also ensuring that the customer has a lot of choices at hand this summer. while the food, accommodation and on-board entertainment have all been packed into the fare package, the industry is abuzz with talks of more attractive schemes that are likely to be introduced with the ensuing holiday season. and these include free cruises for two kids with the parents are common. some, in fact, have already started flowing in. a look at the offers now: &$149 star cruise is offering 25 per cent rebate on the package for honeymooners and senior citizens over the age of 50. &$149 the cruise-liner is also introducing an early bird offer under which package booked before march 30 will entail free travel for a child upto the age of 16. &$149 a two category free upgrade on the alaska sector by royal carribean, which would mean getting an ocean view cabin for the charge of an inside one. unknown in india till not so long ago, the rs 60 crore business is growing at 25-30 per cent per annum. a snapshot at its growing popularity: from merely 2,700 people taking a cruise in 1998, it has grown to almost 22,000 in 2001 and is expected to touch 30,000 heads this year, says merzban majoo, sales manager with star cruise. and believe it or not, this has been scaled down from the previous target of 50,000. “in the first seven months of 2001, we had sold more cruise tickets than in the entire 2000. then, september 11 happened and the entire industry went into a tailspin. though, most cruise-liners ended positive, thanks mainly to the good growth in the earlier part of the year, the holiday season was a washout,� says gautam chadha, india representative for royal caribbean international. even now, though enquiries are very strong the actual commitment is lacking, giving the cruise operators a sickening feel. and that explains the mad rush to entice holidayers.