Despite continuing stories of ships still in search of a port and more daily reports of passengers struck onboard by Covid-19, avid cruisers are booking for 2021 at a rate 9% higher than they did last year at this time.
Analysts at financial adviser UBS say that the increase is evident nearly worldwide, with demand especially strong for Asia and Alaska cruises, the Caribbean doing well, and only the Mediterranean lagging.
While some analysts have suggested that the spectacle of so many people being cooped up for weeks in fear for their lives might put a permanent dent in the cruise industry, their worries may turn out over stated.
Part of the oomph, of course, comes from people whose cruises this year were cut short or canceled; most lines gave refunds, often for more than the original price, in the form of credits for future travel. The UBS analysts considered that and noted that while the figure "includes people applying their future cruise credits from sailings that were cancelled this year, but still shows a surprising resilience in desire to book a cruise.”
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