By Tom Stieghorst
Cruise Holidays said Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas is the most anticipated cruise ship due in 2014.
In a survey of 133 of its franchisees about trends in cruising next year, Cruise Holidays found that when asked which ship they are anticipating the most, the “overwhelming response” was Quantum.
Other cruise ships entering service in 2014 include the Costa Diadema, Regal Princess and Norwegian Getaway.
Cruise Holidays said that the Quantum, which debuts in November 2014, accounts for 20% of its 2015 bookings so far in 2015.
Quantum, the first in a new class of ships for Royal Caribbean, will carry 4,100 passengers and will sail year-round from Bayonne, N.J., on seven- to 12-day cruises to the Bahamas and the eastern and southern Caribbean.
The survey said the Caribbean continues to command the most bookings of any cruise region by a wide margin, with 54.8% of the total for next year. Europe as a whole remains second with 10.4%, with Alaska third at 9.1% and Bermuda next at 3.5%
River cruises were included for comparison in the list for the first time. They account for 5.7% of all Cruise Holidays bookings in 2014.
The project work will build up to the new ship sailing out from Southampton in April 2015, with couples and families among the key younger groups targeted.
