Cruising after 911

[Kuki]

Like many of you today, much of the day my mind was on that horrific Tuesday 6 years ago.

As I recalled much of it, I also thought about the cruise we went on, leaving Sept 22. It had an impact unlike most cruises I've been on, and after returning I wrote an article about it. Here's the link
http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/...mph-sanity.cfm

It talks about our CD on that cruise, John Heald. And after how he handled that difficult cruise my admiration for him rose to new levels. He's a great CD, but he's also so much more than that!

[cutiecat]

God bless the families of 9/11 and our country as we are all forever changed because of it...

[Michelle1959]

Kuki,

2 months after 9/11, I flew down to Florida with my son to have a long weekend with my mom, who had moved from the Chicago area down to Boca Raton in 1999. We flew into and home from Ft. Lauderdale airport.

I couldn't believe how many people were returning home from a cruise! It was packed! Of course, on that Veteran's day Monday, there was that horrible airplane crash in a residential area in NEw York and all flights into New York State were cancelled until they knew whether it was terrorism.

Everyone in the security lines at the airport was somber as we watched the tv displays, all turned to CNN's coverage. They asked anyone flying into New York State to step aside and follow reps who would help re-schedule their flights for the following day.

On my flights to and from Florida, it never occured to me that another 9/11 would happen, I was more worried about the usual - drunk/tired pilots, mechanical problems. I knew the men (and women) on board would kick a** if anyone tried anything.

But it was obvious that 9/11 did NOT cause most cruisers to cancel their cruises. I don't know how it was right after 9/11 but 2 months later there was definitely no fear of cruising!

[Kuki]

But it was obvious that 9/11 did NOT cause most cruisers to cancel their cruises. I don't know how it was right after 9/11 but 2 months later there was definitely no fear of cruising!

The affect on the cruise industry was quite drastic. It required EXTREME discounting for months to attract cruisers, and get them back on the ships. It was a boon to those who put aside their fears, because it meant GREAT pricing for a couple of years.

It was also the birth of "hometown cruising", with the cruise lines trying to open as many ports of embarkation as possible that people could easily drive to (because of the fear of flying, as well as the new security arrangement necessary to fly). The philosophy of "hometown cruising" has been expanded at a truly rapid pace in the past 6 years. In part this was because the cruise lines have found people were willing to include what it might cost them to fly in their cruise fare (in other words MORE) for the convenience of not having to fly.

[Michelle1959]

I didn't know it was that bad. I guess I assumed that nothing would keep serious cruisers from their joy of cruising! I can see the issue with flyers to the ports, though.

[Mike M]

I remember the impact after 9/11 very vividly. The boards were alive with talk not only of the political, personal and cruise ramifications of the days events but also of the aftermath that would happen to the industry.

The aftermath was, at the least, brutal to the industry and there was a question if it would survive.

1. Stock prices for the major lines dropped from the low $30 range to the $18 to $12 range in less than a month.

2. Ships that were sailing at over 100% capacity were sailing at 95% capacity. This doesn't sound like much but to a cruise it is a major revenue loss.

3. Renaissance Cruises and AMCV American Classic Voyages Company, the parent company for American Hawaii Cruises, Great Lakes Cruises and United Sates Lines ceased operations because of 9/11.

4. Travel Agents petitioned Congress for help because of the lack of bookings caused because of 9/11.

5. Cruise prices were drastically cut for the next two to three years in order to attract customers. Many people became "spoiled" because of the low prices. Cruise prices are now at the levels they were "before" 9/11. I sailed, in a PH Suite on the Dawn Princess for $1295 pp in January of 2002.

Many that began cruising in 2002 and 2003 believe that today's cruise prices are very high but they are actually still less than they were than they were pre-9/11.

It was also a bad time for the airlines. Their bookings for leisure travel dropped for over a year. Airfares were cut over 12% into August of 2002.

Business travel was down 25% in August 2002 from what it was in August 2001.

If you wonder if there was concern and problems, after 9/11, you may want to listen to this 2002 radio show.

http://savvytraveler.publicradio.org...=00:00:39:00.0

Take care,
Mike

[mehawk]

I am glad that the economy rebounded.