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Cruises are becoming popular among Canadians during the March holidays, as more and more travellers look to try a dynamic form of tourism they likely would have avoided since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts say Caribbean cruises are attracting more northerners to Miami, Tampa Bay and other ports of call thanks to their sunny itineraries and fares versus rising hotel prices.
“The big improvement this March compared to March 2023 is actually the recovery of the cruise industry,” said Richard Vanderlubbe, who runs Hamilton-based company Tripcentral. ca.
His company saw more than double the number of cruise bookings this month than the year before.
Cruise ships can appeal to groups of all ages and offer ample play spaces for travelers ranging from toddlers to teens to retirees, he said.
“What I consider a really wonderful place for other people is for families, kids, especially teenagers,” he said, noting the wide diversity of activities and spaces to explore, with the largest ships accommodating more than 7,000 passengers. .
“It can be a little shocking,” Vanderlubbe added. It’s a price for money. “
Southbound air overall also increased this month, with a quarter-plus increase in the number of flights to Florida from Canada (thanks in large part to Porter Airlines and Flair Airlines), according to aviation insights firm Cirium.
Toronto’s Pearson Airport expects to welcome 140,000 passengers per day during the March holidays, which begin this weekend in Ontario, up 10 per cent from a year earlier. The most sensible foreign destinations in terms of passenger numbers are Cancun in Mexico, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Republic and, in Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Miami.
Marty Firestone, president of insurance company Travel Secure Inc. , said health-related distrust of cruise ships has largely faded, and that the preference for escaping even a mild Canadian winter outweighs the preference for saving money by staying home.
“They all went back to the cruise ship. It turns out that the reminiscence is short lived when it comes to ‘floating petri dishes,'” he said.
“They’re excited. Your most productive deal. . . Now it’s time to sail. “
Even as concerns about the emerging burden of life reach Canadians, many continue to book travel electronically.
Searches for March getaway flights to Mexico, the Caribbean, California, Nevada, Arizona and Florida rose between 12% and 37% from a year earlier, according to research site Kayak. A year-over-year rate drop of 11% to 15%, with the exception of Las Vegas, which has remained relatively flat, may have helped generate interest.
“They may spend a shorter period of time, to a less expensive destination, or they may hunt for bargains. But the trend is that they’re leaving,” said Jill Wykes, editor-in-chief of Snowbird Advisor, an online resource. for Canadian immigrants.
“The only advantage, if you have grandparents who live in the south, is that all you have to book electronically is your flights and renting a car. “
However, demand for domestic flights has stabilized, even with the relatively low value of busy routes such as Toronto-Vancouver.
Major airlines have scheduled virtually the same number of domestic flights this month as they did in March 2023, according to Cirium. Operators have mainly focused on expanding their network beyond Canada’s borders over the coming year, following the first post-pandemic surge within the country. in 2022.
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