Discounting Causing Unrest Onboard Cruise Ships

The chief executive officer of one of the world’s largest cruise companies has played down suggestions that recent heavy discounting on cruise packages has led to ‘social unrest’ among passengers.

Chairman and CEO of cruise company Carnival, who own 11 cruise lines including P&O Cruises and Cunard, spoke with television host Jeremy Vine at The Travel Convention in Barcelona.

Carnival said last week that one of its cruise liners would no longer be stop in the Caribbean island of Antigua, as a brawl occurred between locals and those on the cruise ship.

Cruise lines have been cutting prices in an effort to maintain high passenger numbers while the industry struggles in the current economic storm.

Passenger Shipping Association spokesman William Gibbons said that in spite of the credit crunch interest in cruise holidays remain at an all-time high.  He went on to say that the all-inclusive nature of cruising and the very high standards of quality, innovation and customer service have made cruising a compelling and mainstream holiday choice.

November will see the launch of the world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, but Arison said Carnival had no plans to launch a rival ship.

The ship is one of several new launches with P&O Cruises ‘Azura, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Eclipse all setting sail in 2010.