Australian financial comparison site, money.com.au
has been comparing the costs of cruise holidays with traditional
air-land getaways and discovered something every cruise company already
knows: cruising is cheaper by the day.
Money.com.au
compared the cost of cruises for two travellers from Australia to three
popular destinations with equivalent traditional holidays.
The analysis compared cruises (including meals, entertainment and
select on-shore excursions) to economy flights to the same destinations
and hotel accommodation in the final docking city of the cruise.
For example, a 10-night South Pacific cruise on the Ovation Of The
Seas, sailing from Sydney with stops across New Zealand's South Island
and Wellington, comes in at $4,997 (US$3,323) including all onboard
meals, entertainment and a drinks package.
In comparison, a traditional 10-day holiday from Sydney to New
Zealand for two travellers would cost $6,013, with flights and
accommodation alone costing $2,813. Meals, drinks and activities on land
would add another $3,200.
The Sydney-New Zealand cruise costs $499.70 per day, compared to a
traditional trip at $601.30 per day — resulting in a daily saving of
$101.60.
Opting for this cruise could save you $1,016 (US$675) overall compared to a traditional holiday, says Money.com.au
Money.com.au
also compared a 13-night Sydney to Fiji cruise with Princess Cruises
(total cost $6208) with a 13-day traditional holiday to Fiji for two
travellers costing t $7,533, an overall saving of $1,325,.
In another example, a transPacific cruise from Sydney to Hawaii for
21 nights on Quantum of the Seas with stops in New Zealand and French
Polynesia, would cost $7,278.
By comparison, a 21-day traditional holiday to Hawaii for two
travellers would cost $12,680, with $6,580 allocated to flights and
accommodation alone. Meals, drinks, and activities would add an
additional $5,800.
The cruise costs $346.57 per day, compared to the traditional trip to
Hawaii at roughly $603.80 per day — a saving of $257.23 per day.
Choosing this cruise could save you $5,402 overall — nearly half the
price of a traditional holiday, according to the comparison site.
"The cost per day of cruising can be much lower than a traditional
trip when you factor in the included meals and activities,” says Money.com.au’s finance expert, Sean Callery.