Cruising making a comeback, AAA Travel says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Cruising is making a comeback in 2022 after the coronavirus pandemic put a pause on sailings, according to AAA Travel.

The Auto Club Group’s travel agency said Tuesday that cruise bookings during the past four weeks are twice as high as this time last year.

The agency anticipates that trend to continue through the travel season.

“We are seeing a resurgence in travelers who are eager to vacation again and that includes cruising,” said Debbie Haas, vice president of travel for AAA. “Cruising is more available now than it ever was during the pandemic. Destinations are loosening travel restrictions and cruise lines hope to reach full capacity in the second half of the year. As a result, our travel agency is seeing a wide mix of bookings that include everything from short weekend excursions to worldwide voyages.”

AAA also notes that it has seen a rise in travel confidence as COVID-19 cases decrease.

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According to AAA research, 58.3 million — 23% — Americans are considering a cruise in the next two years, and 43% of Americans who plan to cruise in the future are satisfied with the cruise industry’s overall response to the pandemic.

If you do plan to book a cruise or travel in general anytime soon, Haas said that now is the time to book.

“With strong demand and volatile oil prices, booking early will ensure you get the vacation you want at the optimal price. That’s especially true for cruise lines,” Haas said. “They open up reservations as early as two years ahead of sailing and sometimes offer better rates for booking early.”

In Jacksonville, the Carnival Spirit set sail earlier this month, making it the first major cruise ship to depart from JaxPort in nearly two years.