World's largest cruise ship voted "most exciting cruise innovation"

The launch of the world's largest cruise ship has been voted the most exciting cruise ship innovation in a new survey of cruise trends released February 11.

The annual Cruise Holidays Cruise Trends Survey voted the Royal Caribbean's 5,400-passenger Oasis of the Seas as the best thing to hit the high seas in 2009, followed by her AquaTheatre in second place. The AquaTheatre is a pool by day and water-themed amphitheatre by night, featuring high-diving shows.

The survey also revealed some interesting trends on cruise pricing. The 135 US cruise holiday travel agents surveyed said that across the board, cruise pricing has fallen dramatically, to levels not seen for the past 20 years. Departing the US for example, cruise prices to the Mediterranean are down $28 (€20) per day, per person, for a 12-day cruise, leading to $336 (€246) in savings per person compared to 2009.

Consumers are waiting until the last possible moment to book, says Cruise Holidays, with over a third booking their cruise from one to three months ahead of departure. Only six percent booked short notice (less than a month) cruises, whilst 20 percent preferred to book in the four-to-eight month window.

The most exciting cruise innovations of the last 12 months
Data from Cruise Holidays Cruise Trends Survey

1. Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas' sheer size
2. Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas' AquaTheater
3. Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas' Central Park
4. Celebrity Equinox's/ Solstice's Lawn Club
5. Celebrity Equinox's/ Solstice's glass blowing studio
6. Carnival Dream's Cove Balcony cabins (near the water line)
7. (tie) Carnival Dream's indoor/outdoor Ocean Plaza
7. (tie) Seabourn Odessey's spa
7. (tie) Viking Legend's new suites

Website: http://www.cruiseholidays.com/