It’s understandable that the unforgettable image of a ship lying on its side will see many consumers shy away from cruises, but the CD-Traveller team won’t be among them.

Yes last week’s accident was horrific and, with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking only a couple of months away, couldn’t have come at a worse time. However the fact remains that cruise ship accidents of this scale are (thankfully) rare and going forward I expect that cruise companies will put passenger safety first, like never before.

Plane crashes are much more frequent yet we haven’t stopped boarding flights to far flung destinations, so I can’t see that the Costa Concordia incident will deter cruising enthusiasts from setting sail this summer.

On the contrary, with cruise operators now lying awake at night worrying about losing custom, I expect to see the cost of cruise holidays slashed. Translation? 2012 could be the year that those like me, who have long viewed cruises for the newly wed or nearly dead, are finally converted to cruising.

That’s my view but what about you? Has the Costa Concordia disaster made you think twice about cruising or will you still be sailing? Let us know by posting a comment below.

UPDATE: 24 January 2012.
See Irena’s interview in her blog, Benidorm all year round, with a couple who had sailed on the Costa Concordia in December. Tony and Renee Dipple raised safety issues at the time with the crew.

Today: the pros and cons of mid size and boutique ships

Mid-Size Ships (600–1,600 passengers)
These suit the smaller ports of the Aegean and Mediterranean, and are more manoeuvrable than larger ships. Several operate around-the-world cruises and other long-distance itineraries to exotic destinations not really feasible aboard many small ships or large resort ships.

There is a big difference in the amount of space available. Accommodation varies from large “penthouse suites” complete with butler service to tiny interior (no-view) cabins. These ships will generally be more stable at sea than “small ships,” due to their increased size and draft. They provide more facilities, more entertainment, and more dining options. There is some entertainment and more structured activities than aboard small ships, but less than aboard large resort ships.

Mid-Size Ships: Advantages
* They are neither too large, nor too small; their size and facilities often strike a happy balance.
*It is easy to find one’s way around.
*They generally sail well in areas of bad weather, being neither high-sided like the large resort ships, nor of too shallow draft like some of the small ships.
* Lines seldom form, except for ships approaching 1,600 passengers; if they do, they’re likely to be relatively short.
* They appear more like traditional ships than most of the larger vessels, which tend to be more “boxy” in shape and profile.

Mid-Size Ships: Disadvantages
* They don’t offer as wide a range of public rooms and facilities as the large resort ships.
* Few have large show lounges for large-scale production shows, so entertainment tends to be more of the cabaret variety.

Boutique Ships (50–200 passengers) and  Small Ships (200–600 passengers)
Choose a boutique or small ship for an intimate cruise experience and a small number of passengers. Some of the world’s most exclusive cruise ships belong in this group – but so do most of the coastal vessels with basic, unpretentious amenities, sail-cruise ships, and the expedition-style cruise vessels that take passengers to see nature.

Select this size of ship if you don’t need much entertainment, large resort ship facilities, gambling casinos, several restaurants, and if you don’t like to wait in lines for anything. If you want to swim in the late evening, or have champagne in the hot tub at midnight, it’s easier aboard boutique or small ships than aboard larger ships, where more rigid programs lead to inflexible, passenger-unfriendly thinking.

Boutique/Small Ships: Advantages
*They’re more like small inns than mega-resorts.
*It’s easy to find your way around, and signage is usually clear and concise.
* At their best in warm weather areas.
* Capable of true culinary excellence, with fresh foods cooked individually to order.
* Most provide an “open seating” in the dining room; this means that you can sit with whomever you wish, whenever you wish, for all meals.
* Provide a totally unstructured lifestyle, offering a level of service not found aboard most of the larger ships, and no – or almost no – announcements.
* Provide an “open bridge” policy, allowing passengers to go to the navigation bridge when safe to do so.
* Some small ships have a hydraulic marina water-sports platform at the stern and carry equipment such as jet skis, windsurfers, a water-ski powerboat, and scuba and snorkelling gear.
* They can visit the more off-beat ports of call that larger ships can’t get into.
* When the ship is at anchor, going ashore is easy and speedy, with a continuous tender service and no lines.
* Less crowded ports mean more exclusivity.

Boutique/Small Ships: Disadvantages
*They don’t have the bulk, length, or beam to sail well in open seas in inclement weather conditions.
* They don’t have the range of public rooms or open spaces that the large resort ships can provide. Options for entertainment, therefore, are limited.

The extract Choosing the right ship is from the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships by Douglas Ward, £17.99 (www.berlitzpublishing.com)

However cruising seems to be bucking the trend. For despite the fact that the economy has been on a roller coaster ride towards recession, the cruise industry looks set to remain remarkably buoyant (pardon the pun!), according to Douglas Ward – author of the newly published 2012 edition of the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise ships.

If you want to cruise away into the sunset next summer but don’t have a fat wallet, Ward recommends making for the Mediterranean and Northern Europe where he forecasts areas of overcapacity, leading to still greater discounts.

I used to think that cruises were a bit like marmite (you either love them or hate them) and have been put off by the idea of being stuck on a ship, but perhaps given their great value and my love of holidays, 2012 is the year that I might finally be convert to cruising.

What do you think? Are you crazy about cruises (as my Grandma, a cruise enthusiast, puts it: “What’s not to love about a holiday spent at sea visiting exotic destinations?”) or is a cruise only for the newly wed and nearly dead? CD-Traveller wants to hear your thoughts on the cruise divide!

Arctic foxes
Arctic foxes have stunning coats which tend either to be white or a beautiful blue-grey. As well as being attractive, these coats act as very effective winter camouflage and are the warmest fur of any mammal – even warmer than that of the polar bear. The foxes also have furry soles, short ears and a short muzzle, all of which are important in helping them survive the chilly climate. They are amazing creatures to observe, as the basic social unit is a breeding pair who will remain together in the same territory and den for up to five years.

Svalbard reindeer
Svalbard has a unique subspecies of reindeer, the Svalbard reindeer which is the smallest species within the deer family. The deer have characteristically short legs but still carry impressive antlers. They spend their days concentrating on eating as much as possible creating large fat reserves to survive the long Arctic winter. These reindeer are not shy and can be more commonly spotted than the polar bear.

Ice seals
The Arctic is home to several unique and extraordinary, beautiful seal species, such as: ribbon seals, bearded seals, ringed seals, spotted seals, harp seals, and hooded seals. These seals are often called ice seals because they spend the bulk of their lives either on or near sea ice. They can be spotted along with walrus on ice floes or off-shore islands and so make perfect photographic subjects.

Whales
Whilst some whales may migrate over the severe winters, the bowhead, beluga and narwhal can be seen in the Arctic all year round. The bowhead feeds by swimming with its huge mouth open, taking in enormous amounts of water and trapping copepods and other drifting crustaceans. This is because it is a baleen whale and so instead of teeth, it has several hundred fringed plates, called baleen, that hang down from its upper jaw and filter small prey from the water.

The beluga is a very beautiful creature which is also known as the white whale due to its distinctive white colouring. Belugas are a sociable bunch, often gathering in large numbers so once you spot one, look out for others nearby. You may only need to listen out for them as belugas are quite loud and can often be heard whistling, clicking, and grunting.

What distinguishes the narwhal from the beluga is its magnificent spearing tusk which can extend up to half of the whale’s body weight. Nicknamed ‘unicorn of the sea’, the tusk is actually a long, twisted tooth that is projected up to three metres in front of the whale.

Arctic birds
There is also a variety of birds which can be seen in the Arctic. If you cruise during the summer months you may spot the Arctic tern which is famous for its migration, flying from its breeding grounds in the Arctic 44,000-miles to the opposite pole the Antarctic. Here it will spend September to May before flying back again for summer in the Arctic. This is by far the furthest migration by any known animal and ensures that this bird sees two summers per year and more daylight than any other creature on the planet. Other birds you may spot are puffins, eider ducks, skuas, sandpipers and auks.

Unspoiled wilderness
In addition to unique wildlife, an Arctic cruise enables you to sail round some one of the world’s last great wildernesses. The dramatic scenery ranges from ice covered seas, fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery, rarely visited bays and inlets and glaciers flowing into the sea around you.

Single Passengers wishing to take advantage of this offer, can do so by calling the MSC reservations number 0844561 1955 or contacting their nearest travel agency.

HOT
Beijing’s Capital Airport
Beijing’s Capital Airport has officially overtaken London’s Heathrow to become the world’s second-busiest international air-hub, in a further sign of China rapid economic growth and expanding civil aviation capacity. Atlanta’s Hartsfield International in Georgia, USA, remains the world’s busiest airport with 88m passengers in 2009.

Schlepping to Santiago
Chile’s capital, Santiago, has been voted the number one place to visit in 2011 by The New York Times no less, only a year after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc in the country. The Times praised Santiago for its new “modern museums, smartly designed hotels and sophisticated restaurants” declaring that in recent years the city has become “decidedly more vibrant.”

St Regis Lhasa Resort
With the opening of the St Regis Lhasa, the Tibetan capital has finally got its first international luxury resort. Expect to find all the opulence you’ve come to expect from St Regis – stylish décor, plasma TVs, high speed Wi-Fi, a world class spa and butler service – but with added Tibetan twists, including a mediation garden, a tea room serving vintage brews and locally sourced produce in the hotel’s restaurants. Perhaps the best bit, though, is the location: just 3km from Polata Palace and within walking distance of some interesting shopping areas, the resort is nevertheless set away from the main bustle. Until March 31, you can enjoy an opening offer of three nights for the price of two. Visit www.stregis.com/lhasa for more.

The Middle East
Middle East stopover destinations such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have bounced back from the global financial crisis helped in part by the recently opened Ferrari World theme park.  Located in Abu Dhabi, it features the world’s fastest rollercoaster at 149mph. Mubarak al Muhairi, director general of tourism, said: “The Ferrari park is a major leap forward in our leisure proposition as it has enormous appeal regionally and internationally.”

Ice as nice
Tis the season for Ice festivals…For a China classic, try the Harbin Ice Lantern Festival – best visited at night, when the ice sculptures are lit in electric blue, bubblegum pink and a whole cornucopia of other kitsch colours. But hurry – the festival ends on February 5. However the mother of winter festivals has to be Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival. Teams from around the world amass in Sapporo to craft snow sculptures – some the size of multi storey buildings. Don’t miss the theme park, complete with huge snow slides and mazes.

Cruise control
The popularity of cruising looks set to boom according to a recent survey conducted by the Cruise Line International Association of its members and travel agents.
The industry’s enthusiasm is driven by the launch late last month of a new Disney ship in Florida late. Called Disney Dream, the new ship is equipped with the first rollercoaster at sea and is scheduled to sail three-, four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas, from Port Canaveral.

Snowboarding
It’s official: snowboarding is safer than skiing. A report for the National Ski Areas Association in the US by Rochester Institute of Technology reveals that while snowboarders are more likely to get injured, they are also around 30 per cent less likely to be killed than skiers. The report comes as tour operators predicted that 2011 could be a bumper year after the heavy snowfall since November prompted European and North American resorts to open early.

Chinese New Year
Can’t afford a flight to China? Panic not. You can welcome in the Year of the Rabbit and take part in Chinese New Year across the country. Riotous celebrations like lion and dragon dance teams will entertain the masses while firework displays look set to fill the sky with colour (and loud bangs).

NOT

London Museums
The future for London’s museums looks wobbly: the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced plans to end funding for the Horniman, Geffrye and Design Museums, along with five other ‘non national’ museums, by 2015.
The Design Museum is largely self funded, but the Geffrye in Bethnal Green will have to find three quarters of its income and the Horniman in Forest Hill will lose 85 percent of its income. “We are not panicking,” said a spokesperson for the Horniman, “We have been assured we will not be left to sink, but obviously this is an uncertain time.”

Disabled travel
Bournemouth University tourism expert Dimitrios Buhalis claims that the tourism industry is not doing enough to meet the needs of disabled travellers. Buhalis, deputy director of the university’s International Centre of Tourism and Hospitality Research called on the industry to “take a more proactive approach to ensure that infrastructure and services are more accessible.’ CD Traveller’s verdict? Give that globally there are more than 650million people with disabilities, it’s time the travel industry took notice.

One of many pet hates is the price of bottled water. Supermarket prices can be quadrupled by some outlets and cruise companies seem to be no exception. On the ship it’s covered. Go ashore and they “offer” you water but at a far from cheap price. Ward suggests you buy it when you get on shore. And preferably at a supermarket.
But on the plus side, Ward says that basic cruise prices are as low as they were 30 years ago so that might explain why it is so popular and why more and more people take this type of holiday.

There are just a few things that he points out. Just as you can now tell from the airlines how much they earn from ancillary revenue, (add-ons) maybe we’ll find that out too from the cruise companies.

Bob Schumacher

What do you like to do on holiday?
I like to cruise the Caribbean and watch the world go by. On an Eastern Caribbean cruise, ports of call typically include the Bahamas, St Thomas, St John, Puerto Rico, and perhaps St Maarten.  A Western Caribbean itinerary tends to take in Cozumel or Playa del Carmen in Mexico, Grand Cayman, Key West in Florida, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Belize and occasionally Costa Rica.  Whichever direction you sail in, you’re guaranteed blue seas and sunny beaches; in short pure bliss.
If I am in a more active mood, then I go ski-ing. Where do I like to ski? Well my wife is Canadian, so it’s always Canada.

Where did you last go on holiday?
It was to the Caribbean on a cruise. Cruising is great; the entertainment is fantastic, the food is superb, and you get to visit an array of islands as opposed to just one.

Do you know where you’re going next year?
My wife and I are planning a house swap with a couple we met on our Caribbean cruise earlier this year. Swapping homes is a type of holiday that has hugely increased in popularity since the recession hit. Accommodation is free which is fabulous, but what we are really looking forward to is experiencing a new town in a way that we wouldn’t if we stayed in a sterile hotel. We got to know the couple who will be taking over our home on the Caribbean cruise and got on great, so it’s not as though we are handing over our house to complete strangers.

Continental's new fully flat-bed Business First seat

Of all the places you’ve been to, what was your favourite and why?
That’s a tough one.  I love Thailand for the food – Thai is my favourite cuisine in the whole world. I guess I would single out the States for its overall holiday package – whether you want a self-drive tour of the great national parks, a Canadian Rockies holiday, a week in Walt Disney World Resort, a New England fly drive, a California holiday or an Alaskan tour, America delivers – and the Caribbean for its beaches which truly are the stuff of dreams.

Which destination do you wish to travel to but haven’t been?
New Zealand.  I am desperate to travel there – the scenery is so dramatic.  The country, especially the south island, also strikes me as being an oasis of calm in a mad, mad world.

In your own country, what would you recommend tourists see that isn’t in the travel guides?
Central Wales – it’s wonderful. This is where you should go to escape the rat race and recharge.

A Caribbean cruise ticks all the boxes for Bob

How often do you go away?
Two to three times a year without fail.

Who do you travel with?
My family.

How do you travel?
As a family, we fly with Continental to the States, naturally, but within Europe we use low cost carriers.

Thanks Bob! To find out more about the fully flat-bed Business First seat and Continental Airlines visit continental.com. Next time we put the questions to Patrick Gihana-Mulenga, Commercial Attache at the Embassy of Rwanda

The publicity by the media has concentrated on its huge size (225,282 tons, 16 passenger decks) and that it can carry up to 6,200 passengers plus 2,100 crew. By any standards this is big. I’ve lived in smaller villages. The response by writers has been to ask whether it is too big. Will it feel more like a resort rather than a ship?  How will it handle the disembarking or embarking of all passengers? Won’t the queues be enormous? If the queues aren’t the interest is. Over a million people have watched different clips of it on YouTube. Supplements have been published about it. It has even been a news quip on the satire circuit in America.

So what can you read into the reports?

Only journalists, travel people and their families have sailed in the ship so far.  They are in no way representative so treat what you have read with a pinch of salt. (Although one wrote that the walls between cabins/rooms was rather thin and she could hear everything!)   The ship was only half full so it naturally seemed as though there was lots of space. Even then, some popular “food stations” (what a horrible expression) were turning people away.  Ardent cruisers will no doubt make up much of the passengers on the maiden voyage so they will give a better view of things.

Royal Caribbean, who own the ship, must love all the publicity. And in a year’s time the sister ship, Allure of the Seas, will start sailing so they are probably hoping for more of the same.