Consumer Interest in Cruises Remains Strong, Study Finds

Almost 34 million Americans said they plan to take a cruise in the next three years and approximately 5.1 million of them want to visit Hawaii, according to a recent survey. The Cruise Lines International Association 2008 Cruise Market Profile Study said 15 percent of those surveyed plan to go to Hawaii on their next cruise vacation.

The survey said consumer interest in cruising continues to be strong, despite the economy and fuel costs, as 77 percent of past cruisers and 55 percent of those new to cruises expressed interest in taking a cruise in the next three years.

Of the cruisers who already have been to Hawaii, 13 percent of them said they would return for a land-based vacation. The majority, 50 percent, would return to the Caribbean, and 21 percent would return to the Bahamas. The organization surveyed 2,426 U.S. residents from March 25 through April 29.