Moving the goalpost

In the mid-1990s, everyone seemed to think that Europe was just a summer season destination for cruise ships. Except for a few old and small ships that traded in the Canaries or Eastern Mediterranean, the industry indeed deserted Europe between November and March. The Mediterranean was quiet. A few ships would sail from ports like Southampton or Bremerhaven in January for three month long world voayges, but that was it.

It all started to change in 1996, when Festival Cruises decided to keep ships in the Mediterranean year-round. Gradually, things started to change: Europe started to grow rapidly both as cruise destination as well as a source market for cruises.

Today everything is very different. For several years now, major lines keep top end of the range tonnage in Euroipe throughout the year. And the trend is gathering momentum: on 25 April, Royal Caribbean International's Independence of the Seas will arrive at Southampton again. Whereas in the previous years it has sailed across the Atlantic for the winter, this time it will stay put throughout the winter.

It was Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines that started to keep a ship in the UK year-round - the now decommissioned Black Prince in Liverpool. They still do the same, only now with a bigger ship.

A technical fault on P&O Cruises' Aurora in 2005 forced the company to dry dock the ship in the middle of the summer and quickly fill in the two-week period in December that had been scheduled for dry docking with new cruises. Thus was born Christmas Markets Cruise - heading to Danish, German, Dutch and Belgian ports for pre-Christmas markets. An unexpected, huge success soon prompted others to follow.

So where are we today? Just last month P&O Cruises said they will retain Oceana in Southampton year-round from 2011/12. Saga Cruises new acquisition Saga Pearl II headed for its inaugural voyage in March to Norway rather than south. Cruise & Maritime Voyages' Marco Polo followed suit and will make three Northern Lights cruises next year after just one in 2010.

The cruise industry is moving goalposts and Britain is by no way lacking behind in this development, rather very much the contrary. You can board a cruise ship in Southampton and stay away from home for anything between two nights or more than three months. The range of cruises offered from there is probably one of the widest in any cruise port anywhere in the world.

With the introduction of Northern Lights cruises to Norway, which were pioneered by Saga, a new and exciting product has come to the market.