River cruise tourism in the world. What are cruise tours? River Cruise Tours

cruise tourism passenger service

The idea of recreation on the water and on sea voyages has been known since the times of the ancient Romans and Greeks. Island countries and countries with archipelagos and extended coastline, for example Greece, actively used sea transport for passenger transportation. The activation of the cruise business began in the middle of the 19th century during the era of the formation of tourism. Start sea holidays was established in England. In 1835, pleasure flights between Britain and Ireland were organized and operated regularly. Thomas-Cook actively used organizations of all types in his practice sea travel, and one of the popular flights was the route from Great Britain to the Black Sea.

The cruise business truly flourished only in the 70s. It was then that the idea of cruise travel, very attractive and full of entertainment, was realized in the USA. This program targeted middle class Americans who gave shipping companies lucrative jobs. Organization sea cruises quickly turned into a profitable tourism business. This happened thanks to a new concept for the methodology of servicing cruise tourists, which was put forward and implemented by the chief marketer of the cruise company Carnival, Bob Dickenson, who previously served in the Ford company.

By this time, a highly solvent demand for luxury cruise tourism had formed. New concepts of tourist services were developed with the highest level of service and, most importantly, a wide variety of entertainment on board the ship. Ground handling technology has undergone significant changes, requiring new port terminals with high throughput and methods for efficient ground handling of large flows of cruise passengers. The principles of organizing cruise routes have been formed. The actual cruise routes can be divided as:

1. circular routes calling at 8-12 ports of various coastal countries and popular seaside resorts;
2. “open jaw” routes, when tourists follow only one end of the route;
3. short-term trips to sea for 2-3 days for special purposes, for example, for organizing a gambling business.
4. coastal sea excursions and pleasure voyages;
5. long routes and round the world travel which can last up to six months.

According to the geography of active cruise activity, the following are distinguished: the Gulf of Mexico basin, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal; pool Mediterranean Sea; cruises around Scandinavia with visits to the deep Norwegian fjords; cruises around Europe with visits to capital cities, cruises in the Baltic, long cruises from North America around the cape Good Hope, Indian Ocean and further to Indonesia and Australia; cruises in Oceania; cruises and areas of Australia.

One of the largest cruise companies is Carnival Corp. It includes several cruise companies: Carnival Cruise Line (11 cruise ships), Holland America Line (8 cruise ships), Windstars Cruises (3 cruise ships), Seaborn Cruses 50% (3 cruise ships ), Holland America Westours (excursions, hotels, small boats in Alaska), 13 private car rental companies in Alaska, 50% of riverboat casino companies in the USA, 50% Airtours (UK tour operator + 3 cruise ships ), 65% "Costa Crociere" (7 cruise ships). In general, the corporation offers consumers almost 20 thousand places on cruise ships in the markets.

Only slightly behind is the Royal Caribbean corporation, which owns 19 thousand places on cruise ships on 550 cruise routes. It has its own fleet of 9 unique luxury ocean cruise ships. Owns the island of Coco Day in the Caribbean Sea, intended exclusively for participants of cruise tours. All types of food are provided to tourists on the ship free of charge, with the exception of alcoholic drinks. Tours have different durations - from 3 to 15 days. The company annually serves more than 800 thousand tourists.

The main consumers of cruises are Americans, with the largest volume of cruises taking place in the Caribbean (55%), and significantly less in the Mediterranean (10%). Exotic cruises to the Alaska region stand out separately, which steadily occupy 8.5% of the cruise market in North America. Holland America Line carries out 88% of all cruise traffic in the Alaska region and serves up to 350 thousand tourists annually.

Segmentation of consumers of this type of product occurs according to the following criteria:

1. By consumer income level. Taking into account the social stratification of society, participants in sea (including elite) cruises are people with high and ultra-high incomes. River cruise participants are people of average income, in some cases benefiting from social subsidies.
2. according to social composition, the following people go on a cruise:

family (55%);

with friends or acquaintances (27%);

alone (18%).

3. age composition cruise participants:

up to 25 years - 30%;

from 25 to 40 years - 22%;

over 40 years old - 48%.

The average age of sea cruise participants, according to WTO statistics, is 45 - 55 years.

4. By national characteristics tourists. Tourists of various religions and beliefs can relax and undergo treatment on the ship. On the ship you can discuss the menu in accordance with the treatment program and discuss all the questions that the tourist has. The service staff welcomes all tourists, regardless of their religious and national characteristics.

Among the large port centers where the cruise business is developed, Miami (USA) and Genoa (Italy) should be mentioned. In the Indian Ocean, Singapore holds the lead, but is actively laying claim to the title of cruise center of the UAE, where they are actively building a new port with a deep-water harbor. If in 1993 one cruise ship made a call to Dubai, then in 2000 the number of calls was 170, and the 2001 schedule planned to receive 340 flights (75 thousand passengers). Dubai is included in the Grand Tour program and is becoming a popular cruise destination. In Canada, a popular port for cruise ships is Vancouver, in Pacific Ocean - Hawaiian Islands, and in Russia - Murmansk (the main port of the nuclear fleet).

Types of cruises.

Developing and improving, cruise tourism has undergone changes over time, as a result of which different types of cruises have appeared.

1. Sailing cruise ships. Sailboats do not lose their attractiveness as cruise ships passenger ships and in our days. The Star Clippers company is actively operating, carrying out cruises in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, transoceanic flights, and sailing in the area on three luxury sailing ships “Royal Clipper”, “Star Clipper” and “Star Flyer”. Far East. Vessel “Royal Clipper” - 5000 tons, 120 m length, five masts, 106 people. crew, 226 people passengers, “Star Clipper” and “Star Flyer” - 107 m length, four masts, 70 people. crew, 170 people. passengers. Navigation regions are determined by seasonal weather conditions. The duration of this type of cruise is from 7 and 14 days. Cost from 2000 to 5000 USD. Cabins are divided into six categories (including DeLux class with a double bed), with twin beds or bunk berths, and there are triple cabins. All cabins are equipped with showers and toilets of varying comfort. The company cooperates with British Airways and transfers passengers at intermediate ports. Special programs for newlyweds, organization of conferences and holidays are offered. Passenger service is very elite, the food is varied and exotic, there are non-smoking lounges and, of course, opportunities for water sports, interesting excursions and much more.
2. Cruises on vintage and traditional sailing ships. This type of tourism is actively developing in Europe and the USA. Privately owned and owned by various companies, there are a large number of B-class sailing ships (which accommodate from 6 to 40 passengers), built at the beginning of the century, or today, but according to ancient drawings and in compliance with traditional construction methods. There are two ways to go on a trip: either buy individual tour and join the planned route, or rent a ship with a captain and independently choose the direction and theme of the trip. The cost of a cruise varies depending on the ship, the duration of the voyage and the services provided: participation in the Cutty Sark 2001 regatta (one passage, 6 days), for example, costs 551 USD for an adult, 420 USD for youth (15-25 years old) USD. If you take a full lease of a vessel, for example, the cost daily rental The 24-seater high-class schooner “Najaden” in the Stockholm archipelago costs 5,700 USD.
3. Cruise yacht tourism. A significant part of sailing yachts are private vessels. A yacht is an expensive purchase, comparable in cost to a high-end car, and therefore is accessible to wealthy people. In addition, maintaining a yacht is a troublesome task and requires special knowledge and skills. Vacations on a yacht are widespread in most developed countries of the world, especially in Europe, America and Australia. Professional yachtsmen and amateurs are united by yacht clubs, which organize communication between people, organize competitions, long and short cruises. In various European countries they are united in Cruise Associations. For example, Swedish Cruise Association consists of 150,000 yachtsmen. In Russia, the first yacht club was the “Imperial” in St. Petersburg (1846), now the St. Petersburg River Yacht Club of Trade Unions. Yacht parking (marinas) provide storage and repair services for yachts and boats. Companies located in the marina offer training and improvement services in navigation, charter of yachts and boats, special and routine repairs of yachts and boats, rescue work, booking services and freight, including through computer networks. The cost of parking a boat 10-12 m long costs the owner 10-15 USD per day. Not everyone gets a place at the pier; some yachts and boats are moored in the harbor on a buoy; they are reached from the shore by a small Zodiak-type boat.

The vast majority of private yachts are owned by family owners. This determines the specifics of yacht travel. Family yacht cruises are characterized by short-term sailings, on “weekends”. Cruises on inland waterways are very popular because you can visit a lot interesting places in a short period of time.

4. Charter cruise on a motor yacht. A motor yacht is a small private cruise ship where the crew often outnumbers the number of guests. Cruiser owners use their vessels in two ways: for vacation themselves or for charter to special brokerage charter companies. These types of companies are especially common in the US, UK and Australia. The duration of the cruise depends on the client’s wishes and averages 1-2 weeks. The cost varies depending on the type and capacity of the yacht, the number of crew employed and the duration of the voyage. Usually presented on an all-inclusive basis, although other options are possible. The cruiser's route will be planned according to the wishes of the guests. Charter company can offer a number interesting ideas: adventure charter - cruise to exotic corners of the earth, around the world cruise, cruises to Alaska or the Amazon River; sports charter - participation or observation of competitions, underwater photo safaris, ocean fishing; corporate charter - use motor boats as representative yachts during major exhibitions, competitions, festivals (Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix). Despite the high cost, chartering such vessels is very popular, booking yachts, for example for Christmas or new year holidays, occurs in 1-1.5 years.
5. Ferry cruises. In general, a ferry means special watercraft and vessels for regular transportation Vehicle(cars, locomotives, buses, cars) and large flows of passengers over short distances through water spaces between coastal points like shuttles. Large sea and transoceanic ferries are actively used at large lake and sea crossings. Typically, a railway ferry with a displacement of 2 to 6 thousand tons takes on board from 20 to 200 wagons, 100 or more cars, 300-800 passengers or even more. Ferries differ in purpose and, accordingly, in design - railway, automobile, automobile-passenger, passenger and mixed types. The ferries are equipped with folding ramps and ship-like devices for quick loading and unloading of vehicles. For greater maneuverability, vessels are equipped with effective thrusters. Ships have cabins for passengers, but if the ship is intended for short voyages, then deck spaces are primarily intended for passengers.

Transport characteristics of ships.

Sea and river means of transportation have their own excellent characteristics and features, which are taken into account when choosing routes and methods of transportation. The transport characteristics of ships are numerous, the main ones being seaworthiness, technical characteristics and hull, its dimensions, mass and volume indicators, speed and ability for a given navigation area. Let's consider the main transport characteristics of ships:

1. Seaworthiness - a set of basic characteristics of a vessel: buoyancy, stability, unsinkability, propulsion, controllability, smooth rolling. An important indicator is the strength of the hull, which can withstand the effects of mass loads, waves, ice, exposure to waves and others. The main dimensional indicators are the length and width of the hull, the height of the side and the draft. These indicators determine the ship's ability to form passenger cabins. The dimensions of the vessel are taken into account when passing through narrow spaces, in shallow water and under bridges, when entering ports, bays, harbours, when mooring to berth walls and maneuvering.
2. Mass indicators: displacement and full load capacity.
3. Volume indicators: cargo capacity (the volume of cargo space in cubic meters) and passenger capacity (the number of seats intended for the transportation of passengers), as well as the gross tonnage of the ship, which shows the total volume of the ship’s premises.
4. Speed indicators: in the practice of operating ships, a distinction is made between technical speed and average ground operational speed. Technical speed is an indicator that is set by the customer during the design and construction of the vessel - the maximum speed. And operational ground speed - achieved during certain navigation conditions on the route for a given period of time. This speed depends on navigation conditions, includes delays at locks, ports, and varies depending on the load of the vessel, weather conditions, wind direction, waves, ice conditions, depths.

The technical characteristics of the vessel largely determine the navigation area. Seagoing vessels are divided into the following categories:

1. unlimited sea (ocean) navigation. These are medium- and large-tonnage vessels, with increased hull strength, high seaworthiness, the technical characteristics of which guarantee safe navigation in the ocean in any conditions;
2. limited navigation, usually within the same sea, in easy navigation conditions, as a rule, these are small-tonnage vessels of a small fleet;
3. coastal (local) and road navigation, the navigation area is limited by roadsteads or port waters;
4. mixed “river-sea”, used to perform work on sea and river routes and systems;
5. Ice navigation vessels, adapted for independent navigation in ice conditions or follow icebreakers. They have increased body strength and protection of screws from damage.

Cruise tourism

Transportation of people by water has been known since ancient times. Sea and river travel reached its greatest flourishing in the Middle Ages. The founders of sea expeditions in the Middle Ages were Irish monks. Recognized sailor of the 6th century. According to tradition, St. Brendan is the patron saint of Ireland. Sagas are written about his wanderings. Swimming St. Brendan was one of the first to show Europeans the way west across the ocean. The inhabitants of the Scandinavian Peninsula and the Jutland Peninsula played a huge role in the development of sea travel. In France they were called Normans. The Normans had excellent river-sea type ships, but they did not exceed 30 m in length and 4 m in width. Further development water transportation associated with sea expeditions in modern times. Great geographical discoveries, new trade sea routes - all these factors led to the emergence of major maritime powers on the world map - Spain, Portugal, Holland, whose power was based on water transport. The invention of the steamboat (American inventor Robert Fulton, 1807) gave an unprecedented impetus to the development of sea and river water transport.

Water vessels related to maritime transport carry out international, long-distance and coastal transportation. International maritime traffic refers to the transportation of passengers and cargo to and from the country; long-distance transportation includes flights between ports of the same country during a stay sea vessels on the high seas, cabotage voyages are carried out along the coast between ports without access to the open sea. River fleet vessels transport passengers and cargo along inland waterways, which include rivers, lakes, large reservoirs, and canals.

At the end of the twentieth century. The cruise industry has become the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry. Cruise tourism refers to special types of tourism, as it is a rather labor-intensive, capital-intensive type of tourism, combining several types of tourism - recreational, sports, health-improving, educational. A cruise should be understood as a trip on aquatic species transport, including shore excursions, sightseeing of port cities, as well as a variety of entertainment on board sea and river liners.

River cruises Europe

Cruises on inland waterways (rivers, lakes, canals) are usually called river cruises. Travel on rivers and lakes is most developed in countries rich in navigable rivers. River cruises can be in one direction or have a circular route. River cruise routes, depending on transportation conditions, their duration and length, and the quality of services provided, are divided into transport, tourist, excursion and pleasure routes. Transport routes provide transport connection between individual settlements and usually work according to a pre-published schedule. River vessels operated on transport routes carry out transit (over 400 km in length), local (less than 400 km in length), suburban and intra-city transportation of tourists. TO transport routes also include crossings and ferry lines. Tourist transportation are organized on traditional and special routes lasting more than 24 hours. Excursion- walking routes represent transportation of excursionists lasting less than 24 hours, as a rule, these are intracity and suburban river routes.

River cruise tourism is most developed in European countries(France, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Italy). Popular cruise routes are along the Loire, Rhine, Rhone, Seine, and Elbe.

Western Europe has a fairly extensive navigable network of waterways. The Seine, Elbe, Danube, Rhine and other rivers flow through its territory. All of them are connected by a complex system of canals, which provides excellent opportunities for the growing popularity of river cruise travel. Germany holds first place in river cruises, followed by Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland and Austria. The most popular routes are along the Rhine and its tributaries (Moselle, Main, Neckar, Weser). In Europe in great demand enjoy river cruises along the Danube through seven countries.

Vessels used on river routes in Europe belong to the premium class. Dutch cruise company Sea Cloud operates two luxury river cruise ships. The level of comfort is a criterion of several components: the number and location of seats in the cabin, the location of the cabin along the length and height of the ship, the area and shape of the cabin, the availability of amenities and sanitary facilities, the type of lighting. On board the ships, tourists can enjoy restaurants, cafes, bars, a cinema hall, and shops.

Foreign river cruises are common in countries where there are large rivers and numerous lakes, as well as a developed canal system. In states Western Europe Cruises along the Dnieper, Loire, Rhine, Rhone, Seine, and Elbe are popular. In addition, for walks in Western countries It offers rental of small boats, which can be operated by the passenger himself without any license, since the entire instruction on using the boat takes 45 minutes.

As a rule, ships (boats, boats) travel at a speed of no more than 15 km/h, which allows you to enjoy the surrounding nature or cityscape. Cruises along the Nile are popular on the African continent, along the Amazon in South America, and along the Great Lakes, connected by a system of canals, in North America.

In the West, the demand for river cruises is increasing every year. Short-term cruises of up to five days are of particular interest. This is due to the fact that most tourists prefer to take weekends during their trip so as not to miss working days. During this time, tourists manage to visit many places without ever changing hotels. River cruises are especially attractive for middle-aged and elderly people: unlike sea travel, the land is visible all the time, and there is no seasickness.

Motor ships operating cruise programs on the rivers of Germany, Great Britain, France and Holland are specially built single- and double-deck motor ships or, in some cases, converted self-propelled barges. Their peculiarity is that they all have a low draft and superstructure. This is due to the fact that most routes run along narrow canals and ships are forced to pass under low bridges and along shallow rivers. Accordingly, the capacity of such vessels is very small. However, the owners of motor ships try to decorate their ship as comfortably and cozily as possible and to provide it with the most necessary things. Among them there are both one-star ships and comfortable luxury ships.

On ships cruising the rivers of Europe, shipowners are trying to increase the area of restaurants, since due to lack of space on some tourist ships they have to have lunch and dinner in two shifts. This often causes dissatisfaction among tourists, since the first shift feels limited in time, and the second one has to wait a long time. Cruise directors on this moment solved this issue by periodically changing shifts after a few days.

This tourism product has certain difficulties in conquering a wide market. The main one is high price. But, nevertheless, this product is promoting very well in the European tourism market and the demand for it is growing from year to year. The main consumers of river cruises are elderly people who prefer coziness, comfort, full board, constant proximity to the coast, as well as interesting excursions to memorable places. The main share of river cruise clients are Americans, French, Germans, Swiss, and Dutch.

River cruises vary in length, duration of routes, and themes. Typically, cruises are offered from 7 to 15 days. There are educational, sports, gastronomic cruises, wine-making cruises, etc.

A river cruise is sold directly when ship-owners or lessee companies sell the tourism product through their own office or sell it through a network of specialized agencies, including companies that organize tours and bus trips.

Sea cruises are recognized as the most diverse, most comfortable view trips. A sea cruise is a unique combination of peace with a variety of experiences and entertainment. Cruise companies offer more than 5,000 programs. The distinctive features of all programs are freedom of choice, safety, high quality service. Service of the highest level is the most important priority of cruise companies.

A very important advantage of a cruise holiday is its “off-season” nature. In spring and summer, traditional routes include the Magnificent Mediterranean and the capitals of Western Europe, Scandinavia and the Norwegian Fjords, Alaska. In autumn, at the height of velvet season", Mediterranean-Atlantic cruises are very popular. Late autumn and in winter liners head to the shores South America, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera. Cruises in the Caribbean and French Polynesia are conducted by cruise companies regularly, all year round.

The geography of active cruise activity includes the Caribbean (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Panama Canal), the Mediterranean basin (the oldest cruise area in the world), cruises around Scandinavia with visits to the deep Norwegian fjords, cruises around Europe with visits to capital cities, cruises in the Baltic sea, long cruises from North America around the Cape of Good Hope to the Indian Ocean and further to Southeast Asia and Australia, cruises in Oceania and Australia. Among the major port centers where the cruise business is developed, Miami (USA), Acapulco (Mexico), Genoa (Italy), Singapore, Dubai (UAE), Vancouver (Canada), Honolulu (Hawaii Islands, USA) stand out.

Cruise routes have appeared in high latitudes. Thus, up to 400 thousand cruise tourists a year are served in Alaska. The most exotic are cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic. On the nuclear-powered ships "Rossiya" and "Yamal" from Murmansk it is regularly carried out a tourist route To North Pole. The route runs from Murmansk through Franz Josef Land, to the North Pole and then returns with a stop at the northern and southern ends of the Severnaya Zemlya islands - back to Murmansk. At the North Pole, tourists are offered a day stop and a wide range of entertainment, including swimming in an ice hole. Despite the cost of 15 thousand dollars and above, the demand for the cruise is very high. Cruises to the glaciers of Greenland and Iceland are popular. In Antarctica, tourists from cruise ships visit the coast of Antarctica by helicopter or boat. For such cruises, Russian research vessels (Akademik Ioffe) are used. During cruises there are descents to great depths in special devices. The most famous example of this is tourists visiting the sunken Titanic.

One of the largest organizers of cruise routes is Carnival Corp. The corporation offers about 20 thousand seats on cruise ships on the market. Only slightly behind is the Royal Caribbean corporation, which owns 19 thousand places on cruise ships on 550 cruise routes. Royal Caribbean has been operating in the tourism market for over 25 years. It has its own fleet of 9 luxury ocean cruise ships. It has its own island in the Caribbean Sea, intended for the recreation of participants of cruise tours.

The leading countries of cruise tourism are the USA, Great Britain, Norway, Italy, France. The main consumers of cruises are Americans, with the largest volume of cruises taking place in the Caribbean (55%) and significantly less in the Mediterranean (10%).

Russia has opportunities for the development of cruise tourism. In the former Soviet Union the main cruise port country was Odessa. Routes from Odessa are still very popular among Russians. The main base of the Russian cruise fleet is now Novorossiysk. The most developed by Russian and Ukrainian cruise routes is the Mediterranean Sea with calls at the ports of Turkey (Istanbul), Greece (Piraeus), Egypt (Port Said, Alexandria), Israel (Haifa), Italy, and Spain. Enjoy success with Russian tourists cruise tours on the Baltic and North Seas, starting from St. Petersburg or Kaliningrad and including stops at ports Northern Europe and Scandinavia. The traditional sea cruise around Europe (Odessa - St. Petersburg) is especially popular, allowing you to see almost all the leading countries of the Old World in one trip. But the high comfort of a cruise vacation makes it expensive and therefore inaccessible to Russians.

Russia has a good cruise fleet, but at present it is predominantly chartered by foreign companies. Also, cruise tourism should be provided with high-quality port facilities. Low level port facilities and services restricts visits by foreign tourist liners to Russian ports.

River cruises, unlike sea cruises, are less susceptible to weather influences and are more informative, as they have a coastal view. River cruises are most developed in Europe, where there is an extensive shipping network of waterways. The most popular river cruise routes are along the Seine, Elbe, Danube (through seven countries), and the Rhine (and its tributaries). Germany holds first place in river cruises, followed by Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Austria.

Cruise routes along Russian rivers are popular among the population and foreign tourists. Traveling along the Volga became popular among tourists back in the 19th century. During Soviet times, a canal system connected the Volga through the Neva and Don rivers and lakes Ladoga and Onega with the five seas (Baltic, White, Caspian, Azov and Black). Numerous routes along this largest water system made the Soviet Union one of the leaders in river cruise tourism in the world. Now in Russia there is a revival of river cruise travel. In addition to the Volga, travel along the Siberian rivers, especially the Yenisei, is attractive. Recently, interest among foreign tourists in the Amur has increased.

Outside of Europe, popular river cruise routes are along the Nile (Egypt), Yangtze (China), St. Lawrence River, Mississippi (USA), Amazon (Brazil).

Today it is known that the use of ships for passenger travel began around the 19th century, and more specifically in England in 1835. It was there that the first type of walking routes from Britain to Iceland was organized. After some time, seeing the enormous profits from such voyages, the authors of the idea decided to create a ship-owning company. And in 1900, a ship was introduced for vacationers, which provided tourists with its services all year round and made trips to England and the USA.

Initially, the word cruise was deciphered as sea view trips. But over time, this business grows and progresses. Therefore, today's tour operators are ready to provide you with river cruises and even on trains.

Typically used for cruises large liners, motor ships, but recently it has become not uncommon to see a cruise ferry, or even a small sailing yacht. True, it is designed for a smaller number of people, but a group of 10 people can easily relax here. All these ships are necessarily equipped with all the necessary benefits of civilization.

Sea cruise tours

Any Travel Company will confidently confirm that sea cruises are now very popular. After all, a cruise ship combines many of the tourist’s wishes, and he becomes a temporary resident of a small town at sea.

For the convenience of vacationers, the most necessary amenities are located on board, in the form of comfortably equipped cabins, with a toilet, shower and refrigerator, and additional entertainment for residents. These include the presence of several restaurants and cafes, cinemas, casinos, libraries, gyms and gyms and much more.

Thanks to this tour, a traveler can visit several countries, and in between landing on land, enjoy relaxing by the pool, basking in the rays of the sultry sun, and spend the evening relaxing in a chic restaurant or at a noisy disco.

Many tour operator websites present a variety of tours in Europe, from the USA and Australia, and for lovers of the “East” there are even tours in Asia. Therefore, by contacting the agency, you can choose exactly the vacation you have long dreamed of.

River Cruise Tours

River cruise tours have a route that follows rivers, lakes and other waterways, and can also be in one direction or follow a loop. At the same time, river cruise can be divided into two main ones tourist destinations: a special tourist cruise along a pre-planned route, and excursion and pleasure trips, taking a maximum of 24 hours and often taking place within the city or not far beyond its borders.

This kind tourism business very popular in many European countries rich in inland rivers and canals. Cruise companies usually use premium and luxury ships. A liner of this class is mainly multi-deck, and is equipped with cabins, both single and for several people. All cabins are necessarily classified according to the level of comfort and are divided into categories. Also on board throughout the holiday there are cafes, fitness centers, recreation areas and even shops for tourists.

And during landing, travelers are also provided with excursion walks with visits to shops, the main purpose of which is to get to know the cities, their history and way of life.

Features of cruise tours

The main feature of cruise tours can definitely be the very specifics of the trip. After all, the tourist is practically in a 4-5-star hotel with all the required services, with the provision of good food and comfortable relaxation by the pools of the liner, but at the same time he is in constant motion along the waters of rivers or seas and visits different cities and countries in order to get acquainted with the local attractions.

Cruise tours have recently begun to be used not only by couples and youth groups for recreation, but also by business companies to conduct seminars or presentations among their employees. This raises the morale of the team and helps increase productivity.

Some may think that the cost of such tours is slightly overpriced. But if you compare one such cruise with several tours to European countries, including accommodation, meals, visits excursion walks and recreation, then, in general, the price of a cruise tour will be much more tempting. And the journey by water itself is much more interesting than a regular hotel stay.

Cruise tours in Russia

The country of Russia is simply abundantly filled with various rivers and lakes flowing through great cities. That's why it's so popular here sightseeing tours namely on ships, because such a trip is in no way comparable to traveling by bus or ordinary hotel accommodation and outings to places of interest.

The most popular routes are from Moscow to St. Petersburg, because a fairly large number of memorable places and cities. Most often, when visiting foreign tourists For such cruises, companies provide more comfortable 4-deck ships. And it is quite difficult for Russian tourists to get on board such a ship, only if there are not enough seats to completely fill the flight. At the same time, attention is necessarily focused on the fact that the audience on board is of foreign origin.

For our tourists, who are not particularly spoiled, 2-3 deck ships are launched, which have been modernized and improved to improve the quality of service and accommodation. Such ships are designed only for Russians and travel to many cities of Russia, mainly in its European part.

Also in Russia there are cruises on the seas, there is an opportunity to sail into the hot waters of the Black or Sea of Azov, or visit the northern seas of Russia. For example, a tour of White Sea, with a stop at the Solovetsky Islands and a walk through the famous monastery.

Types of cruise tourism

Sea cruise - a journey usually in a closed circle with radial trips from ports to hinterland countries

There are more than 150 sea cruise companies in the world - Greek, Italian, Spanish, American, Danish, Norwegian. The most well-known carriers in the sea cruise industry include Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrate Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines. Every year the number of cruise companies increases as the number of tourists showing interest in cruises increases. In 1980 there were 1.5 million sea cruise tourists, in 1993 - 4.5 million, in 1996 - 6.5 million, in 2003 - 9 million, in 2006 this figure reached 12 million tourists. Since the early 1980s. The number of cruise ships is also growing. In 1985, there were 120 sea cruise ships, in 1994 - 175, in 2003 - 327, and in 2012 the number of sea cruise ships was 628. There is not only quantitative, but also qualitative growth in sea cruise transportation and ships . Cruise ships, like hotels, are rated using a variety of criteria and are then assigned a certain number of stars. The following criteria are used: the ship and its equipment, the condition of the cabins, food, service, entertainment programs, assortment additional services on board.

Sea cruise ships are classified according to quality of service and level of comfort as follows:

Standard (2* 4*);

Premium (5* 5*+);

Luxury (6*).

For sea cruise ships, a classification by tonnage is also accepted (the volume of the internal space of the ship in gross tons, 100 cubic feet is 1 gross ton):

Large (over 60 thousand gross tons);

Medium (up to 60 thousand gross tons);

Small (up to 25 thousand gross tons).

Recently there has been a trend towards the construction of large cruise ships. The biggest cruise ship until recently it was considered 1 deck Harmony of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean. Its displacement is 142 thousand tons, the number of passengers is 2,200 tourists and 1,180 crew members. The dimensions of the vessel are unique: 362 m long, 60 m wide. A special feature of this liner is that for the first time on board a ship there were built ice rink and a real street promenade under a glass dome. In January 2003, the largest new ocean liner Queen Mary 2. Its displacement is 150 thousand tons, its height from the waterline is 70 m. The new liner took 2,620 tourists on board.

Cruise routes are classified according to their duration:

For short-term (from several hours to several days);

Medium-term (from 5 to 13 days);

Long-term (up to 2 months).

Cabins on sea cruise ships are very diverse in size, interior, and range of amenities, which, naturally, is reflected in the price.

Most general classification cabins:

Economical (cabins with artificial lighting);

Standard (with windows);

Premium (with balconies).

The cruise company Royal Caribbean has its own classification of cabins:

1) luxury cabins with ocean views:

R - royal apartment: separate bedroom with double bed, private veranda, shower, usual amenities, living room with sofa, piano, refrigerator, mini bar, dining room;

A - "Owners Suite": large bed, private veranda, separate living room with sofa, refrigerator, mini bar;

AA - “royal family suite”: two bedrooms with beds, a living room with a sofa, a private veranda, a refrigerator, two bathrooms;

B - "grand suite": two beds, private veranda, armchairs, sofa, refrigerator.

C - "superior suite": two beds, individual veranda, armchairs, sofa, refrigerator;

D - deluxe cabin: two beds, private veranda, armchairs, sofa, refrigerator;

2) family cabins with ocean view:

FF - large cabins designed to accommodate 6 people;

3) cabins with ocean view:

F, H, I - comfortable cabins, equipped with two beds, with the usual amenities, toilet, TV, telephone;

4) internal cabins:

K, L, M, N, O, P, Q - comfortable cabins, equipped with two beds, with the usual amenities, toilet, TV, telephone.

An important feature of cruise tours is the organization of entertainment on board. On cruise ships Various clubs operate, actors are invited to perform, shows are held, gambling clubs and casinos operate. As a rule, a cruise tour is organized on an all-inclusive basis, this applies to meals, use of gyms and equipment, entertainment program. One of the advantages of cruise tours is their visa-free nature. Passengers can stay in ports and take excursions for 48-72 hours without a visa. The biggest drawback of cruises is their fairly high price. But recently, budget cruise companies have appeared.

The following price classification of cruise routes has been adopted:

Economical ($75,150 per person per night);

Classic ($100-200 per person per day);

Premium ($150-400 per person per day);

Suite ($700-1000 per person per night);

Exclusive (more than $1000 per person per day).

The main areas of sea cruises are the Caribbean and the Mediterranean Sea. The main advantage Caribbean is that cruises can be carried out all year round. The duration of cruise routes ranges from 3 days to 2 weeks, routes are classified into the following destinations: Western Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Southern Caribbean. Classic sea cruises are the Mediterranean Sea. Cruise routes cover several European countries - Spain, France, Italy, Greece - and countries North Africa- Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt. Cruises along the coasts of Britain, Scandinavia and Russia are very popular. Some cruise companies organize trips around the world lasting more than 120-140 days.

In the last few years, cruise routes to the shores of Antarctica and the North Pole have become popular. Ice cruises operate all year round: in summer the routes go to the Arctic, in winter the main destination is Antarctica. The American company Quark Expedition organizes cruises on the Russian icebreaker "Captain Khlebnikov" along the route Spitsbergen - Greenland - Canada - Chukotka - Spitsbergen. The cost of "ice" cruises is quite high - from 10 thousand to 18 thousand dollars, but the annual demand is growing steadily by 2%, and at the expense of Russian tourists.

Recently, ferry cruises have become very popular as a type of sea cruise. Mainly due to their short duration and cost-effectiveness. Modern ferries used for cruise purposes are multi-deck ships. Travel on comfortable ferries from Viking Line, Silja Line, DFDS Seaways, Fjord Line, Smyril Line, Color Line, Superfast series is in great demand on the Russian market. The undoubted leaders in demand are comfortable ferry cruises operated on the Baltic Sea by Silja Line and Viking Line. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the geographical convenience of the port of departure - Helsinki. It is easy to get here from Moscow and Saint Petersburg A. Secondly, the “compactness” of the cruise - in the shortest version, it takes two nights on the ship and one day in Stockholm. It is possible to go on this cruise even for a week end. At the same time, the cruise can be expanded with more long stay in Stockholm and Helsinki. Thirdly, corporate events can be held on the ferry. Fourthly, tourists are offered a wide range of entertainment on board the ferries: duty-free shops, discos, all-inclusive restaurants, swimming pools and saunas. Fifthly, in a short period tourists have the opportunity to visit the capitals of two European countries. The duration of such cruise routes is from 2 to 4 days, including visits to two countries - Finland and Sweden. When staying on ferries, tourists are provided with comfortable cabins of various categories, designed for people with different incomes. In addition to Viking Line and Silja Line, cruises from the young company Superfast are in great demand. Unlike the giant ferries of the Viking Line and Silja Line, which can accommodate several thousand tourists, the ships of the Superfast company take on board no more than 600 passengers. At the same time, on any of the ferries there are shops, several restaurants, saunas, and jacuzzi. The main advantage of Superfast cruises is speed. Ferries take tourists from Finland to Germany in 21 hours. Superfast ferries are ideal for incentive tours: they have everything you need not only for relaxation, but also for holding seminars.

Transportation of tourists by sea transport regulated by legal acts of international and national legislation. During international transportation, treaties and conventions apply, among which the Athens Convention on the Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Sea, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to the Carriage of Passengers by Sea, the International Convention on Search and Rescue sea. When transporting tourists in Russian territorial waters, the Merchant Shipping Code of the Russian Federation applies.

Small sea cruises have also become popular. sailing yachts. There are two forms of yacht rental: without a crew (bareboat charter) and with a crew (time charter). To travel on yachts when calling at any foreign port, a visa is not required. The yacht is accepted for a day using the so-called vessel passport, issued to the owner of the vessel or skipper.

According to WTO statistics, the annual stable increase in tourists using one or another form of sea cruises is 8%.

Cruises on inland waterways (rivers, lakes, canals) are usually called river cruises. Travel on rivers and lakes is most developed in countries rich in navigable rivers. River cruises can be in one direction or have a circular route. River cruise routes, depending on transportation conditions, their duration and length, and the quality of services provided, are divided into transport, tourist, and excursion. Transport routes provide transport links between individual settlements and operate, as a rule, according to a pre-published schedule. River vessels operated on transport routes carry out transit (over 400 km in length), local (less than 400 km in length), suburban and intra-city transportation of tourists. Transport routes also include ferry and ferry lines. Tourist transportation is organized along traditional and special routes lasting more than 24 hours. Excursion routes represent the transportation of excursionists lasting less than 24 hours, as a rule, these are intracity and suburban river routes.

River cruise tourism is most developed in European countries (France, Germany, Romania, Hungary, Italy). Popular cruise routes are along the Loire, Rhine, Rhone, Seine, and Elbe. Vessels used on river routes in Europe belong to the premium class. Dutch cruise company Sea Cloud operates two luxury river cruise ships. In Russia, as a rule, river vessels built in the 1980s are used. Among the most comfortable liners, cruise ships carrying out long-distance transportation, projects 301 and 302, should be highlighted. Motor ships of these projects, as a rule, have three or four decks and are equipped with comfortable cabins designed for single, double, triple and quadruple occupancy. The classification of cabins into categories depending on the level of comfort has been accepted. The level of comfort is a criterion of several components: the number and location of seats in the cabin, the location of the cabin along the length and height of the ship, the area and shape of the cabin, the availability of amenities and sanitary facilities, the type of lighting. On board the ships, tourists can enjoy restaurants, cafes, bars, a cinema hall, and shops.

On river cruise routes in Russia, motor ships of projects Q 040 ("Ilya Repin", "Maxim Gorky"), Q 065 ("Sergei Yesenin"), 92 016 ("Fedor Shalyapin"), 305 ("Salavat Yulaev") are also used. 588 (“Mikhail Kutuzov”). The organizers of river cruises are shipowners, shipping companies, and cruise tour operators. Volzhskoe river shipping company operates cruises on the following routes: Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod- Moscow (10 days, with a visit to the cities of Uglich, Myshkin, Kostroma, Plyos, Murom), Moscow - Plyos - Moscow (6 days, with a visit to the cities of Uglich, Myshkin, Yaroslavl, Kostroma). Moscow River Shipping Company operates cruise routes Moscow - Astrakhan - Moscow (20 days), Moscow - St. Petersburg - Moscow (13 days), Moscow - Yaroslavl - Moscow (5 days), Moscow - Uglich - Moscow (3 days). Long-term cruises on the Ob, Irtysh, Lena, Yenisei, and Amur rivers have become very popular. The duration of these cruises is on average 18 days. As a rule, such cruises are combined with by land routes. For example, a cruise along the Yenisei is combined with a flight to the North Pole. During a cruise along the Lena, tourists get acquainted with the life of Yakut villages and have the opportunity to hunt.

Nile cruises (Cairo - Luxor, 3-5 days) are very popular on the Russian market. These cruise routes are combined with a recreational tour (vacation in Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh). Cruise ships operating on routes along the Nile are usually of the "5*" or "luxury" category. Service on cruise ships is carried out on an all-inclusive basis, this applies to accommodation, meals, and excursion programs.

Transportation of tourists on river cruises in Russia is regulated by the Water Code of the Russian Federation and the Code of Inland Water Transport of the Russian Federation. The provisions of these legal acts apply to all internal water routes, ports and regulate all river cruise activities.

Features of organizing cruise travel

cruise tourism sea Crimea

The organization of sea and river travel and cruises is carried out by specialized tourist and excursion companies or bureaus. In Russia, most of these organizations were created by shipping companies or commercial shipping companies. The shipping commercial company "Baltic Lines" has a tour in its structure. Bureaux dealing with entry water and international tourism, as well as organizing air transportation of Russian tourists to Sweden.

Other tours also engage in sea and river travel. bureaus and agencies.

Sea and river cruises are carried out on local (between ports of one state) and international (between ports of different states) coastal lines.

On a cruise ship or ferry there is a special cashier desk where passengers can exchange currency, pay a bill, order a taxi at the point of arrival or transit, book excursions, and also receive a special credit card for service on the ship.

In each cabin, a deck plan of the ship is posted indicating all rooms, passages (including emergency ones), the ship's movement schedule indicating parking points, a list of services on the ship, rules for passengers, emergency evacuation procedures, and other information.

Tourists' luggage that they do not need during the voyage is checked into a storage room, the rest is considered cabin luggage.

By international rules on a ship with more than 12 passengers there must be a ship's doctor.

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