Brits reluctant to join in the fun

At one time a cruise holiday might have included a piano bar, some form of evening cabaret show and the optional games on deck. Today the choice of onboard entertainment rivals, if not exceeds that of Las Vegas. However, is it what holidaymakers want? The online cruise news and reviews site, CruiseCritic.co.uk has just conducted a survey of more than 2400 travellers from around the world to find out the answer to this and other questions about fun onboard.

Entertainment is Key for Brits
While 76 percent of respondents from all nations said that there is the right amount of entertainment on board cruise ships today, a significant 17 percent of British travellers think there is too much.

Seventy percent of all travellers said that they would be selective about the cruise entertainment they experience. Sixteen percent of British travellers said that they would want to avoid most onboard entertainment.

More Brits (54 percent) than any other nationality taking part in the survey said that the nature and amount of entertainment onboard would be key criteria in selecting a particular cruise holiday over another.

Party Pooper Poms
Brits may want to be entertained, but many don’t want to join-in. When asked whether they prefer to take part in group or individual activities, 27 percent of British travellers said they would not want to participate in any cruise activities!

No More Fancy Dress
When asked what type of cruise ship nightlife entertainment appeals most, a comedian got the most votes (56 percent), followed by a Broadway style show or musical (54 percent), and then a band (52 percent). Least popular among the activities listed was that one time cruise staple – the fancy dress ball.

A lot of the nighttime entertainment is often included in the price of a cruise but when asked if they would be willing to pay extra for their entertainment, 26 percent of respondents said they would be okay with shelling out extra to see a Broadway-style show or musical.

Splashing About
According to the survey results, the most popular daytime cruise activities are water-based (59 percent), followed by a spa treatments (56 percent) and then skill classes, such as painting, pottery and cooking (46 percent). Playing in the pool was selected as the activity children would like best (77 percent) followed by treasure/scavenger hunts (70 percent) and video games/arcade (61 percent).

Pool Deck Activities Get the Thumbs Down
When it comes to action on and around the pool deck, it seems that most cruise travellers want to be left alone. The majority - 35 percent of all travellers and 47 percent of British - said they would prefer no pool deck entertainment or activities. Only 13 percent said that cruise-directed games and contests on the pool deck appeal.

Too Much of a Good Thing
Said CruiseCritic.co.uk Editor in Chief Carolyn Spencer Brown, “The cruise companies put a lot of money and effort into providing entertainment for their passengers and it is interesting to note how important this has become as a selection criteria, especially among the Brits. Clearly however, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach and entertainment directors need to take account of national tastes and preferences as well as age, family situation and so forth.”

Top 5 Nightlife Cruise Entertainment Options (according to survey)

Comedian
Broadway-style show/musical
Band(s) (rock, big band, jazz, etc.)
Cinema
Variety show

Top 5 Cruise Daytime Activities (according to survey)

Water/pool
Spa
Skill classes
Educational lecture
Physical exercise

Top 5 Children’s Cruise Activities (according to survey)

Pool
Treasure hunt
Video games/arcade
Theme day (circus, pirate etc)
Arts and crafts

To find out more, log on to CruiseCritic.co.uk.