This Week's Herman Trend Alert Purpose Emerging as Important Driver of Engagement

The Herman Trend Alert January 5, 2011 Cruising Trends for the Near-Term Future Lately, the cruise industry has earned a greater share of mind---for better or worse. Recently, we have seen Kevin Sheenan CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines on the "Undercover Boss" television show, the Carnival Splendor adrift in the sea off the coast of Mexico, and the cruise ship Louis Majesty hit by a rogue wave in the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, many more of us have been traveling by cruise ship than in the past. As we reported a year ago, NCL and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines have now launched megaships, hosting 2500 to 5000+ passengers. With their onboard rappelling walls, water slides, zip lines, big-name entertainment, and tens of restaurants on board, these floating cities attract huge crowds of vacationers. Especially for younger travelers, these megaships are very attractive. They will jump at opportunities to enjoy these exciting experiences. On the other hand, these megaships have added thousands of open cabins of availability. With thousands of additional cabins available in 2011 and a slowly recovering economy in the United States and Europe, chances are that passengers will be able to find super cruise deals, particularly if they are willing to wait until the last minute for booking. It seems that there is a sharp drop in the last minute deal prices offered by cruise lines. Thus if you can, we recommend waiting until only 30 to 40 days before sailing to get the best deal. The downside of that tactic is that you may not get your preferred cabin in the ship or may even lose out altogether. Another growing trend is flexible-dining. Called "free-style cruising" or "as-you-wish dining", we see this trend growing in importance. Moreover, there will be more healthy dining options; and some forward-thinking cruise line will begin "senior portions". In the near-term, closer destinations will have greater appeal, because of the more reasonable airfares. We will also see larger numbers of shorter cruises (fewer than seven days) to give more people an affordable "taste" of the onboard experience. Luxurious cruises will continue to appeal to wealthiest passengers. This segment will also continue to grow, as passengers enjoy the all-you-can-drink, better quality food, and no-gratuities cruising. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." WHO SENDS OUT YOUR NEWSLETTERS? We are convinced there is no better choice than ours! We have happily used DataBack Systems to deliver The Herman Trend Alert for over 10 years and. Visit their website (http://www.databack.com) or call Byron directly at 503.941.0427. You'll be glad you did. IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2. STRUGGLING TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED? VETJOBS CAN HELP! Recently, hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of capable people. If you are looking for qualified candidates, you need to hire a veteran using VFW-sponsored VetJobs, the largest military employment site on the Internet. Thousands of returning veterans are looking for good jobs now. Mention this ad in The Herman Trend Alert and receive a 10% discount on job postings. Call Ted Daywalt at 877-838-5627 or inquire at info@VetJobs.com. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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