To escape the work week's fast pace, taking a cruise has always been a leisurely way to set sail and then awake to find yourself in an entirely new land. In just the past few months, we've seen the debut of Tauck's river cruises spanning Paris and Provence, Vancouver's rising profile as a cruise hub as its hotels open up to the growing market, and more touring of Europe's Christmas markets.
Looking back, we can get a glimpse of the cruise industry through the years. Shortly after Travel Agent's inception in 1930, we ran an ad for The Peninsular & Occidental Steamship Company, promoting the line's roundtrip cruise to Havana from Miami for $24 and $29.80 roundtrip to Havana from Tampa, including meals and berth at sea. (See for yourself here.) Detailed side trips included a three-day trip between Miami and Havana for $38.50 and a six-day trip between the two cities for $50.00.
Obviously, the ship has sailed as far as 1935's rates go. And yet - it's impossible not to celebrate the advent of Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth, the exclusive kind of additions like Pristine Bay Resort's Black Pearl golf course opening exclusively for Canival and Royal Caribbean passengers in Honduras and emergence of Russia in its river cruises visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg - among so many other developments in the cruise industry.
As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we're taking a look at what was happening in the industry in the past and asking agents to share their thoughts on what has changed in the industry up until the present. So please share your thoughts by posting a comment below, writing us at our Facebook page, sending a tweet to our Twitter page or by engaging in a discussion in real time at AgentNation (the only social community online for all kinds of travel agents, which certainly wasn't around 80 years ago). We want to hear from you.
And while you're here, learn more about how we're celebrating eight decades of covering the travel industry for travel professionals.