Will Economy Affect Cruising Industry?

The real question is how much will the downturn in the economy affect the cruise industry. After last weeks announcement of a fuel surcharge by Carnival Corporation, both Oceania and Regent Seven Seas have tacked on a fuel charge of their own. Stock for the different companies have been following the trend in the market in the recent days just like most other companies have. But the big factor with all the volatility in the economy will be if the number of passengers decreases. A fuel charge only works if the ships are sailing with people on them. If you have been reading the news or listening to talk radio you have seen the doomsday outlook economists have on the direction the economy is headed. We either are headed into a depression or will be bouncing back but its going to take some time and going to be a bumpy ride. For the average person either outcome is going to mean a tighter budget at least for the short term and when the purse strings start to tighten the vacation dollar is one of the first to get hit.