John Elligate and Jared Voss-- Just Cruising
John and Pam Elligate have done several cruises recently. John said that these gave them a taste of places that they might not have otherwise gone to. He introduced Jared Voss, who could speak in more detail about cruises.
Jared worked on cruise ships for about 5 years as a purser and other roles with Princess Cruises. He then decided to settle in a land job and works for Cruise About. This is a franchise retail travel agency at 107 Maling Rd, Caterbury which will “book anything that floats”.
Jared reported that ocean cruising is rapidly expanding, with more and bigger ships being built. He described cruising as “addictive”.
His business tries to match the cruise to the client depending on what they have done before.
Jared saw 3 advantages of cruising: convenience, value and uniqueness.
Cruising is convenient because it is possible to cover several places without having to check out from accommodation. It not only provides travel, but also entertainment, including live theatre, trivia, comedians and dress-up nights.
It is value for money compared to a land-based holiday, being 20-40% cheaper to see the same localities. Meals and entertainment are included in the price and there is good service.
The uniqueness comes from the differences from other forms of travel and the individual character of each ship. Travellers experience a form of travel that was previously the norm. Passengers feel part of the ship’s family.
There are >1800 port of call available. Ships can give a different vantage point for scenic areas.
There are a range of accommodation styles: interior, ocean view and balcony. Interior is the cheapest and costs around $100/day. Balcony is the most popular.
Most Australian cruises depart from Sydney or Brisbane, which are closer to the Pacific Islands.
Jared can be contacted on 03-90496700 or jared.voss@cruiseabout.com.au.