News On Cruises: The Smell Of Cougar In India

It seems as though cruise lines have always been among the first in the travel industry to respond to new trends. From singles and gay/lesbian cruises to packages targeted to nudists and jazz enthusiasts, the cruise industry tends to blaze the trail in identifying the hottest themes, trends, and demographics. With that in mind, here are some of the latest happenings in the cruise industry.

Can't You Smell That Smell?

It's not uncommon for a given cruise ship to smell like suntan lotion, bunker oil, or even margarita mix. But now, MSC Cruises is planning to actively appeal to customers' olfactory senses. Coming soon on the recently-launched MSC Splendida.: artificially-infused aromas! According to industry publication Seatrade Insider, MSC will attempt to evoke a "Mediterranean sensation" in passengers by subtly dispersing a bouquet of figs and almonds through the vessel's air conditioning system. In addition, an MSC official says that the scent will be infused into cabin table linens, towels, bedding, and toiletries. The cruise line is reportedly expanding on the idea of fragranced hotels, which are popular in Las Vegas and other well-known tourist areas.

Beware of Cougars

As you might have deduced, this term does not refer to the wild feline. Since 2009 was dubbed the "Year of the Cougar" by Newsweek magazine, at least one cruise line is capitalizing on the social trend du jour. In December, the Carnival cruise ship Elation embarked on its first-ever International Cougar Cruise, which was designed to cater to older women who wish to date younger men. The cruise, which departed from San Diego with a scheduled stop in Ensanada, Mexico, was organized by The Society of Single Professionals and Singles Travel Company. Together, the singles group and the travel firm signed up over 2,000 cruisers at rates as low as $125 per person. An official with Singles Travel Company said that after the package was announced in September, demand for bookings was so great that the company had to hire two additional part-time employees just to answer phones. The cruise is playing off the popularity of television shows like the prime time comedy Cougar Town and the reality dating series The Cougar.

Divorced? Time to Party!

It's a match made in aquatic heaven: a group of people just freed from the shackles of a gloomy relationship and a massive floating Utopia of free-flowing fun and non-stop excitement. So perhaps it is inevitable that a cruise line began offering packages that are strictly targeted toward divorcees. In the fall of 2009, both Norwegian and Royal Caribbean began providing excursions for the newly-unmarried. These cruises, which feature ports of call in Mexico and the Caribbean, include private parties, games, and mixers designed to appeal to divorcees of all ages. These vacation packages, which are priced as low as $199 per person, are designed to promote the notion that there still is life after a divorce.

Celebrating India's Middle Class

While cruises have successfully entered the mainstream travel market in the United States and other parts of the world, they still remain inaccessible to all but the upper class in some countries. In India, for example, cruise vacations have been traditionally reserved for wealthy travelers; largely because they involve jetting off to Singapore, the Caribbean, or a Mediterranean port simply to board the vessel. But that pricing obstacle began crumbling this week in the Indian port of Kochi. In December, global cruise operator Louis Cruises unveiled weekly cruise packages to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, making Kochi the only home port for a cruise ship in India. Now, middle class Indians can enjoy an Arabian Sea cruise without having to shell out additional money for a flight to a foreign city. This announcement marks another example of how India's middle class continues its upward mobility in a culture which was once known for its rigid caste boundaries.

It seems that whenever a new niche pops up, there soon comes a cruise that caters to it. This adaptability and quick responsiveness is what separates cruise lines from many other leisure industries.