Factors that deter people from cruising are almost always perceived barriers or apprehensions rather than actual or physical ones.
The main misconception holding people back is the belief that cruising is expensive.
Nearly 62 per cent who had not cruised felt they would have to overcome the perception that cruises were expensive before taking one.
60 per cent of people who had cruised originally believed it to be expensive but had managed to overcome the misconception.
Cruise holiday penetration of the lowest and highest socio-economic groups was very similar. This indicated that the "expense barrier" to cruising was a perceived barrier rather than a physical deterrrent.
The second biggest barrier was the misconception that cruising was for older people. Almost 40 per cent of those surveyed who had shown an interest in cruising had to overcome this barrier.
