Saxons are drawn to cruise ships

The Free State of Saxony is represented to an above-average extent on cruise ships operated by German market leader Aida. "Every 18th Aida guest comes from Saxony, which is significantly more than the proportion of the population," said Aida President Felix Eichhorn in an interview with the "Sächsische Zeitung" and the "Leipziger Volkszeitung" (weekend editions). The high proportion of first-time cruisers from Saxony is also particularly striking.

A possible reason for the enthusiasm of Saxons for cruises, Eichhorn said, was the historically grown connection with the Baltic Sea as a vacation destination. "There seems to be a great longing for the sea there." The geographical location also plays a role: "It's not particularly far from Saxony and Thuringia to Rostock, Hamburg or Kiel. This saves families long journeys by plane and therefore money."

The cruise industry is still booming - despite economic uncertainties. "In times of crisis, Germans save on everything, but fortunately not on vacations," explained Eichhorn. Aida currently has ten percent more guests than in 2019 before the pandemic.