Text 4. Sea cruise industry
VOCABULARY TO USE
sea cruise industry, fixed routes, a fixed schedule, vacationers, lack of passengers, reposition, tremendous, to occur, fleet, to refurnish, revenue, amounts, acquisitions, emergence, coastal areas
Assignment 4.1 Read and translate the text:
The sea cruise industry got its start when the airlines became a popular mode of trans-Atlantic transportation. Up until the late 1950s, ocean liners such as the Queen Mary and the Normandie were the only way to travel across the ocean. These ocean liners traveled on a fixed routes and a fixed schedule. When air travel became the choice of both business people and vacationers for intercontinental transportation, the ocean liners nearly died. There are still a few ocean liners for those people who fear flying and have more time. The lack of passengers, however, required the shipping companies to take a good look at the competition. Although the ships were no longer needed as a major form of transportation, they did have alternate uses and could become a resort themselves, able to compete with resorts and hotels rather than with airlines. This is exactly what happened.
The slogan “Being here is all the fun” became the major one for the sea cruise industry. Cruise lines repositioned the concept of a cruise to be a destination resort rather than a mode of transportation.
With this repositioning a tremendous growth in the industry occurred. In 1970, only half a million people cruised. In 1991 more than 1million people cruised. Twelve new ships were introduced in 1992 alone, bringing the Cruise Lines International Association Fleet to 130. By the year 2000 50 more ships had been built or refurnished and the passenger volume had more than doubled the 1992 volume to 10 million passengers. The increased number of ships is expected to add more than 30,000 new jobs.
The growth trends in cruises are a positive sign for the travel industry. When cruise line passenger volumes increase, revenue amounts increase for airlines, hotels and restaurants. The positive correlation between passenger volume and other portion of the travel industry has encouraged cooperative arrangements between cruise lines and other transportation segments such as airlines and rail. It has also encouraged cooperative arrangements with resorts and attractions.
Industry experts predict that the future of the cruise industry will bring merges and acquisitions as well as the emergence of a few larger lines that will tend to dominate the marketplace. Cruise lines are certainly the largest component of the cruising industry but smaller cruises on rivers, coastal areas and lakes are also common.
Assignment 4.2 Answer the following questions:
1. When did the cruise industry get its start?
2. How did the ships traveler cross the ocean?
3. How did the ocean liners travel?
4. What happened when air travel became the choice for international transportation?
5. What did the lack of passengers require the shipping companies to take?
6. What did the ships have and what could they become?
7. What saying became major one for the sea cruise industry?
8. What did the cruise lines do to be a destination resort?
9. What occurred with its repositioning?
10. How many people cruised in 1970? In 1991?
11. How many new ships were introduced in 1992?
12. How many ships had been rebuilt or refurnished by the year 2000?
13. What is the increased number of ships expected to add?
14. What presents a positive sign for the travel industry?
15. When do revenue amounts increase for airlines, hotels and restaurants?
16. What has encouraged cooperative arrangements between cruise lines and other transportation segments?
17. What future do industry experts predict?
18. What is also common for the cruise industry?
Assignment 4.3 Match the beginnings and the end of the sentences:
| 1. The sea cruise industry got its start | a. a fixed routes and a fixed schedule |
| 2. Up until the late 1950s, ocean liners such as the Queen Mary and the Normandie | b. they did have alternate uses and could become a resort themselves |
| 3. These ocean liners traveled on | c. the ocean liners nearly died |
| 4. When air travel became the choice for intercontinental transportation | d. were the only way to travel across the ocean |
| 5. The lack of passengers, however, | e. the major one for the sea cruise industry |
| 6. Although the ships were no longer needed as a major form of transportation, | f. when the airlines became a popular mode of trans-Atlantic transportation |
| 7. The slogan “Being here is all the fun” became | g. merges and acquisitions as well as the emergence of a few larger lines that will tend to dominate the marketplace |
| 8.The increased number of ships is expected to | h. revenue amounts increase for airlines, hotels and restaurants |
| 9. When cruise line passenger volumes increase, | i. cooperative arrangements between cruise lines and other transportation segments |
| 10. The positive correlation between passenger volume and other portion of the travel industry has encouraged | j. required the shipping companies to take a good look at the competition |
| 11. Industry experts predict that the future of the cruise industry will bring | k. but smaller cruises on rivers, coastal areas and lakes are also common |
| 12. Cruise lines are certainly the largest component of the cruising industry | l. add more than 30,000 new jobs |
Assignment 4.4 Use the appropriate words from the list:
to compete, repositioned, the sea cruise industry, alternate uses, a good look, fear, vacationers, fixed routes, liners, mode
1. The sea cruise industry got its start when the airlines become a popular … of trans-Atlantic transportation.
2. Up until the late 1950s, ocean … such as the Queen Mary and the Normandie were the only way to travel across the ocean.
3. These ocean liners traveled on a … and a fixed schedule.
4. When air travel became the choice of both business people and … for intercontinental transportation, the ocean liner nearly died.
5. There are still a few ocean liners for those people who … flying and have more time.
6. The lack of passengers, however, required the shipping companies to take … at the competition.
7. Although the ships were no longer needed as a major form of transportation, they did have .. and could become a resort themselves, able … with resorts and hotels rather than with airlines.
8. The slogan “Being here is all the fun” became the major one for … .
9. Cruise lines … the concept of a cruise to be a destination resort rather than a mode of transportation.
Assignment 4.5 What do the following numbers in the text refer to:
1950, 1970, 1991, 1992, 130, 2000, 50, 10 million, 30000
Assignment 4.6 Translate the following sentences from Russian into English:
1. Организация морских круизов началась, когда авиаперелеты стали популярным способом перевозки людей через Атлантику.
2. Нехватка пассажиров потребовала от судовых компаний обратить внимание на конкуренцию.
3. Растущий спрос на проведение круизов является положительной тенденцией в индустрии туризма.
4. Увеличивающиеся объемы круизных перевозок пассажиров увеличивают доходы авиакомпаний, отелей и ресторанов.
5. Положительное соотношение между объемами пассажирских перевозок во время круизов и другими секторами индустрии туризма способствовало сотрудничеству между круизными компаниями и другими сегментами транспортных перевозок.
6. Оно также способствовало сотрудничеству круизных компаний с курортами и предприятиями индустрии развлечений.
Assignment 4.7 Read and translate the following dialogues:
HELEN: Hi, Ann. Haven´t seen you for ages. Where have you been? I wonder what have become of you?
ANN: Oh, I´ve had a most exciting experience. The fact is, Dad took me on a cruise round Europe.
H.: How wonderful! I suppose you´ve seen lots of interesting things. Where did you start?
A.: From Plymouth.
H.: What luck! For me, there is no travel so fine as by ship. I love to feel the deck of the ship under my feet, to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in my face. Did you call at any European ports?
A.: We did. At each port we went ashore and made the most wonderful trips into the depths of the country.
H.: By railway or car?
A.: By coach. I was happy that I have seen Rome, Paris and Athens.
H.: Did you have a pleasant voyage?
A.: Rather fine, except two days after Gibraltar. It was rough in the Atlantic, and I had to keep to my cabin.
H.: As to me, I am not sea-sick. Did you go ashore in Spain?
A.: No, we didn´t. We only saw the coast from the deck.
H.: And did you bathe in the Mediterranean Sea?
A.: Not only there, but in the Atlantic Ocean too. There are wonderful beaches at some places on the west coast of France. Swimming is delightful there.
H.: Well, I´m glad that your voyage was a success. And I´m going to cruise the Nile River aboard the Sun Boat IV. The 11-day package tour offers the Pyramids, Sphinx and etc. By the 25th of November I will have been to Egypt because the special rates are for November 25 departure. The $9 air fare is from major England cities.
A.: With whom will you cruise?
H.: With my sister. We´ve bought a last- minute 2-for-1 package tour.
A.: Have a nice cruise!
CUSTOMER: We´re interested in a Galapagos Islands cruise.
TRAVEL AGENT: There is a great variety of cruises. When do you like to depart?
C.: In December.
T. A.: We can offer an 8-day trip abroad Eric, Flamingo or Letty in December. This cruise is discounted to $1,155 per person. It is only a cruise. Metropolitan Touring has 7-to 11-night Galapagos trips at $999 to $2,348 on selected departures of the 90-passengers Santa Cruz and the 40-passanger Isabella until December 23. This includes a three-to-seven-night cruise, a four-night stay at a hotel and an excursion to the Indian market. The price varies according to the number of nights.
C.: Oh, it´s interesting. What about a discount for children?
T. A.: Children under 12 get a 50% discount.
C.: But I´m worried about the accommodation. I´ve heard the cabins are very small and stuffy. I want a bit of fresh air.
T. A.: You can get a state-room.
C.: What about the facilities in the room?
T. A.: Well, you can watch TV, listen to music on the multi-channel-radio. There is a telephone if you want to speak to friends back home, a personal safe and a fridge for drinks as well.
C.: There´ll be three of us. What cabin would you recommend for us?
T. A.: If there are three of you I think you´ll have a suite.
C.: OK, and is it available?
T. A.: I think so.