The Caribbean ranks as the top cruise destination fur the second year in a row, according to the 2006 Cruise Holidays Travel Trends Survey, which also revealed an increasing demand for longer and more exotic cruises. Travel agents are selling more eight- to 10-day cruises: They constitute 38 percent of all bookings compared to 27 percent a year ago. The11-to-14 day  itineraries are now 8 percent of total cruise bookings, up from just 3 percent last year.

Conducted between March 20 mid April 4, the survey features feedback from 86 percent of’ 125 travel agency locations in the United States and Canada. Seventy-seven percent of those agents say cruise bookings are even or up over last year.

The Caribbean and Alaska continue to be the top two favorite cruise destinations. but cruisers are also becoming a bit more adventuresome, exploring ports of call further from home in destinations such as Europe. South America and Asia. More than 84 percent booked Mediterranean itineraries, up from 54.5 percent last year.  In addition, 65.4 percent of agencies said clients are feeling more confident about traveling farther from home. The most popular European part was Rome; St. Thomas took top

honors as the most popular Caribbean island.

In good news for both agencies and cruise lines, clients are also returning to the industry’s traditional sales pattern of’ booking farther out to get the best deals. While the booking window immediately after 9-11 shrunk to one to three months for the industry nationwide, the survey showed that’s changed.  Now 92 percent of cruises are booked four months or more in advance of the sailing date, and 54 percent of cruises are booked six months or more in advance.  Only 8 percent of’ all bookings are for sailings one to three months out. That’s allowed major cruise lines to systematically raise pricing as the cabins fill up early, delivering better revenue to lines and agencies. Yet, lines continue to offer deals on shoulder season, repositioning or soft sailings.

What’s most important to cruise clients? The survey cited itinerary as the top factor at 89.7 percent, with the cruise line at 85.1 percent; price ranked third at 80.4 percent. More than 52 percent of the agencies confirmed that clients are spending more per vacation.