Vacationers can take heart that there is at least one mode of travel still receiving high marks for customer service, especially when departing from Philadelphia, with a recent study revealing that 92 percent of passengers departing from the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal rating their experience good to excellent.

The customer satisfaction survey was completed by 795 travelers following their trip in 2007. Cruisers were very pleased with all aspects of their experience, including the location, staff, facilities and overall experience, with 65 percent of those surveyed giving the Terminal the highest grade. A staggering 92 percent of survey participants said they would recommend a cruise from Philadelphia to a friend.

“A vacation should be enjoyable and stress free from the moment a trip begins.  We are pleased to see we are delivering a high-quality experience that will bring them back again,” said John J. Matheussen, CEO of the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), the parent agency of the Port of Philadelphia and Camden.

“CruisePhilly is committed to its travelers and customer satisfaction,” said Kate McNamara, Director of the Port of Philadelphia and Camden. “We know word of mouth plays a key role in our image, and our team is further motivated by the knowledge that the overwhelming majority of our travelers enjoy the experience and would recommend a cruise from Philadelphia to others.”

The quality experience does not end once they board the ship. The cruise industry is one of the few travel industries that continues to receive high ratings from customers. A recent study of American cruisers conducted by TNS on behalf of by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) showed more than 90 percent of cruisers ranking their experience as satisfying, with 44 percent giving it their highest review of extremely satisfying.

This season, Norwegian Cruise Line will make ten sailings from the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal, up from six in 2007. Beginning on August 30th, the Norwegian Majesty will make five seven-day trips to Bermuda, calling on the picturesque port of St. George.  The Norwegian Majesty will also be making seven day sailings to Canada and New England departing four consecutive Saturdays beginning October 4th.  CruisePhilly closes out its season with a grand fourteen-day repositioning cruise through the heart of the Southern Caribbean.

The Philadelphia Cruise Terminal is operated by the Port of Philadelphia and Camden, a department of the Delaware River Port Authority. DRPA also owns and operates the Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross bridges, PATCO and the RiverLink Ferry.