Evening star., 1937-03-14
BY JACQUES FUTRELLE, Jr.

~ ENEFITTNG from the bitter
- experiences Of last year, when
ship accommodations could
~ not be had at the eleventh
hour, and in some cases for months
ahead, the 1887 sea-going traveller has
taken to heart the watchword, make
reservations early"
Steamship companies, riding the
swelling tide of travel last year as re-
covery gains put ocean trips within the
reach of additional hundreds of thou
sands, preached the same gospel last
year. Those who failed to heed met
with disappointment, being forced to
adopt second choice vacation plans.
With Europe continuing as one of the
principal shows in the travel arena,
the space situation promises to be
more acute this year.
The peak of the transatlantic sea-
son does not begin for more than two
months, yet choice accommodations on
the more fashionable liners have all
but disappeared for June sailings and
are rapidly being taken for July.
Theoretically, eastbound bookings will
drop off in August, but the restoration
of lower, off-season prices stimulates
new demand by the long-range vaca-
ton planner who would rather use
fares savings to see more of Europe.
There is no guarantee that post-sea-
son accommodations will not be
snapped up.
WHILE America reads that the
lightning of war might strike
Europe at any time. the travel industry
is going ahead unafraid with plans for
a capacity season. mo war this year," "
travel agencies and steamship COM
panies say with an air Of assurance. 1t
is not all sales talk.
Behind the scenes OF their business
they see definite signs that Europe,
while talking loudly Of the menace,
will hold its armies in check. Every
European country seriously engaged
in the business of tourism has sent
to the U. S. agents whose duty 1t is
to sell Americans on the charm Of
their countries The feeling is gen.
eral in the travel industry that if
war we're in the immediate ofing this
embarrassing and useless expenditure
would be halted.
WHEREVER one looks in the 1887
travel picture capacity crowds
are in evidence. The make your
reservations early slogan is not con-
fined to ships, but to popular resorts.
Bermuda already is sold out for
Easter cruises. Hotels are definitely
and completely booked solid for this
March holiday. according to word
received here.
For such situations as this the ships
themselves used to offer solution.
Borrowing an idea from cruises to
more distant points, the short cruise
ships, while in port, would serve its
passengers as hotel. They still do,
but the idea Of increasing hotel ac-
commodations at given port by put
ting on more ships meets an obstacle
that cannot be overcome for the pres
ent-there are not enough ships to
meet the peak demand. And this,
incidentally, is the secret of the trans
Atlantic crush.
1t is not that there is record
travel to Europe. The boom year OF
1929 is still tops in Atlantic travel,
although the scramble for accommo-
dations last year seemed to point to
new record. In the first seven
months of 1929 eastbound ships car
ried 365,000 passengers. For the same
period in 1886 they carried 229, 900.
In the intervening years 80 ships were
taken of the Atlantic route, while
only 38 ships were added.
RuT during the depression years
several new and glamorous chap