The Publication

World Cruise Industry Review 2023 Vol. 1


Tom McAlpin, president and CEO at Virgin Voyages reflects on his career and the cruise line’s journey ahead.

We speak to MSC Cruises USA’s Rubén Rodríguez about the operator’s goals and its expansion into the US.

As technology continues to develop, passengers expect the latest from their cruise experience. We speak to industry leaders to find out how they are adapting for a smart experience.

As the global cruise industry is taking action to combat climate change, we hear from Wassim Daoud, head of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at Ponant, to find out more.

With more and more travellers opting for a solo experience, cruise lines are increasingly looking for ways to meet this demand. We speak to NCL’s Gary Anslow and Fred Olsen’s Peter Deer to find out what they are offering the solo cruiser.


World Cruise Industry Review 2022 Vol. 2


Jens Skrede, managing director for Cruise Europe, reflects on the difficulties the cruise industry has faced over the past few years and how to manage crises.

Can the cruise industry balance the ongoing demands for increased sustainability and comfort? We talk to Silversea Cruises’ Roberto Martinoli and Roberto Bruzzone to learn about such a vessel.

With the new standards and regulations for wastewater management, we speak to Nicholas Rose at Royal Caribbean and Johan Johansson Iseskär at DNV to find out the benefits of an AWP.

We speak to Andreas Ullrich, global market leader, passenger ships and ferries at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore about the new Energy Efficiency Index for Existing Ships requirements and how cruises can adapt their fuels for a sustainable future.

Staying up to date with the latest fire regulations and standards on a cruise ship is paramount for passenger safety. We speak to Eddie Segev at Royal Caribbean Group and Andreas Hildingsson at DNV about the importance of fire protection and firefighting.


World Cruise Industry Review 2022 Vol. 1


Marie-Caroline Laurent, director general for CLIA in Europe, reflects on her move into the cruise sector, the challenges facing European operators, and her priorities for 2022.

Has onshore hotel interior design had an impact on cruise ships? We talk to Sebastien Flamant of Flamant Interior Design and Malvina Guarnieri at Tilberg Design of Sweden to discover the future of cruise ship design.

How do companies tailor expeditionary cruises to different guests? We speak to Florence Kuyper of Aurora Expeditions, Jen Martin of Seabourn and Simon Evans of Intrepid Travel to hear their experiences.

We speak to Rudi Schreiner, president at AmaWaterways and Francesco Galli Zugaro, CEO at Aqua Expeditions, to find out about river cruising in Mekong and what its network of waterways has to offer for the adventurous traveller.

As more operators invest in immersive dining experiences for their guests, we speak to Michael Bickel, president and CEO of TableMation Studios, and Christopher Prelog, president of Windstar Cruises, about creating unique dining environments at sea.


World Cruise Industry Review 2021 Vol. 2


CLIA UK and Ireland Director Andy Harmer reflects on an immensely successful summer for British cruising.

We speak to Chris O’ Craiker, president of Craiker Associates, and Joost van Rooijen, architect and partner of Studio Komma about giving old cruise ships a fresh lease of life on dry land.

Thibaut Tincelin, CEO of marine architecture specialists Stirling Design, discusses the challenges of designing vessels for polar exploration.

Has the on-board services ‘arms race’ reached its peak or will it continue to boom as cruise lines pursue bookings like never before? We speak to industry insiders to find out.

Enrique Cansino, co-owner of Nour el Nil, talks about the challenges of delivering successful river cruises on the Nile and what continues to draw guests to Africa’s greatest river.


World Cruise Industry Review 2021 Vol. 1


CLIA president Kelly Craighead on the challenges of tackling coronavirus and what shape recovery will take.

Monique Ponfoort, CEO of Aurora Expeditions, outlines how the expeditionary sector is well suited to thrive in a post-pandemic age.

Lars Lühr Olsen, managing director at Ulstein Verft, discusses the complex realities of shipbuilding during a pandemic.

Renowned ship designers including David McCarthy, director of marine development at AD Associates, and Terry McGillicuddy, director of Richmond International, discuss how Covid-19 will change the design process.

Marcus Leskovar, executive vice-president of Amadeus River Cruises, and Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways, reveal the pent-up demand for river cruising.


World Cruise Industry Review 2020 Vol. 2


On the cover this issue, as operators continue to chart a return to cruising, we profile the extensive report delivered by The Healthy Sail Panel, outlining 74 best practices to protect the public health and safety of guests, crew and the communities where cruise ships call, and hear how its members feel their recommendations could help elevate the industry as a whole.

One of many sectors forced to reconsider its priorities and strategies is shipbuilding. With operations suspended and new builds delayed, shipbuilders are working round the clock to protect their order books and avoid cancellations. We speak to Fincantieri's Daniele Fanara, Tim Walters of Royal Haskoning, and Mundy Cruising MD Edwina Lonsdale, about where things go from here and why the pandemic might accelerate demand for smaller ships.

Elsewhere, YSA Design CEO Anne Mari Gullikstad discusses adapting designs and evolving visions for the future of cruise interiors; Chris Donald, Carnival's SVP of corporate environmental compliance, on balancing short-term viability with longer-term sustainability goals; and Rudi Schreiner, co-founder of AmaWaterways, tells us about resuming operations in the age of Covid-19 - and potential lessons for river cruising's seafaring cousins.


World Cruise Industry Review 2020 Vol. 1


On the cover this issue, the coronavirus pandemic has sent shockwaves through the global travel industry, with the cruise sector facing unique and widespread challenges. Sailings are cancelled and builds postponed, with customers potentially apprehensive about stepping back on board. With cruise lines needing to restructure operations and build public trust, we investigate how the sector can proceed from here and what steps are already being taken?

As work continues on what had been among the most eagerly anticipated launches of 2020, we speak to Tilberg Design about exceeding guest expectations through work on Seven Seas Splendor and the studio's mission to help transform the premium experience.

Elsewhere, with the third phase of the Energy Efficiency Design Index brought forward by three years, we ask what challenges and opportunities might the IMO's decision present to the cruise sector; Royal Caribbean's SVP for digital Jay Schneider speaks to us about using smart solutions to create lasting value; and Lindblad CEO Sven-Olof Lindblad discusses the growth in popularity of the expedition segment and why smaller, more intimate experiences might be the future of cruising.


World Cruise Industry Review 2019 Vol. 2


On the cover this issue, The project will be gigantic. Beginning in 2019, the entire Celebrity Cruises fleet will be renovated to reflect the design philosophy of Celebrity Edge, the brand’s latest award-winning ship. Fresh from setting the aesthetic agenda for the Edge class, renowned British interior designer Kelly Hoppen is lending her expertise to this $500 million revitalisation project, the so-called ‘Celebrity Revolution’. Isabel Ellis talks to her about applying her signature east-meets-west luxury on the grandest scale.

Also: Appointed to the presidency of CLIA earlier this year, Kelly Craighead has won plaudits from industry insiders for her efforts to publicise the positive economic impact of the cruise sector, and realign relations with ports and destinations across Europe. Greg Noone sits down with cruising’s champion to discuss the emerging opportunities and challenges for operators in the years ahead.

Plus, The Baltic cruise market is booming. With increased activity, though, comes more pollution, a worry that has led several countries in the region to impose strict environmental regulations on ships. Andrea Valentino talks to Andreas Slotte, head of sustainable development at the Port of Helsinki, and Claus Bødker, director of Cruise Baltic, about how cruise companies are working to be more sustainable.


World Cruise Industry Review 2019 Vol. 1


This month's cover story: how instagrammable can a cruise holiday be? That's the question confronting cruise lines and the passengers they're looking to attract. With multiple 2018 launches hailed for their Instagram-friendly designs, Tim Gunn turns to Instagrammers, social media managers, and entrepreneurs to find out how important the app might be to promoting and, ultimately, enjoying a cruise.

Also, Adam Tihany is famed for his intricate, bold design of restaurant and hotel spaces. As he brings his stylistic sensibility to the Nieuw Statendam, Greg Noone looks back at the designer's long career, and asks how a commitment to delivering the 'architecture of music' influenced the grand hallways and atria aboard Holland America's latest new build.

Plus, the average cruise ship has an estimated lifespan of 30 years. After that, many are destined for scrap yards in India or Bangladesh, while others go on to serve as museums, hotels or artificial reefs. However, as the cost of new builds rises, more operators are sprucing up ageing vessels.


World Cruise Industry Review 2018 Vol. 2


In the past, commanding a cruise ship has been a male role – but times are changing. Grace Allen discusses the rise of female cruise captains with Sea Cloud's Captain Kathryn Whittaker, Captain Kate McCue of Celebrity and Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou, president of the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association.

Also in this issue, cruise ships are navigating more far-flung waters than ever before, requiring operators to have the correct safeguards in place to protect the lives of their passengers. Ross Davies meets Conrad Combrink, senior vice-president of strategic development for expeditions and experiences at Silversea Cruises; Markus Aarnio, chairman of Foreship; and Jeff Morgan, Aviem CEO, to find out what measures need to be taken.

Plus, Despite a bulging order book, it's been a bittersweet summer for Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, as its influential former CEO, Corrado Antonini, died in July. Ross Davies takes a look at his legacy as the company looks to retain its market dominance. And: Nearly three decades after it first opened, Royal Caribbean's CocoCay is getting a makeover. The private resort promises passengers a wealth of new activities and ways to relax. But the project is not without controversy.


World Cruise Industry Review 2018 Vol. 1


When Edie Rodriguez resigned as CEO of Crystal Cruises last year, many assumed that retirement naturally beckoned. Instead, her immediate hiring by Ponant to crack the US market for the operator heralds a new phase in the industry veteran’s career. She tells Greg Noone about the challenges facing the line’s expansion, her gruelling schedule and the enduring appeal of luxury cruising.

August will see the maiden voyage of the Scenic Eclipse, which has been billed as the ‘world’s first discovery yacht’. With room for 228 guests, the vessel’s small size is compensated for with the promise of visiting exciting locations, including Antarctica. Lisa Bolton, general product manager at Scenic, talks to Ross Davies about what guests can expect.

Also in this issue: Elly Earls meets Cindy D’Aoust, Cruise Lines International Association’s president and CEO, and Colin Castle talks to PFJ Maritime Consulting’s Raoul Jack, and Reinhard Luken, managing director of the Verband für Schiffbau und Meerestechnik (German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association), to find out whether shipyards are likely to relocate from Europe to China.


World Cruise Industry Review 2017 Vol. 2


After a protracted construction period and various legal wranglings, AIDA Cruise’s new ship, AIDAperla, is finally on the water. Boasting a new dual-fuel engine room, slender hull and foil-covered domes, the vessel was worth the wait, as Christian Schönrock, the group’s director of newbuilds, tells us.

A new agreement between GE Power and Fincantieri will see the energy giant and shipbuilding leviathan co-develop an emission control solution to reduce air pollution from cruise ships. We hear from leaders from both parties, examine how the new Shipboard Pollutant Removal System might work, and discuss the race against the clock to comply with MARPOL’s stringent new 2020 regulations.

The Michelin-inspired, farm-to-table F&B concept on Crystal’s fast-expanding river fleet is unlike anything else on the waterways of Europe. We meet the cruise line’s SVP of hotel operations Toni Neumeister to find out how they’ve done it.


World Cruise Industry Review 2017 Vol. 1


With three ships on order and the power of a global brand at its disposal, Virgin Voyages is being positioned as a genuine disruptor to cruising's status quo. Phin Foster meets president and CEO Tom McAplin to discuss the lessons learned from his love of the start-up experience, his plans to appeal to untapped market segments and the creation of a corporate culture that is unafraid to do things a little differently.

Having entered full service in January 2017, Seabourn Encore is Seabourn Cruise Line's largest ship to date, boasting an additional deck and expanded public areas. Fuel consumption is also significantly reduced by optimisation of the ship's hydrodynamics. World Cruise Industry Review charts the evolution of the vessel.

Also in this issue: Tom Fecke, secretary-general for CLIA Europe, and Jens Skrede, Cruise Europe's managing director, share their thoughts on the European cruise market, we take a closer look at Norwegian Joy, the latest instalment in Norwegian Cruise Line's Breakaway Plus class, and Elly Earls breaks bread with Royal Caribbean's John Suley and Norwegian Cruise Line's Karl Muhlberger.


World Cruise Industry Review 2016 Vol. 2


With the €230.6-million acquisition of Nordic Yards' three shipyards in Wismar, Warnemunde and Stralsund, as well as a string of new investments across the northern European shipbuilding market, Genting Hong Kong has made a bold move that could give it the capacity to dramatically expand Crystal Cruises, Dream Cruises and Star Cruises. Colin Castle examines the nuts and bolts of the agreement, the benefits of the ability to build at an operator's own pace, and whether cruise lines in the shipbuilding game are set to become the new normal.

The Ecoship project, for the designing and building of a cruise vessel that will carry out humanitarian and environmental missions for Japan-based NGO Peace Boat from 2020, has been finalised and initial funding secured, with construction scheduled to commence in April 2017. The ship, which will incorporate ten solar-powered sails, retractable wind generators and hybrid engines, has been touted as the greenest cruise vessel in the world, but could it also viably be the cruise ship of the future?

Also in this issue: Appointed as permanent CEO and president of CLIA earlier this year, Cindy D'Aoust is committed to further establishing the association as a single, unifying body for the global cruise sector. She talks to Phin Foster. Plus, Matthew Plowright speaks to Carnival's Anthony Habert and AmaWaterways' Rudi Schreiner to find out how their brands are keeping up with the latest shoreside wine trends, and Elly Earls meets Carnival Cruise Line's vice-president for guest technology, Gabriela Gonzalez.


World Cruise Industry Review 2016 Vol. 1


It's already well established that China is the next big market for the cruise industry, and the announcement by Carnival that a new brand will be launched specifically for the country's burgeoning customer base only adds to the hype. Colin Castle speaks to the company's chief operations officer, Alan Buckelew, and CLIA Asia's secretary-general, David Goh, about what the new brand might look like and how the new customers differ.

With Norwegian and Princess announcing that they're building ships specifically tailored for the Chinese market, and MSC extensively refurbishing the Lirica ahead of it being deployed exclusively in the region, how does tailoring shipbuilding for a particular market dictate one's approach? Rod James speaks to industry experts and insiders to find out.

Also in this issue: Patrick Kingsland of Crystal River Cruises explains how the line will set itself apart from the competition; Carnival Corporation has established ten major goals for reducing its environmental footprint over the next five years, as John Haeflinger, vice-president of maritime policy and analysis, explains; and Sophie Peacock speaks to Wes Cort at Norwegian Cruise Line about the company's efforts to get ahead of the competition in the crafts beers market.

World Cruise Industry Review 2015 Vol. 1


Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' new president and CEO takes the wheel of a company flushed with years of remarkable success. Frank del Rio shares the view from the bridge, including Cuba's exciting potential as a destination, with World Cruise Industry Review.

It's the largest ship ever built for the UK sector, and the fourth vessel in just ten years from P&O Cruises. But what will Britannia bring to the market and how original is its design? Stephen Cresswell meets David Pickett, Carnival UK's head of new builds, to talk British identity, steep learning curves and bringing new blood into cruise architecture.

Also in this issue: Carnival, Fincantieri and CSSC have signed a memorandum of understanding with the intention of constructing China's first domestically built liner. Peter James looks at the reverberations of this potential collaboration. Plus, Michael Flesch, Enrico Borniotto and Anthony Wills talk about striking a balance between centralised control and micro-management when it comes to managing food and beverage operations.

World Cruise Industry Review 2014 Vol. 2


He may have reappeared on the radar a little over a year ago, but Arnold Donald has not wasted any time in plotting a clear path for the reputational repair and future direction of Carnival Corporation. The CEO talks to Phin Foster about consensus building, the importance of leveraging organisational scale and why returning from retirement is one of the best decisions he's ever made.

With the industry's two largest operators making bold steps towards China, excitement around future market expansion is approaching fever pitch. World Cruise Industry Review considers the changes cruise lines must make if they are to capitalise on China's potential and how significant success in the region will be in the years to come.

Also in this issue: Chris Godfrey speaks with Jim Van Langen, Carnival Corporation's vice-president for management systems, about the proactive and retrospective action taken to reinforce sustainability and the environmental challenges now faced by the sector; Jim Urry of Disney and Kirk Neal of Carnival discuss with Jack Wittels the rapid expansion of the multigenerational and family market; and Royal Caribbean executives explore the groundbreaking design and engineering that went into the most eagerly anticipated cruise vessel launch of the year, Quantum of the Seas, a feast of state-of-the-art entertainment facilities and technological wizardry.

World Cruise Industry Review 2014 Vol. 1


Portable technology has transformed how we interact both with each other and the wider world over the past decade. With passengers increasingly bringing their handheld interactive devices and smartphones to sea, Norwegian Cruise Line's Vincent Cirel and Carnival's Ramon Millan discuss how they are leveraging this technology to create new avenues of participation and revenue generation, while improving guest relations.

Another major shift within the sector has been the growing popularity of river cruising. With all the major operators ordering new ships for 2014, the boom shows no signs of slowing down. Rudi Schreiner, president of AmaWaterways; Helge Grammerstorf, managing director of IG RiverCruise; and Torsten Hagen, CEO of Viking, examine the forces driving growth and where the industry goes next..

Back at sea, new-build orders have slowed, but the refurbishment and upgrade market remains buoyant as global operators look to revitalise ageing fleets in line with customer expectations. Peter Fetten, Carnival Corporation's senior vice-president - corporate ship refits, discusses the $155-million makeover of the Carnival Sunshine and the challenge of finding reliable turnkey contractors.

MSC Cruises was one of the most active lines during the new-build boom. Six months after joining as CEO, Gianni Onorato has been charged with building upon ten years of unprecedented growth and further establishing the operator as Europe's preeminent cruise line. He outlines the benefits of working alongside his predecessor, potential new markets and leading from the front.

Other highlights in this issue include a study of how smaller food and beverage outlets can help set the tone of a ship; we look at how technology is playing a growing role in raising on-board safety and security standards. Plus, Norwegian's Richard Ambrose outlines the next generation of onboard entertainment and the winners of the inaugural World Cruise Industry Awards are revealed.

World Cruise Industry Review 2013 Vol. 2


Cruise-ship interiors have seen a marked move away from the brash aesthetic more associated with Miami and Vegas resorts, with designers looking towards the grand European five-star tradition of clean lines and understated luxury. Cunard VP of interior design Teresa Anderson and cruise-ship design guru Joseph Farcus discuss the growing taste for the classics and debate the virtues of bling.

As past CEO of Seabourn, Sea Dream Yacht Club and Cunard, Larry Pimentel is certainly well versed in the classics. Lured out of retirement in 2009 to launch RCI's Azamara Club Cruises, he discusses four years of longer stays, more overnight stops, unusual itineraries and his rationale behind 'daring to be different'.

At the end of 2013, CLIA announced that nine regional cruise organisations would be joining forces to create one global body. Six months into representing the international cruise sector with a single voice, we meet president and CEO Christine Duffy, CLIA Europe secretary-general Robert Ashdown, and chair of the global executive committee and Carnival Corporation COO Howard Frank to discuss its impact.

Other highlights within this edition include a tour of the latest member in the Princes fleet, Royal Princess; we look at the steps operators are taking to manage that most burning of issues, engine room fires; leaders from the Asian cruise sector chart the rise of one of the region's most exciting emerging regions; and RCI's recently appointed EVP of operations, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, outlines efforts being made to meet the entertainment demands of new cruising demographics.

World Cruise Industry Review 2013 Vol. 1


Norwegian Breakaway is the first in a new class of vessels and will be the largest ship ever to homeport in New York. As the project nears completion, Norwegian Cruise Line’s VP of newbuild Christer Karlsson talks to Phin Foster about speedy construction, shipyard collaboration and bringing and NYC sensibility to sea.

Having launched the fifth and final member in its Solstice class, for the first time in recent memory Celebrity Cruises has no ships on order. CEO Michael Bayley has been in charge for a little over six months and focus has moved onto communicating the message of ’modern luxury’ to the line’s target demographics. He discusses the impact of his initial tenure and the value of experience.

Leaders across the sector have been paying very close attention to developments within the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review. As the process winds down, Jack Wittels speaks to CLIA’s Bud Darr, and panel members Stephen Meyer and Willem de Ruiter, to find out how its recommendations might change safety culture and shape future policies

Other highlights within this edition include FCCA president Michele Paige discussing efforts being made to sustain the Caribbean’s status as cruising’s primary destination; Neil Paloma of MSC Cruises makes a strong case for further growth potential in the European market; RCI’s Kevin Douglas reveals what it takes to ensure that the fleet-wide Royal Advantage renovation programme is carried out time and on budget; and we explore the growing interest in conventions and conferences at sea.

World Cruise Industry Review Special Sustainability Report: The Green Agenda 2012


In response to pressure from governments, industry bodies and the public, cruise operators are working together to develop new technologies in an effort to boost their sustainability credentials and comply with evolving environmental legislation. Carnival UK CEO David Dingle, MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago and CLIA’ s Bud Darr discuss the challenge of balancing sustainability with economic viability and the longer-term transformational impact of addressing these concerns.

The Ballast Water Management Convention is just one example of impending legislation that demands a change in behaviour from cruise operators, requiring ships to reduce the number of living organisms and bacteria that they carry. Holland America’ s William Morani, Tobert Ashdown of the European Cruise Council and IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee chairman Andreas Chrysostomou outline possible ramifications for the industry.

Perhaps the most high profile legislation emerging from the IMO concerns increasingly stringent regulations surrounding sulphur emissions. Carnival’ s James Hunn discusses the pressing need to source more environmentally friendly fuels, short-term solutions and future possibilities. These possibilities include the use of more renewable energies at sea. RCI’s Jamie Sweeting highlights the benefits and drawbacks to such technologies, discusses research into abatement techniques that help lower sulphur emissions, and explains why regulators need to demonstrate more understanding when it comes to technological capabilities and economic realities.

World Cruise Industry Review 2012 Vol. 2


In light of unfavourable economic conditions and impending legislative deadlines, engine room efficiency is a top priority for cruise operators. In this edition, Norwegian Cruise Line’s VP of technical operations and refurbishment, Brian Swenson, discusses the growing trend of retrofitting as the industry looks to meet these demands as smoothly as possible

Environmental performance has quickly become a priority across the maritime sector. At Rio +20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012, International Maritime Organization secretary-general Koji Sekimizu announced that the body would focus on its leadership role in environmental and sustainable stewardship in 2013. Here, he outlines what this decision entails and its potential impact

Of course, no serious sustainable change is possible without wholesale review of the types and levels of fuels consumed within the maritime sector. World Cruise Industry Review’s special bunker fuels supplement hears from industry experts, including Trevor Harrison of the International Bunker Industry Association, RCI’s director of environmental stewardship Jamie Sweeting and director of global fuel sourcing Paul Litvinov, discuss how the financial landscape has transformed partner priorities, continued uncertainty surrounding the switch to cleaner fuels and the drive to reduce sulphur emissions

Other highlights in this edition include chairman of the European Cruise Council Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio outlining his optimism regarding the future of the continent’s cruise industry; EVP of maritime and newbuilding Harri Kulovaara takes us on a tour of Celebrity Reflection; Francesco Balbi of MSC Cruises highlights the latest developments in cold ironing; and we travel Down Under to hear Peter Shanks of Cunard and Gavin Smith of Celebrity profile the fast growing Australian cruise market.

World Cruise Industry Review 2012 Vol. 1


The sinking of the Concordia dominates discussion within the industry and promises to do so for some time to come. In this issue, Cruise Lines International Association president Christine Duffy outlines what its legacy might be and the measures operators must take to demonstrate that lessons have been learned from the event, with a view to restoring consumer confidence. This aside, there are certainly exciting developments taking place across the industry.

Frank del Rio outlines Oceania’s design plans for newbuild Riviera, a vessel billed as the most chic ship of the past 50 years; Richard Sasso of MSC talks cutting-edge construction with a family feel; and Viking River Cruises CEO Torstein Hagen discusses the operator’s unprecedented expansion programme and its plans to move into the ocean cruising sector.

The current focus on retrofitting and improved performance also continues apace. Royal Caribbean’s Jamie Sweeting highlights the growing trend of ships being fitted with solar panels and renewable energy’s potential use at sea.

Finally, in our special bunker fuels supplement, we hear from Nigel Draffin of the International Bunker Industry Association, investigate the impending drive for lower sulphur fuel and reveal the hedging strategies of major operators.

World Cruise Industry Review 2011 Vol. 2


If you want to build big ships, you have to go where the water is deep. As the operator of seven of the ten largest cruise ships currently in service, no one sails any deeper than Royal Caribbean International.

It is therefore unsurprising that RCI’s announcement earlier this year of its plan to build two new vessels, a new class dubbed ’Project Sunshine’, grabbed so many headlines. The largest cruise ships in the development pipeline they would be the third and fourth biggest at sea were they currently in service this was a typically grandiose commitment by the most ambitious of operators.

But perhaps as intriguing as the scale of the project is how coy those in the know have been about releasing any details. In an exclusive interview, RCI CEO Adam Goldstein discusses the need for secrecy, how demographical change is driving ship design and why the new-build process lies at the very core of the operator’s DNA.

World Cruise Industry Review 2011 Vol. 1


With five million European cruisers and an economic input of €34 billion, the cruise industry has ridden the economic storm with success. Cruise ships offer a comprehensive portfolio of choice, service and value for money, but there are critical issues to be considered if we want to enjoy continued growth.

Top-quality port infrastructure is crucial: cruise lines need facilities to accommodate new generation vessels and manage increasing traffic. Investing in adequate waste recycling facilities is vital, and can affect a destination's potential.

The increased Europe-wide standardisation of regulations is a necessity. Business-friendly legislation that eases administrative burdens is critical for the wide range of policy areas that directly influence our sector.

The challenge is for the industry to pool its best efforts and provide support to partner travel agents by giving them every tool to promote the special benefits that cruises offer as a holiday destination.



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