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Foreword:

Industry comment from CLIA.

Big Interview:

WCR speaks to Hervé Gastinel of Ponant to find about his career in the industry and goals for the cruise industry going forward.

Shipbuilding, Maintenance & Repair:

Princess is set to welcome its next-generation cruise ship, Sun Princess, the first of its fleet to be powered by LNG. The 'Sphere class' ship will set sail February 2024 as line's largest vessel. WCR speaks to Richard Parker, director, newbuild guest experience & product development to find out more about the line's newest ship.

After launching Silversea's Silver Nova, Meyer Group gives a glimpse into the future of the cruising industry with their cruise ship concept for the year 2100. WCR speaks to Tim Krug, Head of Concept Development Group at MEYER Group to find out more about its 'Reverse' concept and what innovative ships they currently have under construction.

Design:

Not many cruise lines do design like Disney Cruise Line, tapping into the magic of Disney that appeals to all ages and creating family-friendly experiences. Alongside enhanced concierge accommodation and shore power connectivity, Encanto and Soul have been brought to life on Disney Magic. WCR find outs more from DCL's cruise director Trent Hitchcock and VP portfolio creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering Laura Cabo.

Environment:

Focus on sustainability is not going anywhere anytime soon and cruises are continuing to make an effort prioritising their environmental commitments. WCR speaks to Elaine Heldewier, Sustainability Director at Carnival, Wassim Daoud, head of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at Ponant, and Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic to find out what efforts they have made to reach their sustainability goals.

Fuels:

With just over a year to go, the industry will see the EEDI phase 3 go into effect in 2025, seeing a reduction in up to 30% of carbon intensity for newbuild ships. WCR speaks to Kitack Lim, Head of IMO and George Raptakis, Marine Sustainability and Energy Transition Manager at Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore to find out where the industry is at and what it can do to help reach this goal.

Safety at Sea:

According to revelations last year, Carnival Cruises was hit by a number of cyber-attacks over recent times – breaches that led to the exposure of passenger data and a $5m fine for the operator itself. Nor is it the only cruise company to suffer similar trials: a recent phishing attack also impacted Princess and Holland America, while MSC has faced its own breach. And if, like with every cyber-attack, victims run the risk of financial and reputational damage, the sensitive nature of the cruise sector arguably makes the dangers here even more apparent. Given that digital platforms now control everything from a ship's propulsion system to its GPS system, any hack could put a vessel's very integrity at risk. Not that the situation is hopeless. By working across industry – and with passengers themselves – operators have plenty of ways to keep cruises secure. World Cruise Industry Review speaks to Georgios Mortakis, CISO at Norwegian Cruises and Gabor Majoros, Group Data Protection Officer at MSC Cruises.

Operations:

Cruise lines often require a number of processes to manage the ship and keep it running as efficiently as possible. Lloyds Register's Cloud Fleet Manager (CFM) platform provides an integrated application for fleet operations and is being implemented for Exploris to streamline ship management processes and offer a single cloud-based source of real-time information for employees, crews and partners. WCR speaks to David Blouin, EVP marine operations at Exploris and Martin Taylor, CEO of Lloyd's Register to find out more about the dedicated platform.

On-board services:

Set to debut later this year, Carnival Jubilee will immerse its guests in an ocean-themed experience spanning multiple decks. Going beneath the waves with Currents will offer a portal into the sea with huge LED windows, while The Shore brings travellers to the surface with an ocean-meets-land zone. WCR talks to Chris Nelson, Vice President of Entertainment at Carnival Cruise, to find out more about the ship's ocean immersion.

Luxury Cruising:

What makes a cruise the optimal setting for recovery? The Balance Luxury Rehab and Recovery is the world's leading offshore treatment centre for mental-health problems, addictions and other health concerns, whose isolated luxury-yacht setting provides the perfect sanctuary for a total reset. During their stay, guests experience a bespoke programme designed by onboard doctors in order to achieve their health goals, while cruising the Mediterranean and enjoying all the activities the yacht has to offer. WCR speaks to Abdullah Boulad, CEO at The Balance.

Food and Beverage:

Experiential dining is something all guests can look forward to, upgrading the typical eats to something special. Explora Journeys and Oceania Cruises are doing just that. With Explora's one-of-a-kind culinary experience onboard Explore I's restaurant Anthology, where three Michelin-starred chef Mauro Uliassi highlights Italian food while celebrating the flavours and textures of the ocean, and Oceania's dedicated Culinary Discovery Tours that celebrate the vast cuisine the world has to offer. WCR finds out more from Explora Journeys' Jason Gelineau, Head of Product and Franck Garanger, Head of Culinary and Oceania's James Rodriguez, Executive Vice President and Chef Kathryn Kelly, Director of Culinary Enrichment.

Ports and Destinations:

As far as cruising is concerned, Africa arguably still is the Dark Continent. Apart from a few ports on the Mediterranean, and occasional forays to Cape Town, the landmass rarely receives much attention. That, however, is changing. Late last year, Hurtigruten began a series of ambitious trips to Senegal, the Gambia and Cabo Verde, offering guests Nordic comfort onboard – and trips to spice markets and hippo reserves on shore. With stops in Sierra Leone and Liberia, Apex Expeditions offers similar adventures off the Atlantic coast. But if West Africa offers passengers an exciting mix of culture and nature, might infrastructure and safety challenges stymie future growth? World Cruise Industry Review talks to Asta Lassesen, Chief Executive Officer at Hurtigruten Expeditions and Heather Hodgman, Expedition Manager at Apex Expeditions.

Editorial content is subject to change.



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