Alternative Fuels: Technology Progress
Cruise lines are exploring alternative fuels, which, in addition to LNG, include battery power and fuel cells. Battery technology has been advancing rapidly in the last few years, according to Andrea Cogliolo, director of marine, RINA Services. “We are seeing the quantity of energy compared to the weight of the battery increasing to a much…
Editorial #106
Focusing on the Asia/Pacific region, including China and Australia, we are smitten by the enthusiasm of the cruise lines and port executives we have spoken to. China is obviously the big story and promises to drive the industry’s growth into the future. The Chinese market is set on an aggressive growth trajectory with more ships,…
Executive Profile: ‘Australia’s Home Brand’
P&O is Australia’s home brand, according to Sture Myrmell, president of P&O Cruises Australia. “Australia has seen double digit growth for more than 10 years. We are the backbone of the market and have been driving a lot of that growth, coming up with new products, new types of cruises, new homeports and finding more…
Executive Profile: ‘Focused and Creative’
“I’m in charge of the operation, including everything from product delivery to marine and hotel, port operations, itinerary planning and brand delivery,” said Hernan Zini, chief operating officer of SkySea Cruise Line. “With one ship at this time we can focus solely on the ship, fine-tuning the product for the future, and building the core…
China: ‘Huge Market’
Costa Crociere and Princess Cruises will carry about one million Chinese passengers this year, up from 500,000 in 2015, according to Alan Buckelew, COO of Carnival Corporation, who also has oversight of Carnival Asia. He added that he expects to see a significant percentage increase in 2017 as well, and that the growth will continue…
China: Royal Caribbean Driving Yield
The major news for Royal Caribbean International in China this year is the introduction of the new Ovation of the Seas, sailing from Tianjin, targeting the Northern China market, according to Dr. Zinan Liu, vice president of China and the North Asia region. “The new ship is building on the success we had when we…
Shipbuilding: Diversification
Fincantieri is building more cruise ships and a broader range of ships than any other shipbuilder. “We are building small, intermediate and large ships,” said Loris Di Giorgio, head of cruise ship marketing and sales, in an exclusive interview with Cruise Industry News. Added Monica Polidori, in charge of strategic market analysis: “Our model is…
LNG: Fuel of Choice
LNG is the next fuel of choice due to its availability and cruise lines’ need to meet environmental regulations, according to Paul Davis, technical manager, risk assessment marine at Lloyd’s Register (LR). “The market will choose the fuel,” he said, “and we (LR) will help the industry adapt to its fuel of choice in a…
F&B: Explorer Stays True to Regent
Ramping up Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ all-inclusive food and beverage offerings for its largest ship might seem like a gargantuan undertaking. But the line’s culinary mastermind said not only will there be no dip in service and product offered, but the new restaurant designs should elevate the level Regent cruisers have come to expect. The…
Editorial #105
Europe: Flat Year-Over-Year: This year, the total number of passengers expected on European sailings is expected to stay flat from last year at an estimated 6.4 million, according to the 2016-2017 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. The Mediterranean is seeing a decline, while in Northern Europe traffic is up. Meanwhile, Europe’s percentage share of the…
Executive Profile: Proven Track Record
“Our product is about being one of a few instead of many,” said Mark Conroy, managing director for Silversea Cruises for the Americas. “It is also a combination of being exclusive and inclusive,” he added. “I do not like to use the word small, and our ships are not small, ranging from 20,000 to 40,000…
Private Equity: Huge Return Potential
Transparency is not a word that comes to mind when trying to track cruise industry investments by private equity firms. With few exceptions, they clam up. Perhaps it is because their investments did not turn out, or more likely, that they made out like bandits. Apollo Global Management may be on its way to tripling…
Hurtigruten: Back on Track
An ambitious turn-around plan in the works for three years is starting to bear fruit as Hurtigruten has returned to profitability, ordered new ships, and has its eyes firmly set on the high-risk/high-reward expedition market, according to CEO Daniel Skjeldam. “We started cutting costs and focusing more on the income side, with a new strategy…
Far-Reaching Program
Cornelius (Neal) Gallagher, associate vice president of food and beverage operations, is starting year two of a three-year strategic food and beverage plan at Celebrity Cruises that includes everything from fruit in staterooms to flair bartending, menu development and slow-cooking. “Food and beverage is one of the brand pillars of Celebrity,” he told Cruise Industry…
Technical: Royal Caribbean: Ship Optimization
“The biggest opportunities for fleet optimization are in operational excellence and execution of voyages,” said Captain Patrik Dahlgren, vice president of marine operations for Celebrity Cruises and also in charge of global fleet optimization for Royal Caribbean Cruises’ six brands and 45 ships. “We are focused on energy-, asset- and project management.” Captain Dahlgren said….