Fortifying Cyber Security and Safety in the Cruise Industry
“We make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure that the company does not have a bad day from a cyberattack perspective,” said Devon Bryan, chief information security officer at Carnival Corporation. He said it was a matter of layering the right technologies, maturing supporting risk-based process and investing in the right people…
Marella: Cruise Business ‘Looking Good’
It’s going to be the biggest year ever for Marella Cruises, with over 350,000 guests expected across the company’s fleet of five ships, said Chris Hackney, managing director. TUI Group, which owns Marella, reported the cruise line’s second quarter occupancy at 99 percent, up from 95 percent a year ago. The daily rate per guest…
New Hardware For Blue Dream in China
Blue Dream is expanding, as the Blue Dream Melody sailed from Shanghai in early June as the company acquired the former AIDAvita this year and continues to build up in the Chinese market. “The goal for our first ship was to get started; the goal for the second ship is to differentiate,” said Helene Xu,…
Celestyal: Big Investments in Fleet and Product
“We have a renewed fleet. As of March, we are operating two new-to-the-brand vessels and have moved away from the older ships,” said Chris Theophilides, CEO of Celestyal. The company purchased the 1993-built Celestyal Journey, the former Ryndam, in March 2023, and started operations in September. That was followed by the 2003-built Celestyal Discovery, which…
Margaritas and Cheeseburgers Are Music to Their Ears
Few cruise lines launch with their brand so well established as Margaritaville at Sea. Built around the life and legend of musician Jimmy Buffett, the cruise line has plenty of material to draw from, including the successful land-based resorts, when building a culinary program its two ships, the Paradise and the fresh-from-drydock Islander, said Eric…
Lindblad: Defining Expedition Cruising
Lindblad Expeditions is offering a combination of new geographies and doing new things in places they have already been. “We have a new voyage from Nome via the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands to northern Japan and Hokkaido. While the voyage is new, the area is familiar,” explained Trey Byus, chief expedition officer for Lindblad Expeditions….
AIDA: ‘Pacesetter’
“We are the pacesetter in the German cruise market and intend to remain so, both in terms of product development and sustainability. And if you compare us to other brands, we have by far the youngest guests. The average age is 42,” Alexander Ewig, senior vice president of marketing and sales, told Cruise Industry News….
Cruise Supply Chain Getting Greener
“We need to think about the supply chain long-term on many fronts,” said Vina Jumpp, associate vice president, global hotel, food and beverage procurement at Royal Caribbean Group. “There are so many uncontrollable factors impacting our industry. One is climate change and another is regulation changes that are happening frequently, forcing us to look at…
Explora Journeys Sets Sights on Luxury Dominance
“Our Yacht Club offering gave us an understanding of our passengers wanting more, and wanting a luxury experience,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group. “The Yacht Club is able to offer privacy and luxury in a world of choice, having a larger ship downstairs.” It was then a natural…
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity: Strategic Deployment Approach
“The general strength of the Caribbean has been a factor,” said Marc Miller, director, deployment and itinerary planning, Royal Caribbean Group, pointing to more capacity in the region for both the Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises brands. “For Royal Caribbean we have added more hardware year-round and we also have two Celebrity ships in…
Crystal Offering ‘Unique Brand’ in Luxury Market
“Crystal is truly unique in the market, epitomizing the unparalleled sophistication we offer with award-winning service, exquisite culinary experiences and remarkable innovative entertainment. But what truly sets us apart is how we are rethinking, repositioning and elevating the brand to make it a lifestyle brand at sea,” said Jacqueline Barney, senior vice president of marketing….
Azamara: Diversifying Itineraries More
Highlights of 2025 will include an extended Greenland program and the addition of a series of Canada and New England sailings, according to Michael Pawlus, head of itinerary planning. “For 2025 and 2026 we are also diversifying more. We have had all our eggs in Europe (in the summer), but it is hard to predict…
Carnival: Introducing Celebration Key
The big news for Carnival Cruise Line for 2025 will be the July opening of Celebration Key. Eighteen ships sailing from 10 different homeports will be calling at Carnival’s new destination in the Bahamas, Fred Stein, vice president of planning and deployment, told Cruise Industry News. “Our regular itinerary cycles are published through April 2026…
Growth Continues for Virgin with Expanded Deployment, More Funding
$550 million in new capital has been a major win for Virgin Voyages. “That is the runway we need to grow,” said Michelle Bentubo, chief operating officer, in an interview with Cruise Industry News, who added the company is growing and will continue to grow, not only concentrating on its core North America market but…
More and More New Ships for Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral will have 13 homeported ships and is expecting over 8 million guests in 2024, according to Captain John Murray, CEO and port director. “The biggest thing for us is we are an easy drive in and out,” he said. “We’re at the point now where cruise lines are bringing us their newest ships,…