Editorial: Many Challenges; Many Solutions
The cruise industry has been driving more development than any other area of the hospitality or transportation industries. There are new technologies and systems being applied today that did not even exist a few years ago. We have talked to executives in marine and hotel operations who have shared their initiatives and insight with us,…
Hotel Operations: Cruising to the Next Level
The cruise lines continue to raise the bar on product delivery, supported by crew training and motivation, and advanced software applications. The focus is on raising product standards for dining, with open seating and alternative restaurants; entertainment and programming; guest accommodations, disembarkation procedures, and more, while also driving onboard revenue, containing costs and protecting the…
Company Profile: Holland America Line: Global Footprint
Holland America Line has been focused on North America for a long time. But as the industry has taken on a more global proportion, it is inevitable that Holland America with 14 ships is also leaving a worldwide footprint, said Stein Kruse, CEO and president. “We have a brand with universal appeal,” he said. “We…
Marine Operations: Pushing the Envelope
In marine operations, the focus continues to be on fuel and energy savings, in addition to the environment, recruitment and training, according to executives surveyed by Cruise Industry News. Cruise lines are continuously evaluating and testing new technologies, systems and procedures to meet their objectives. The new ships incorporate the tried and true, but also…
Destination Focus: St. Lawrence: The Ships are Coming
Legends abound about how ports along the St. Lawrence River were named, but U.S. cruise lines and Canadian tourism officials hope that the translation is “Where the River Meets the Big Ships.” The Canadian government is allocating upwards of $50 million to upgrade port facilities in Baie-Comeau, Gaspe, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Sept-Iles, Saguenay and Iles de la…
Destination Focus: Mexico: Proactive Ports
Mexico has confronted a series of challenges recently: growing worldwide competition, ports crippled by hurricane devastation and encroaching homogenization. Instead of blanching, the country’s tourism and port officials faced the problems head-on, meeting periodically to develop specific action plans, appointing people to carry them out and measuring their effectiveness. They rebuilt hurricane-damaged piers and, in…
Fall 2008: Editorial
We are covering a series of timely topics in this issue: Energy: In order to get a good picture of what can be done to minimize energy consumption, we have gone to the experts and asked their opinions. They told us basically that the biggest savings can be had by simply slowing down the cruising…
Focus: Energy Savings Up To 40%
There is no single solution – no miracle solution – that will reduce energy demands dramatically on cruise ships tomorrow, according to the classification society experts interviewed by Cruise Industry News. Instead, the cruise lines should look at fuel savings from many aspects and work out their own best models. But with the proper approach,…
Focus: Future Ships of Tomorrow
Naval architects and cruise-ship designers are usually fairly conservative in speculating about the next generation of ships – for good reason. New ships require an enormous investment. Venturing too far on a limb could result in a very ugly – and public – fall if a revolutionary concept did not work out. But what might…
Focus: Newbuilding Scenarios Vary
The newbuilding pace going forward (beyond 2011-2012) is expected to slow down, Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation, and Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, told Cruise Industry News. “Many factors come into play,” Arison said, “starting with the strategic needs of the individual brands and the markets, and ultimately,…
Shipbuilding: The Next Wave of Orders
When will the next wave of new orders come, and where will they be placed? The candidates are Fincantieri, STX Europe and Meyer Werft. Mitsubishi has told Cruise Industry News that they are “not interested in entering the cruise-ship business at this time with the current strong market for newbuildings of conventional ships and the…
Ship Review: Silver Wind: Delivering Six Stars
A six-star cruise offers personal, attentive, but not obtrusive service; fine dining when you want and with whom you want; spacious public rooms and comfortable suites. And there is no sales pressure in the spa or the stores; there are no ships’ photographers and no art auction. And that is what Silversea Cruises is all…
Princess Cruises: For the Experienced Cruiser
Princess Cruises is always improving and at the same time consistent and predictable, according to Alan Buckelew, president and CEO. “We are always working to evolve and improve our product and our relationship with travel agents,” Buckelew told Cruise Industry News. “We believe in continuous improvement and apply this both onboard and in the marketplace….
Editorial: Food for Thought
The cruise industry is working hard at its “green” image in its marine operations and some aspects of hotel operations. It has also adopted socially responsible policies in its employment practices and in other areas, while supporting worthy causes and encouraging employees to give back to their communities. In keeping with the reputation of the…
Destination Focus Europe : Europe is Heating Up
Europe is on a growth course. Of 51 new ships on the orderbook, 21 are for European brands. In addition, ships ordered for American-based cruise lines may be also dedicated to European markets, year-round or seasonally, as is the case with the Independence of the Seas. The European growth is driven by the markets in…