Editorial: Unwavering Energy and Passion
As we start on a new year, the cruise industry has sailed through one of the most challenging economic climates of recent times. But the large (publicly traded) companies did not only sail through 2009, they also managed to post net income, contrary to the rest of the leisure industry and many other industries and…
Caribbean: Positive Steps on Uneven Ground
Cruise Industry News has invited some of the leading cruise destinations in the Caribbean to participate in a roundtable discussion on 2010 and beyond. While bigger ships, traffic numbers and infrastructure development plans in the region look very promising, a shaky economy has reduced passenger spending and there is no shortage of challenges in the…
Company Profile: Norwegian Cruise Line: ‘Good to Great’
“Everything is working well. We are cooking,” said Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Our revenue is up; our cost structure is much better; employee scores have improved; passenger ratings are up; and pricing is good. “We have had eight consecutive quarters of consistent earnings performance and are well positioned for 2010 and looking…
Itinerary Planning: Trends
Three itinerary trends characterize the cruise industry in 2010: capacity reduction in Alaska, increased capacity in the Caribbean and a build-up in Europe, according to Terry Thornton, senior vice president of market planning at Carnival Cruise Lines. “Cruise lines are struggling to make a profit in Alaska,” Thornton said, noting that the head tax is…
Focus: Year of the Seafarer
This has been declared the Year of the Seafarer by the IMO, and both Nautilus International and the Norwegian Seamen’s Union (NSU) said they hope that this will be more than a PR effort. “We support the Year of the Seafarer,” said Johan Oyen, director of cruise operations at the NSU and chairman of the…
Focus: Newbuild Scenarios
After breaking a two-year lull in newbuilding orders in December, at press time, Carnival Corporation and Fincantieri also announced an agreement to build two prototype ships for Princess Cruises. In addition, MSC Cruises announced that it has signed a letter of intent with STX Europe for the delivery of new ship, the Favolosa, in June…