Editorial: The Big News
The big news this year is the Caribbean, which will see record capacity of more than nine million passengers, despite increasing competition from a global marketplace. For 2015, we expect Europe to be the story with the Allure of the Seas spending the summer season, the Norwegian Epic starting year-round service, the Anthem of the…
Executive Profile: Collaboration Is Key
“My responsibility is to ensure that as a corporation we take full advantage of our scale,” said Alan Buckelew, chief operations officer (COO) for Carnival Corporation. “If we want to raise the bar, collaboration is critical. Historically, the brands have operated independently. Now, the overarching strategy is for the brands to cooperate, collaborate and communicate,…
Advanced Engineering Management Training in Almere
Carnival Corporation’s bridge training facility in Almere, the Center for Simulator Maritime Training (CSMART), has quietly expanded into engineering in a big way and has even larger plans on the horizon. Bridge simulators have been training officers to re-think management and roles in ship navigation, and since 2012, the same has been going on for…
Projections – The Biggest May Change
2014 marks yet another year dominated by Carnival Cruise Lines for overall passenger capacity, according to the 2014-2015 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. At double occupancy, Carnival is set to carry just under 4 million passengers, while Royal Caribbean International will carry its own personal best of 3.2 million guests. But things get more interesting…
Itinerary Planning: Ever Changing, Ever Challenging
With a growing fleet of larger cruise ships and an expanding pool of past passengers, cruise lines pursue different itinerary planning strategies, focusing on marquee ports that can accommodate the big ships to attract new passengers, while seeking new ports for experienced passengers, and meeting cost and revenue targets. With average per diems below where…
More Traffic Underlines Caribbean’s Market Position
2014 will usher in a major capacity spike in the Caribbean – with the region going over the nine million mark for the first time in industry history, and nearly 12.5 percent ahead of 2013, according to data from the 2014-2015 Cruise Industry News Annual Report The market has gotten even more cramped and competitive,…
Food and Beverage: Dine Like a Norwegian
The newest cruise ship at sea, the Norwegian Getaway, features no less than 27 dining venues and 22 bars and lounges. Continuing its so-called Freestyle concept that Norwegian launched years ago, all the venues feature open seating, including 10 complimentary and 17 specialty dining options, with a cover or a-la-carte charge. With all the different…
Luxury Market: New Guest Profiles?
The luxury market has always been a small segment of the total cruise market, representing some 1.5 percent of the overall passenger capacity. This year, the brands that traditionally define the market – Crystal, Hapag-Lloyd, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea – can carry an estimated 295,000 passengers. In addition are other brands such as Ponant and…
Operations: Setting Measurable Targets
“We set (fuel-savings) targets on corporate and group levels,” said Tom Strang, senior vice president of marine operations for Costa Crociere. “We have targets for this year and longer term through 2017. We also have targets set for each ship and for each itinerary. There is a team dedicated to fuel savings.” Strang explained that…