Winter 2007-2008: Editorial
Working at Sea: The industry’s focus is increasingly on recruitment and retention as the cruise fleet grows larger along with the world’s shipping fleet and the competition for qualified people heats up. At the same time, there are efforts underway to improve the living and working conditions on all ships at sea. We are glad…
Competing for Manpower
With all the new and bigger cruise ships entering service over the next few years, the industry’s biggest challenge may be the human element and finding enough qualified seafarers. While recruitment needs for the cruise industry are estimated to be in the range of 50,000 over the next five years, according to Cruise Industry News,…
Marine Operations: Focus on Fuel and Crewing
The marine operations function faces a variety of challenges as the industry sails into 2008. Fuel consumption continues to be a major concern due to dramatically increasing prices, but recruitment of deck and engine crew and officers are also taking on added significance in an overheated maritime employment environment. At the same time, the eroding…
Hotel Operations: Wooing Passengers and Crew
“We are always focused on the food – we look at it, analyze it and study trends; food is always in the picture,” said Natko Nincevic, senior vice president of hotel operations at Carnival Cruise Lines. At Holland America Line, Johan Groothuizen, vice president of marine hotel operations, said that he was concentrating on the…
Company Profile: Royal Caribbean Cruises: Global Business Model
While there are many new and exciting developments at Royal Caribbean Cruises these days, Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said the most important aspect of the business is the strength of the market positions of its cruise brands. “It is tempting to talk about what’s new, but the bottom line is to continue to operate…
Destination Focus: Mexico: Building Up Their Cruise Future
Mexico is highly regarded and critically important to the cruise industry, despite a recent passenger tax passed by the country’s congress. At the October meeting of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) in Cozumel, port and tourism officials of this northernmost Latin American nation earned kudos for their professionalism, their awareness of what is needed…
Destination Focus: North America: Northwest: Improving Services
Northwest Pacific ports offer unique attractions on cruises to Alaska and British Columbia and are also setting new standards with a clean air strategy. Vancouver: How to Grow the Market “To grow Alaska further, the industry needs better utilization on other days (than the popular days),” said Greg Wirtz, manager of trade development at the…