Asia/Pacific: Building Business
The Asia Cruise Association (ACA) provides a platform and forum for both the industry and destinations in Asia, according to ACA Chairman Rama Rebbapragada, who is also regional vice president, international, at Royal Caribbean Cruises. “We are engaging governments, port authorities, tourism boards and the travel trade on an industry level,” he explained. “Our priorities…
Asia/Pacific: Niche Markets
Regarded as a major emerging market, Cruise Industry News talked to some of the leading Asia and Pacific cruise operators to get their take on the cruise business, the economy, itineraries and more. Japanese Market At NYK Cruises, Shinji Imasaki, president, said that the Asuka II, the line’s sole ship and ex-Crystal Harmony, is dedicated…
Summer 2010: Editorial
This summer and spring, we have worked with three industry organizations that in our opinion all stand out in terms of their purpose, commitment, accomplishments and access. We attended the Canada New England Cruise Symposium in St. John’s, New Brunswick in June, where also the Cruise the St. Lawrence Cruise association participated (a report will…
Europe: Growth Market
Europe is the new growth market for the cruise industry. Not only are the Europe-based cruise lines growing their capacity by introducing new ships, the U.S.-based cruise lines are also sourcing more passengers in Europe and dedicating ships to European markets. Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International are deploying ships year-round in Europe….
Dining: What’s New
From dining with the chefs to design-your-own cupcakes and Indonesian tea time, there are many new and unique offerings at sea when it comes to cuisine. “There’s so much happening in food and beverage,” Frank Weber, Royal Caribbean’s vice president of food and beverage operations, said quite aptly. Over the past decade, celebrity chefs at…
Beverages: Contemporary Bar Scene
Elevator bars, ice bars, martini bars, wine machines, onboard breweries, master mixologists, and more, the cruise industry beverage scene continues to be as innovative as ever. The Oasis of the Seas and soon to-be-launched sister-ship, Allure, feature the Rising Tide Bar. A full bar that doubles as an elevator, the space moves between the Royal…
Design: Making Space Usable and Relevant
“Not only are the ships getting much bigger, the designs are also more relevant, making it easier for passenger to relate based on their land experiences,” said Andy Collier, managing director at SMC Design in London. At Tillberg Design in Sweden, Fredrik Johansson, partner and senior architect, attributed the progress being made to cruise lines…
Technical: Next Generation Rules
The cruise industry is again in transition. The latest generation of ships is setting new standards for shipyards, which at the same time have to comply with the new IMO rules for the next generation of ships, already evolving due to the Novel Design Concept approach. Discussions years ago that led to the IMO’s Safe…
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…
Company Profile: Carnival Cruise Lines: Targeting Middle America
Carnival Cruise Lines is the only cruise line in the world with a clearly defined product, according to Gerry Cahill, president and CEO. “All the other lines are trying to go up-market,” he said, “and tend to blend. We are truly defined: we offer a memorable vacation experience and a great value, targeting middle-America. Our…