Shipbuilding: Up to Cruising Speed
“We are now up to cruising speed,” said Jacques Hardelay, managing director at Aker Yards in St. Nazaire, France. He explained that the integration process since the French shipbuilder was acquired by the Aker Yards Group has been completed and that work is underway on various projects. Among the integrated functions is sales and marketing…
Spring 2007: Editorial
Itinerary Planning: One of our main topics in this issue is itinerary planning, and it is a fascinating exercise in geography to track voyages around the world, as well as closer to home. It reminds us that there are many places we would like to go and visit. We also want to thank Saga Cruises for letting…
Challenging Year Ahead
The biggest issues for the industry in 2007 are the Caribbean (when will demand and pricing pick up?) and fuel prices (will they go back up?), according to the financial analysts interviewed by Cruise Industry News. But there is also concern that the Caribbean softness may spread to other markets. According to Tim Conder, vice…
Orderbook: 40 New Ships and Counting
After the latest order confirmation at year’s end, there are now 40 cruise ships under construction or on order (or option) for deliveries through 2011, with 1115,078 berths, representing an estimated building value of approximately $24.9 billion, or an average of $207,685 per berth. Of the total, 24 ships are destined primarily for the North…
Itinerary Planning: More Cruises to More Ports
The growing cruise industry is not only expanding in its core sailing areas, but also developing new itineraries and new ports. In addition, the individual cruise lines are also broadening their deployment. Holland America Line, for example, will have 500 departures and some 350 different ports this year. Cruise lines can work two to three…
Caribbean: Driving Business
The Caribbean cruise capacity is estimated to be relatively flat year-over-year, with 129 ships able to carry some 6.8 million passengers in 2007, compared to 125 ships and 6.7 million passengers in 2006. Both North American and European capacity is up – one percent for the North American market, which generates most of the passengers,…
Fincantieri: 15 Ships for Deliveries Through 2011
There are 15 cruise ships on Fincantieri’s orderbook with deliveries through 2011. The contracts are valued at $7.8 billion, which gives the Italian builder nearly 40 percent of the worldwide cruise market. After the Carnival Freedom was delivered in February, three more ships are slated for deliveries in 2007 – the Emerald Princess at the…
Editorial: It’s About People
There are many common denominators that affect the industry and the different cruise lines, but the people factor seems to be the most important. For instance, all the cruise lines need qualified staff to serve passengers, and the higher up the product ladder, the more important the staff becomes in terms of offering six-star service….
CSR Has Multiple Bottom Lines: Profitability, Environment and Social Equity
It is no longer enough to be in business and be profitable. In addition it is becoming increasingly important how that business is run. Thus, AIDA Cruises was recently awarded a Maritime Social Responsibility (MSR) certificate from Germanischer Lloyd (GL), as part of the line’s integrated management system covering ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001…
Marine/Technical Operations: People Make the Difference
Fuel conservation, maintenance and recruitment are some of the issues that will keep marine and technical operations busy in 2007, in addition to new ship introductions and refurbishment projects. “We have made significant reductions in fuel consumption already,” said Captain William Wright, senior vice president of marine operations at Royal Caribbean International. “We are using…
Hotel Operations: Staying Fresh
This promises to be a busy year for hotel operations, with the introduction of new ships and refurbishment projects, as well as new homeports and new itineraries, while also meeting revenue targets, keeping expenses under control, and delivering a solid guest experience. At Royal Caribbean International, Senior Vice President of Total Guest Satisfaction Michael Bayley…
North American Ports: Florida Drives Expansion
As the cruise traffic grows, Florida ports continue to benefit from the lion’s share of the business, while also gearing up for more. And to handle the growth, terminal construction and upgrades, dedicated transportation systems and roadways, are either underway or being planned. While the cruise industry has grown 107 percent over the past 10…
Luxury Defined
The North American-based luxury lines were sailing with the current in 2006 and expect another good year in 2007. With things looking up, Seabourn Cruise Line ordered two new 450-passenger ships to be built by T. Mariotti, at a cost of $250 million each, for delivery in 2009 and 2010. This optimism is in contrast…
Shipbuilding & Repair: Booming Repair Business
With a steady stream of new ships entering service, the fleet that requires regular, periodic maintenance grows bigger, generating more work for shipyards closer to the sailing regions around the world. In addition, the new state-of-the-art ships also accelerate the need to have older ships modernized – or revitalizes as is the industry term –…
Shipbuilding & Repair: Building Back on Course
With 35 cruise ships under construction or on order (or option) for deliveries through 2011, the three yard companies that build cruise ships are nearly fully occupied for the next three years, with slots only opening up for 2010 and beyond. The current orderbook has an estimated value of about $21 billion, averaging approximately $199,240…