When did you last go to an exciting hotel or resort? Hotels can be inviting, classy, comfortable, and often very expensive, but rarely exciting, and after a day or two, usually boring (except perhaps for Las Vegas).

We think the same goes for most resorts. Meanwhile, the cruise industry goes on reinventing itself. Each new ship offers different features, amenities and services, continuously pushing the bar. In addition, existing ships are being modernized with some of the same features as the newest ships.

And not to forget, hotels and resorts do not go anywhere. Cruise ships sail the world, taking their passengers wherever they want to go.

We are also seeing more ports and destinations renewing themselves these days, driven by the cruise lines. There are new ports coming on line and expansion projects underway around the world, and new developments such as Falmouth in Jamaica, creating a whole new shore experience for passengers and crew.

To succeed in the cruise industry today, good enough is no longer enough. As cruise lines are pushing the bar, so must everybody else – ports, destinations and other suppliers and service providers.

 Angela Reale Mathisen & Oivind Mathisen

Publishers

Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Spring 2011