Captain Claus Andersen and his crew aboard the Anthem of the Seas received praise from the U.S. Coast Guard for their “capable and professional” handling of the storm that the ship ran into last month.

Meanwhile, and for unrelated reasons, cruise managements have received less “praise” by Wall Street as cruise stocks have nosedived.

It only took a dip in the earnings guidance before investors started to bail, concerned about softening markets in Latin America and Southern Europe, pricing pressures in China and Australia, and a general wariness about the global economy and geo-political developments.

The events serve to demonstrate the ever present potential force of nature that can put a ship in harms way despite all the modern forecasting equipment and route planning, and the complexities of the markets and world events that management must cope with.

It is an interesting parallel: how the cruise industry needs competent captains and crew not only at sea but also ashore in management and in the boardrooms.

And how weather forecasting and route (business) planning are equally important whether at sea or on land.

As Captain Andersen rode out the storm, we are also confident that shoreside management will get their companies and stock prices back on course.

Nevertheless there is a lesson to be learned: always respect the sea (and the market).

Bon Voyage!

Angela Reale Mathisen & Oivind Mathisen
Publishers

Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Spring 2016