The Marine Hotel Association’s (MHA) upcoming Conference at Sea aboard the MSC Divina will feature three key and relevant industry panel discussions focusing on the supply chain, quality and innovation and environmental sustainability.
The Conference at Sea is available exclusively to MHA members, bringing together MHA’s vendor community along with key decision makers from cruise lines, river operators and vessel management companies.
Attendees look forward not only to panels but to the provision and galley areas aboard the ship. Social aspects of the event include cocktail hours and hosted dinners between cruise line decision makers and MHA members.
Supply Chain
The supply chain panel will cover procurement from consolidation to consumption and what it takes to supply the cruise industry.
It’s as simple as procuring goods to provide food, beverage, consumables and chemicals for a hotel, with the complexity of figuring out consumption patterns and product percentages to deliver on a seven- or 14-day loading schedule based on ports of call. It’s also about understanding how crew and guest count impact supplies and finally legislation and compliance around the product. It’s a 24/7 business, with huge volumes, 60-day lead times, clear and precise specifications and cost sensitivity.
Quality and Innovation
The quality and innovation in hotel sourcing panel will discuss differentiation, priorities and uniqueness of various cruise lines as well as how technology is being implemented and innovative strategies and plans for the future.
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental sustainability is a key issue for the global cruise industry, with this panel focusing on the overall impact of cruise operations on the environment.
This panel will explore how strategic partnerships with the supplier community are fundamental to the marine hotel operation in the industry’s sustainability efforts and discuss the respective strategies of each operator in this regard.
Calendared every other year, this will be the association’s third onboard event, with previous events held with Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The MHA is a true not-for-profit organization, with membership dues at $500. Its not-for-profit status also means that revenue is put back into the organization and into the famed MHA scholarship fund, which has doled out over 8,000 scholarships over 35 years.
