Two hotel chains are currently in the process of starting up cruise businesses, according to the Managing Director of Columbia Cruise Services, Olaf Groeger.

“We are working on five new projects, existing hotel chains in two cases. One is one of the fastest growing hotel chains right now going into the cruise business,” Groeger told Cruise Industry News in an interview.

“They are more on the luxury side rather than the mass market side,” he added.

Groeger said the new cruise lines would be starting “very soon” but could not reveal their names.

“It’s a bit too early,” he stated.

He explained the rush and demand with the fact that the global pandemic took the lives of some cruise brands, while other companies have slimmed down, potentially opening up the market.

“Hotel chains saw an opportunity,” he explained. “(And) we see that as a trend. A lot is happening on the luxury side.”

Recent market entrants include The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which is expected to start sailing in 2022, as well as Margaritaville Resorts & Hotels, which will launch service in spring 2022, having rebranded Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.