In 2004 the cruise industry worldwide will see eleven new ships representing a net increase in capacity of 10.4% globally and an increase of 8.4% to the North American market.   The first new ship to enter the market is the Historic Queen Mary 2, which becomes the worlds largest and most expensive ship ever built.   Other new builds will be coming to Carnival, Costa, Princess, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and MSC.  This is the final year of the huge wave of new ships the industry has been experiencing.

As we have been telling our clients we have been seeing a slow but steady increase in pricing and there is no time like the present to purchase a cruise.  According to most sources bookings across the board are increasing and net yields will be increasing by 2% to 4%, if not more, in 2004.  With that bit of news both Carnival and Royal Caribbean stocks hit 52-week highs on the last day of trading in 2003.

A real revelation from RCCL is that nearly a third of their bottom line profits are coming from shore excursion profits!   Using your own DMCs might be cheaper or at least an option to consider.  

Where are the deals?

• There are a tremendous number of deals in the market place but it is becoming increasing more difficult to just pick up the phone and find them.   We at Worldwide specialize in keeping on top of finding our clients the best values and the best deals in the industry.  The inclusive nature of a cruise already makes cruising a great value and with all of the new and diverse itineraries the choices are astounding compared to only three years ago.  Finding the cheapest price is not the only thing to consider when selecting a cruise for your clients.  More importantly is selecting the right ship.  Worldwide's staff is continuously cruising on ships and getting feed back from our group and charter clients.  Taking the time to inspect a ship that you are unsure of can be an expensive and timely proposition.  Just seeing a ship sitting at a dock is like buying a used car without taking it for a test drive.  WWTCA takes all of the guess work out of purchasing the right cruise for your clients.  You can always check our web site for unbiased ship reviews at www.cruiseco.com

New Builds 

• Carnival and Fincantieri shook hands on a contract for a third post-Panamax ship for Costa Crociere.  At 112,000gt, the vessel would be some 55.75 feet longer than the 105,000gt Costa Fortuna, delivered in November, and her twin sister, Costa Magica, scheduled for delivery in November 2004. This ship will also be constructed at  Fincantieri's Genoa's Sestri yard, with delivery scheduled for  June 2006.

Shipping News:

• Queen Mary 2.   Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain formally christened the newest member to the Cunard Line fleet, the company's flagship, "Queen Mary 2". This much awaited event took place on January 8th in the docks of Southampton, England. A brief guided tour was provided to Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburg, joined by some 2, 000 invited guests for the festivities. Hosted by British broadcaster Michael Buerk, the ceremony included music provided by the Royal Marines Band, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and accompanied by singers Heather Small and opera diva Lesley Grant. As the customary bottle of  champagne struck the bow of the vessel the British Monarch said the traditional British words, "I name this ship Queen Mary 2. May god bless her and all who sail in her." Pamela Conover, president of the line described the unique luxury liner as, "a vessel with all of the dignity and grace of the great luxury cruise liners of the past, but also a transatlantic liner of the future with all of the comforts and technology undreamt of when Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched." The 151,000-ton vessel is scheduled to depart on Monday on her maiden voyage to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to begin her winter cruising season in the Caribbean.

• The Carnival Miracle is to get a prestigious godmother.  Carnival Cruise Lines recently announced that Iraqi War Heroine, U.S. Army Private Jessica Lynch, will be the godmother of its newest addition to the fleet, the Carnival Miracle. The vessel will be officially christened in Jacksonville, Florida on February 27, 2004, during a port side ceremony. Carnival Cruise Lines, president and CEO, Bob Dickinson, CTC said, "We are privileged that Miss Lynch, who represents the thousands of courageous men and women serving in our armed forces, has accepted our invitation to be the godmother of our newest ship." He went on to say, that Jacksonville given its long and historic ties to the military and maritime activities will, represent a perfect venue to welcome its newest vessel to our prestigious Carnival fleet.

• Holland America Line presence in the Alaska cruise market next year.  Seven ships will do 139 cruises in the 2004 summer sailing season. This will more than double its current departure schedule from the Seattle port. The line is planning for 96 Glacier Bay cruises, and its new Oosterdam will feature more private verandas, for excellent viewing of the many ecological wonders to see in the area. These expanded Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruises, will be vastly improved from what is currently offered in the region, and will be unique to other excursions offered by our competitors.

It's Awards time again

• Holland America Line, for the third consecutive year, has earned an enviable four Readers' Choice Awards from the prestigious Porthole Cruise Magazine, the world's leading publication dedicated solely to cruise vacations. Holland America outshined its competitors with top honors in the areas of Best Overall Service, Best Alaskan Itineraries, Best Overall Facilities for Physically Challenged Passengers and Best Medical Facilities. "These awards are particularly meaningful as they are bestowed on us by the very people who choose to vacation aboard our ships," said David A. Giersdorf, senior vice president, marketing and sales. "With a readership comprised of both experienced cruisers as well as first-timers, the Porthole recognition is a testament to the high standards we strive to maintain in all areas -- most notably our genuine service, our industry-leading destinations and our state-of-the-art onboard facilities."

• For the second straight year SeaDream I and II share the top Five-Star Club award in the Berlitz Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships 2003.  They had also recently been presented with the Six-Star Award of Excellence by the highly regarded cruise industry web publication CruiseReport.com.

• Celebrity Cruises. This year Conde Nast decided that Celebrity Cruises is one of the world's best cruise lines, ranking it third -- behind only two luxury lines -- according to results of a readers poll published in the magazine's 2003 "Top 25 Cruise Lines: Large Ship Lines".   With a rating of 82.9 out of 100, Celebrity has improved its standing every year since 2001 (76.7).  Celebrity's steady rise in the last three years can be attributed in large part to an extensive series of brand enhancements, along with the introduction of a new category of accommodations called ConciergeClass.   "Our guests have clearly noticed the enhancements we introduced this year, from the luxuries of ConciergeClass to more choices in dining, to expanded hours in the AquaSpa by Elemis."  "It's a host of little things that make a big difference to experienced travelers like the readers of Conde Nast Traveler." said Celebrity's Senior Vice President of Fleet Operations Dietmar Wertanzl. "It is truly an honor to receive this acknowledgement, which we believe is an endorsement of our commitment to maintain our position as the ultimate premium cruise line with a taste of luxury," Wertanzl added.   Among the enhancements Celebrity introduced across the nine-ship fleet this year are Chief Concierges honored with membership in Les Clefs d`Or; Casual Dining Boulevards featuring made-to-order pasta and pizza bars; sunset yoga and Pilates classes; Sushi Cafes; "Celebrity Discoveries," enrichment lectures by actual celebrities and recognized authorities; sunset happy hours with live music and refreshments; frosty towels, fashion shows and sorbet parades poolside; pool butlers, and increased options in dining hours, a more relaxed dress code, and the continuation of 24-hour room service.

Port News: 

Other Industry News.

• Capt. Ronald Warwick, master of Cunard Line's new Queen Mary 2, has been awarded the rank of Commodore, the highest position a cruise line can bestow on one of its masters. The announcement was made today as QM2 was welcomed to Southampton, her British homeport, for the first time.   'I am pleased to make this appointment, which recognizes Ron Warwick's long and distinguished career with this great company,' said Cunard president and COO, Pamela Conover.   'This great honour only enhances what has been a wonderful week for me personally and for Cunard Line,' Warwick said. 'First I took command of Queen Mary 2, now I am appointed commodore, a position my father held with honour.'   Warwick's father, the late Commodore W.E. Warwick, was a prominent figure in Cunard history. The senior Warwick was the only captain to serve as master of both Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth in the mid-1960s and he also was the first master of QE2.  Prior to assuming the helm of Cunard's flagship, Ronald Warwick, who joined Cunard in April 1970, served as master of QE2, a position he held since 1990. This was another first in the 163-year history of Cunard - it was the first time a father and son had commanded the same ship

• Effective March 1^st all persons entering Barbados from the United States and Canada are required to have a valid passport.  A birth certificate, along with a photo ID will no longer be accepted at our ports of entry, as Barbados joins the rest of the International community with the heightened travel requirements.   WWTCA expects that other countries will soon follow suit.   With the current security issues, we recommend that all incentive participants carry valid passports and that planners check all destinations for additional visa requirements, etc.