Back

Cruise industry experiences an unprecedented growth

Cruise industry, a world combined with luxury, relaxation and comfort. An industry with great potential according to all forecasts launched in 2006 and in January of 2007. The industry reports a record year ahead with revenues to be up, new ports of call to emerge and more travelers to consider taking a cruise as a travel option.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), 2007 will be a year of formidable growth, with 12.62 million cruise passengers predicted to set sail, an increase of approximately one half-million guests over 2006.

The forecasted 500,000-passenger increase represents a 4.1 percent year-over-year growth commensurate with the planned net increase in 2007 CLIA-member line capacity.

Of the 12.62 million passengers projected to cruise in 2007, more than 10.6 million are expected to originate from North America. CLIA-member lines carried 10.18 million North Americans in 2006 compared with 9.67 million in 2005, and also maintained their high utilization rates, posting a collective occupancy factor of 104 percent in 2006.

All tolled, the increase in ship capacity translated to a steady growth in available berths, from 227,837 in 2005 to 246,759 in 2006.

As Dan Hanrahan, CLIA`s new marketing committee chairman and the president of Celebrity Cruises said, "The state of the industry is very, very strong, with CLIA cruise lines stepping up to the plate each and every year with innovative new offerings that continue to bolster cruise sales."

Europe is going to continue its steady course in 2007 as it did in 2005 and 2006 and will be one of the most favourite destinations worldwide. Mediterranean region is going to attract the majority of cruises in Europe and especially during the summer months.

A key issue is that lines are placing more itineraries in less well – known destinations in Croatia, Greece, southern Italy and Turkey.

Another ‘hot’ destination for this year is Alaska with almost every cruise line to enhance its itineraries to this region. It is worth mentioning that many liners that travel to Alaska are launching new green itineraries as a part of their green policies.

Global warming and environment protection is gaining ground in today’s traveler consciousness and in the near future we are going to witness more green itineraries to pop up.

Trends to drive the industry in 2007:

It is always important for the cruise lines, travel agencies and all the entities that are in the cruise business to know what the future holds for them. For 2007 the key industry trends that will determine the sector are:

• New and refurbished ships

• Innovative facilities and amenities along with new technology features on board

• New ports of call

• Enhanced programs on board

• Changing of lifestyle demographics (Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, Honeymoons and Weddings).

• More luxury experiences

• 30 brand new vessels will enter service between 2007 and the end of 2010 indicating the robust growth of the industry.
  
  As far as the new facilities and technology assets on board are concerned, many cruise lines along with the launching of their new vessels, they are enhancing their facilities and introduce new technology amenities.
  
  For instance, SeaMobile Enterprises has signed an agreement with Holland America Line. SeaMobile will provide wireless cellular phone and PDA services for Holland America Line’s guests throughout the world. Installations of wireless broadband communications equipment will begin on board Holland America’s entire fleet of 13 ships later this year.
  
  The SeaMobile communications service will allow guests and staff of Holland America’s ships to use their own cellular phones and wireless PDAs while at sea.
  
  Another example of the new technological amenities on board is the the installation of cellular phone technology aboard the 2,974-passenger Carnival Liberty of the Carnival Cruise Lines.
  
  Carnival has completed the fleetwide implementation of cell phone service aboard all 21 of its “Fun Ships.” With the new service, made possible through an agreement between Carnival and Wireless Maritime Services (WMS), a joint venture of Cingular Wireless and Maritime Telecommunications Network, guests sailing aboard the “Fun Ships” can make and receive calls and transmit text and multimedia messages from their personal cell phones, BlackBerrys or similar devices while at sea
  
  Lifestyle demographics are changing
  
  A more growing number of the Baby Boomers generation is turning to cruises as they seek vacations that include active and adventurous elements but are unwilling to sacrifice comfort.
  
  Along with Baby Boomers, Generation Xers will also give a boost to the industry and there is also a growing number of affluent people that is turning to luxury lines. Wedding and honeymoon cruise vacations aren`t just for the very young and "just married" anymore. In a recently launched survey by CLIA, 40 percent of travel agents report second-marriage couples are their largest source of business and 32 percent noted they are booking more weddings on cruises along with their family and friends..
  
  As couples are marrying later, they know they will have kids sooner and they are more eager to travel. 20 percent of 460 CLIA-member travel agents said the biggest change in their honeymoon and wedding business came from more couples renewing vows aboard cruise ships, and 8 percent saw an increase in same-sex couples choosing cruises as romantic vacation options.
  
  According to the survey, 56 percent of agents said Generation Xers (ages 28 to 42) now represent the largest group of honeymoon and wedding cruise guests. Generation Y (ages 27 and younger) accounted for 25 percent of honeymoon and wedding business, while Early Baby Boomers (ages 43 to 51) represented 13 percent and Late Boomers (ages 52 to 61) 6 percent.
  
  57 percent of agents agreed that the Caribbean/Bahamas was the most popular cruising destination for couples, followed by Hawaii (23 percent), Europe (9 percent) and Alaska (7 percent).
  
  Fifty-four percent of agents said that, on average, couples pay between $1,000 and $3,000 for the cruise portion of their vacation, while 35 percent said couples pay between $3,000 and $6,000 per couple.
  
  Today’s cruisers are looking for seamless travel experiences that offer a high level of convenience and equal levels of excitement in terms of the onboard experience and itineraries. Cruise vacations enable travelers to explore exotic cultures and landscapes around the globe, all the while returning to Western-style comforts and conveniences aboard state-of-the-art ships.

QUEEN MARY Not For Sale

"The Queen Mary is not for sale... "The City of Long Beach has for many years and to this date, held the Queen Mary as a valued icon and asset of the city. What is available is a master lease for the development of the Queen Mary's surrounding properties. The original 66 year master lease with Queen's Seaport Development Incorporated (QSDI) is now available to qualified bidders wishing to assume the role of developing the properties adjacent to the Queen Mary."

"RMS Foundation, a non-profit public benefit corporation, has 8 years left on its sub-lease and plans to continue on its present course and increase philanthropic involvement of the historic vessel. To that end, may I invite all interested and concerned people from the UK to join us in the cause. Please check our website www.queenmary.com or email our RMS Queen Mary Foundation Executive Director bruce.vancil@queenmary.com to find out how you can help."

"Even though the Queen Mary will not be coming to the United Kingdom, there is no reason that the people who built her, who love her and desire her to continue into a bright future cannot join us with the needed resources to preserve this international treasure."

Majesty of the Seas completes an extensive bow-to-stern renovation

Royal Caribbean International's Majesty of the Seas returns home to South Florida after undergoing an extensive bow-to-stern renovation that includes several new dining and entertainment options. The newly transformed ship resumes year-round three- and four-night cruises from Miami offering a fresh onboard vibe for Bahamas-bound guests looking for a weekend getaway, a first cruise experience or multi-destination incentive group trip.

Coming out of an extreme 28-day makeover which required extensive around-the-clock man-hours - and accomplishing in days what can take months, Majesty's onboard enhancements include a complete overhaul of the guest suites and staterooms, casual dining areas, the main dining rooms, the Majesty Day Spa and ShipShape Fitness Center, the Adventure Ocean youth area - adding the teen-focused Fuel Nightclub and Living Room lounge, conference rooms, the pool deck, the theater and Casino Royale. In addition, the Viking Crown Lounge, Centrum shops' façades and other primary public areas have all been modernized. Finally, Majesty's guests will enjoy an exciting all-new onboard entertainment lineup. She is the third ship in the Sovereign class to be refurbished - following the facelifts of Monarch of the Seas in 2003 and Sovereign of the Seas in 2004.

Exciting New Culinary Configurations abound with a myriad of new dining options, including a new casual dining concept, the Windjammer Marketplace features a bountiful selection of Asian, Latin, Mediterranean and American fare in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. New to RCI is the Compass Deli, which features a lavish sandwich bar, daily soups, made-to-order salads, paninis, crepes and energy drinks. Sorrento's Italian pizzeria or Johnny Rockets offering guests all-American favorites including hamburgers and milk shakes. Also new to Majesty is Café Latté-tudes, featuring Seattle's Best Coffee®, and the Freeze ice cream parlor. Rounding out the culinary offerings, the renamed Starlight and Moonlight dining rooms boast new décor from the walls, column and seating upholstery to plush new carpets and drapery.

More Room for Wellness
The expanded Majesty Day Spa and ShipShape Fitness Center has been relocated, one deck lower, to the space previously occupied by the 'On Your Toes' Nightclub and Adventure Ocean venues. The new spa features 10 new treatment rooms, a relaxation area, and the Beauty Salon - fully equipped with a barber station, two experienced hair stylists, manicure and pedicure stations and a teeth whitening room. Exclusive to Majesty of the Seas is the introduction of the virtual Elemis® SpaBar. Via interactive technology, guests have access to the 'dos and don'ts' for all skin types, as well as tips and recommended beauty products available for purchase onboard. Fitness buffs can now take wellness to the next level in the ShipShape Fitness Center, where stationary bikes and a new aerobic floor have been added to accommodate upbeat spinning and fitness classes.

Entertainment Enhancements
The ship's new entertainment scene warrants a shout-out as well. "Signed, Sealed and Delivered," Royal Caribbean's newest theater production, brings to life the soul, rhythm and blues of Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Tina Turner, among others. And the dancing continues with the addition of the line's signature Latin bar Boleros, located at the forward end of the ship, serving up mojitos and caipirhinas in a design-savvy space. The popular Schooner piano bar has been brought up to par with upgraded décor such as new carpeting, chair upholstery and window coverings. Finally, guests can try their luck and enjoy Majesty's re-energized Casino Royale, featuring new carpets, window coverings and upholstery, as well as a completely refurbished bar.

Superior Staterooms
To enhance both the recreation and business travel stateroom experience, Majesty debuts fully rebuilt suites, with new wall linings, cabinetry, fixtures, and fittings, as well as standard staterooms complete with new mirrors, wood cappings and decorative rails. Amidst the new settings, all guests will have Wi-Fi access and additional room at the vanity desk, thanks to new flat-screen televisions mounted on the wall. Similarly, bathrooms have been outfitted with new hardware.

The fleet-wide roll out of the enhanced bedding program which debuted on Freedom of the Seas continues as planned with Majesty's new mattress frames designed to prevent sagging; nine-inch-thick spring mattresses with separate two-inch-thick micro-fiber pillow tops that unfold to lay on top of one another to create a queen-size, gap-free mattress; 220-thread-count long-staple cotton-blend sheets; two micro-fiber pillows, plus one decorative pillow; duvet with cotton-blend covers; bed skirts; and colored bed scarves at the end of the beds to protect the duvet.

Hard at Work and Hard at Play
In addition to overhauling recreational spaces, Majesty offers an expanded and new state-of-the-art conference center, ideal for groups looking to conduct business on the ship's convenient short sailings. The new multi-media system covers all audio/visual needs and attendees will be able to meet in the comfort of new, softer furnishings.

And not to be forgotten, while their parents are at work or play, younger guests will find something new of their own in the recharged, more colorful and more dynamic Adventure Ocean youth center which offers children of every age, immersive and engaging experiences in partnership with Crayola®, Fisher Price and Lowe's. Teens will now have their own exclusive areas, at the ultra-hip Fuel Nightclub and cool hangout lounge called the Living Room.

Cruise Lines are not liable for their on-board doctors

Recently reported by various news publications was a ruling by the Florida Supreme Court that cruise operators are not liable for their shipboard doctors’ negligence.  This follows well-established maritime precedent, according to an attorney representing Carnival Cruise Lines. ‘There is a good hundred years’ worth of history supporting this decision,’ said Darren Friedman of Maltzman Foreman P.A.

However, the lawyer for plaintiff who filed suit against Carnival said he intends to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case after a Miami-Dade court dismissed the case which was later reinstated by an appeals court on the grounds that the doctor was an agent of the line. The Florida Supreme Court said the lower court’s decision had been based on a single decades-old case which conflicted with the vast majority of maritime rulings.

Federal maritime law always goes with what the courts have held unless there is a bonafide disagreement,’ Friedman said. ‘Admiralty laws are uniform on this subject except for this one case.’
Friedman reported said, "he would be surprised if the U.S. Supreme Court takes the case because there is no conflict in the issue."

Cruise line passage contracts typically specify that physicians and nurses are independent contractors, but U.S. personal injury attorneys contend that it’s difficult to bring suit against such medical personnel, who are typically non-U.S. citizens. Friedman said he has taken many cases where both the line and the doctor were sued.

Viking River Cruises appoint multiple senior executives

Return to index