By
Rebecca Gibson |
What makes a port popular with both cruise lines and its guests? Typically, cruise lines look for ports offering well-equipped infrastructure, accessible facilities, professional logistics services, and proximity to attractions and shore excursion options to suit all passenger preferences.
Meanwhile, guests want to pass through ports quickly during both turnaround and transit calls, says Hugues Lamy, port operations director at Swan Hellenic. “Plus, they expect smooth transfers between turnaround ports and airports or railway stations, and they want transit ports to offer ship berths as close as possible to the downtown area of the destination or tourist attractions.”
Each cruise line also has its own set of specific requirements when choosing destinations to include on its cruises.
“There are many cruise companies in different segments of the industry – including lines that have big, resort-style ships where the vessel itself is the destination, boutique brands that are focused on delivering high-quality experiences, and coastal or expedition operators that take passengers to off-the-beaten-track destinations,” says Lamy. “Swan Hellenic has two small, self-sufficient expedition cruise ships that accommodate fewer than 200 guests, so we don’t require any special onshore or port facilities. We’re able to berth alongside, anchor at tendering facilities or operate wet landings with Zodiacs, which means we can sail to remote destinations and land passengers as close to points of interest as possible. Consequently, when we’re evaluating destinations for our itineraries, our focus is on identifying whether they will deliver a high-quality passenger experience.”
Swan Hellenic is able to operate wet landings with Zodiacs in destinations such as Isla Blanca in Peru
Rather than pursuing every type of cruise line, Lamy encourages ports to choose their preferred clients and carry out pilot cruise calls to determine the feasibility of their ships visiting regularly. They can then use the results of these trials to devise a long-term strategy for gradually improving the services, infrastructure and experiences they offer for both passengers and crew members.
“Initially, destinations should promote themselves to cruise brands with ships of a size and passenger capacity that can be accommodated with the existing port and tourist infrastructure,” he says. “By doing this, they can test the capacity of this infrastructure and the wider destination to accommodate cruise calls and evaluate the impact of passengers on the local community and earn their approval. Local stakeholders can then build tendering or berthing infrastructures and identify or develop new points of interest for cruise guests to increase traffic in future.”
Lamy’s advice is particularly relevant for small ports wanting to capitalise on the growing number of travellers looking to explore lesser-known, off-the-beaten-path destinations that offer unique and immersive experiences, rather than large marquee ports. He suggest that small ports aiming to raise their profile with cruise lines should also join industry associations such as MedCruise or Cruise Europe. “This will enable them to meet with cruise line executives and better understand the best practices for developing a successful passenger experience, while maximising the benefits for the local community,” he explains.
Guests sailing with Swan Hellenic visit off-the-beaten path destinations, such as Pongara National Park in Gabon
Taking an iterative approach will help ports and destination authorities to proactively address concerns from locals about issues such as the environmental impact of cruise ships and increased congestion in town or cities.
“Over the last few years we have seen some protests against ships calling at major destinations that have invested to develop their cruise port infrastructure and increase traffic,” says Lamy. “Many ports are facing pressure from local communities to limit the number of cruise ships, for example. One solution to this is for ports to adapt their berthing policies to cap the number of cruise ships or passengers arriving in the destination per day or year, or restrict visits on certain days. Cruise Lines International Association is also working to bring together all cruise lines and destinations around the world to help resolve these types of issues.
“Successful cruise destinations are those where guests feel welcomed by the local community. Taking these steps will allow ports to ensure they can develop a sustainable cruise offering that is popular with both guests and locals.”
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