Cruise & Ferry Itinerary Planning 2020

4 3 Many of Carnival’s Caribbean itineraries include calls at its Amber Cove cruise port in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic “Safety and infrastructure are two of the major deal-breakers – if our ships cannot safely and easily access the port and our guests don’t feel comfortable going onshore, we simply won’t call there, no matter how beautiful and amazing the destination is,” he says. “We also look for destinations with friendly locals because they play a vital role in achieving guest satisfaction. From local taxi drivers to shop owners, waiters, tour guides and residents – everyone who interacts with guests has an impact on their overall onshore experience. In fact, our guests often credit these people with making their vacation memorable.” Another critical criterion is that the destination must offer a wide range of onshore activities and consistently deliver an outstanding and memorable experience to guests. “We have guests of all demographics and psychographics, so we favour destinations that have taken the time to understand how to cater to their diverse expectations,” says Savino. “A happy guest is a retained guest, and this creates a win-win situation for everyone – from Carnival to those living and working in the destination, such as local tour operators, restaurants, shop owners and many others. “To accomplish this, I suggest that our destination partners take a holistic and analytical approach. For example, I know of one destination that has appointed a manager of guest experience – this is a first in the cruise industry, but I expect more destinations will follow suit and adopt similar measures soon.” While Carnival expects Caribbean cruise destinations to remain popular long into the future, it continues to invest significant time and resources to work with destination partners to ensure its itineraries stay fresh and relevant for both first-time and repeat guests. “Enhancing the cruise experience for our guests is our priority and we know destinations are the main reason guests choose a Carnival cruise, so it’s crucial that we do all we can to help the destinations we visit to be successful,” Savino explains. “We’re also fully aware “We always make ourselves available to collaborate with our destination partners”