RECLAIMING THE CROWN How Hong Kong is charting a return to its position as Asia’s premier cruise hub A NEW STRATEGY Jan Swartz explains how Carnival Corporation’s restructuring will empower its nine brands NATURALLY APPEALING Ports and destinations highlight the outstanding natural experiences drawing in cruise guests THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CRUISE ROUTE DESIGN 2024
Ports of Call Kingston Midland Parry Sound Welland Canal Sarnia Sault Ste. Marie Thunder Bay Tobermory Toronto Windsor Quebec City Three Rivers Chicago Alpena Bay City Detroit Holland Houghton/Hancock Mackinac Island Manistique Marquette Muskegon Port Huron Sault Ste. Marie St. Ignace Traverse City Duluth Buffalo Clayton Rochester Cleveland Toledo Erie Bayfield Green Bay Milwaukee Burns Harbor Atlantic Ocean Oswego Toronto Mackinac Island Milwaukee Duluth Thunder Bay LAKE SUPERIOR Duluth, Minn. • Canal Park, 7.25 miles of Lakewalk and 5 top attractions • Glennsheen Mansion and Gardens, tours and intrigue • All-freshwater aquarium LAKE ERIE Cleveland, Ohio • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the city’s No. 1 attraction • Cleveland Museum of Art, great for groups • Trolley tours through the city LAKE HURON Mackinac Island, Mich. • Luxurious Grand Hotel with public dining • Horse drawn carriage rides • Rent bikes and lap the island LAKE MICHIGAN Muskegon, Mich. • Heritage Landing ship dock, craft breweries, markets, public art • Silversides Submarine Museum with beach coastline • Historic district, museums, art and architecture tours Milwaukee, Wisc. • Harley Davidson Museum, a global icon and No. 1 city pick • German beer and bratz • Milwaukee Public Market and Riverwalk Green Bay, Wisc. • Lambeau Field and Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, top attractions • Green Bay Botanical Garden • New public market on Fox River Chicago, Ill. • Navy Pier’s public art, shopping and dining • Chicago Architecture River Cruise, 2021 top attraction • Millennium Park and its interactive fountains and gardens
For information on transiting the locks and channels of the St. Lawrence Seaway or other Great Lakes destinations, contact: REBECCA YACKLEY Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (202) 297-9448 • rebecca.yackley@dot.gov Explore the Great Lakes THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY SYSTEM is a shared U.S.- Canadian waterway. Pristine rivers, lakes and channels make the Great Lakes a cruising destination that strikes the perfect balance between ocean travel and riverboating. The awe-inspiring experience includes traversing manmade locks that create more than 2,000 miles of inland cruising. This growing hub for luxury cruises includes the clear water of the St. Lawrence River and all five freshwater Great Lakes. Picturesque ports are rich with historic, maritime and Midwestern charm. Prime attractions are closely located to berthing space. Unique onshore experiences immerse passengers in local history, art, architecture and native cultures. Port communities on the Great Lakes go out of their way to welcome cruise ships and their passengers as they sail in throughout the spring, summer and fall. Your passengers won’t want to miss the unexplored experience on the freshwater seas. • About 1/3 of cruise vessels built today carry fewer than 400 passengers, providing a more intimate experience. • Ships in the St. Lawrence Seaway are small enough to navigate the locks and channels, but large enough for superior handling and stability in rough seas. • Maximum ship dimensions are length 225.50 m, beam 23.77 m and depth 8.08 m. SHIP FACTS
The perfect port of call Discover sweeping dunes, a patchwork of green fields, towering cliffs and unspoilt beaches in just 45 square miles ports.je/cruisejersey Jersey.
£24.00 Foreword 3 Executive editor Jon Ingleton Editor Alex Smith Editorial team Alice Chambers, Rebecca Gibson, Amber Hickman, Laura Hyde, Richard Humphreys Editorial contributor Michele Witthaus Publication manager Kimberley McLean Account managers Shelly Palmer, Benedict Pask, Ben Surtees-Smith Publisher Toby Ingleton Production manager Stuart Fairbrother Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham, Dhanika Vansia Cover image courtesy of Hong Kong Tourism Board Website development Chris Jackson Circulation Ritwik Bhattacharjee Advertise info@cruiseandferry.net Subscribe subscribe@tudor-rose.co.uk www.cruiseandferry.net/subscriptions Published by Tudor Rose Tudor House, 6 Friar Lane Leicester LE1 5RA Tel: +44 116 2229900 www.tudor-rose.co.uk ISSN 2633-4410 (Print) ISSN 2633-4429 (Online) Printed in Great Britain by The Manson Group. © 2023 Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including whether by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto computer or otherwise without the prior written permission from Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice before acting on any issue raised herein. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising material and editorial contributions. The publisher assumes no liability for the return or safety of unsolicited art, photography or manuscripts. 2024 In bygone times, itinerary planning was conceived and delivered by one department and ratified by another. Nowadays, it has become a more complex undertaking which draws on the expertise that resides in practically every department. While technology continues to simplify some elements of the process, many complications remain. Regulations, berthing competition, ship and shoreside infrastructure, consumer demand, costs, sustainability – these and many other factors can make itinerary planning a struggle for cruise lines, and often for ports and destinations too. It takes the combined efforts of all industry stakeholders to achieve their common objective; to keep guests happy while making a fair profit. Today, the foundation of successful itinerary planning is effective communication. The industry is blessed with countless skilled communicators and these pages are full of them, starting with Jan Swartz in our keynote interview on page 6. Swartz discusses Carnival Corporation’s ambitions for the future, including its plans for “enhancing our destination development efforts, and increasing our engagement with many external global stakeholders.” Wise words can also be found in our Planner Perspectives section, which features cruise executives Jaqui Nobile, Mike Pawlus, James Griffiths, Katy Berzins, Brad Bennetts and Kristin Badgett, starting on page 50. Our featured port and destination partners provide similar insight, beginning with the Hong Kong Tourism Board in our cover story on page 24 and continuing on page 93. We also explore the growing momentum behind installation of shore power facilities on page 32, as ports and their partners discuss their progress. The range of voices involved in the itinerary planning process is sure to grow even further. But for now, we are grateful for the candid insights shared by our contributors for this issue. Read every page, it’s worth it! Jon Ingleton Executive Editor, Cruise & Ferry Itinerary Planning Communicating success
48 CONTENTS 6 24 Keynote 6 Carnival Corporation’s Jan Swartz outlines how the organisation’s recent restructure will empower its nine brands to create more distinct guest experiences Marketwatch 10 A collection of news from cruise lines, ports and destinations worldwide, as well as an overview of the itineraries Celebrity Cruises has planned for Celebrity Ascent’s maiden season Cover story 24 A look at how Hong Kong has been working to reclaim its position as Asia’s premier cruise hub since the pandemic Features 28 A selection of ports and destinations around the world highlight natural phenomena that are popular with visiting cruise guests 32 CFIP gives an overview of the ports that are installing shore power facilities to help build a more sustainable cruise industry Maiden season 40 Guests sailing on Silversea Cruises’ newest ship Silver Nova can participate in various excursions to explore the local culture and cuisine 42 Cunard’s Queen Anne is scheduled to debut in May 2024 with itineraries exploring Western Europe, the Western Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords 54 Azamara’s Mike Pawlus explains how the brand is delivering immersive and transformative itineraries 58 Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours’ James Griffiths discusses the challenges of planning global itineraries 60 Kristin Badgett of Windstar Cruises shares why the brand’s boutiquesized vessels help it deliver unique cruise experiences 62 Brad Bennetts of APT and Travelmarvel gives an insight into why the brands’ Mekong River cruises are becoming more popular Report 63 Rescompany’s next-generation itinerary planning system delivers new capabilities in a web-based, cloud-ready package 44 Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur will spend its maiden season exploring the Mediterranean and the Caribbean 46 Carnival Cruise Line’s third Excelclass ship will begin sailing in the Western Caribbean in December 2023, visiting some of the brand’s most popular destinations 48 Royal Caribbean International’s newest and biggest ship will make its debut in January 2024, departing from PortMiami on both Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages Planner perspectives 50 Jacqui Nobile discusses Marella Voyager’s maiden season 52 Katy Berzins outlines how TUI River Cruises’ new itinerary will enable guests to explore Egypt 4
5 78 Cruise Norway hosts a familiarisation trip to highlight some of Norway’s southernmost ports and destinations 82 MedCruise ports have achieved significant growth in both 2022 and the first half of 2023, pointing to a return to pre-pandemic records 85 Sarah Rumley of the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association speaks about Atlantic Canada’s unique appeal and record-breaking 2023 season 86 Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation’s Rebecca Yackley on why the Great Lakes is an attractive cruise destination Regional spotlight 88 Representatives from cruise lines share why they offer itineraries in and around Asia and share what guests can expect when sailing in the diverse region Association highlights 64 The Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River and Atlantic Canada is a vast and varied region offering a multitude of experiences for cruise guest 72 CFIP reports on the key updates shared at the MedCruise General Assembly in Bulgaria in October 2023 75 Cruise Baltic’s Louise Røssell details how the Baltic Sea region is promoting responsible cruising 76 Klaus Bondam of CruiseCopenhagen explains why Denmark is an attractive destination for Baltic Sea cruises 88 Cruise & Ferry is proud to partner with the following organisations to support and promote their global visions and objectives The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of 27 countries and territories, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. www.onecaribbean.org CLIA is the world’s largest cruise association and is dedicated to the promotion and growth of the cruise industry. CLIA was formed in 1975 in response to a need for an association to promote the special benefits of cruising. www.cruising.orgen-gb Interferry is the only shipping association representing the ferry industry worldwide There are currently 220 members (representing approximately 500 individuals) from 34 countries. www.interferry.com The International Federation of Interior Architects/ Designers is the global authority for professional interior architecture and design organisations. It provides a forum for exchanging and developing knowledge and experience in education, research and practice. www.ifiworld.org The World Ocean Council is a global, cross-sector alliance committed to promoting corporate ocean responsibility. It brings together over 35,000 ocean industry and media stakeholders from around the world to collaborate on responsible use of the seas. www.oceancouncil.org Established in Beijing in 2012, World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) is a non-profit international organisation whose members include many major cities and tourism-related institutions. en.wtcf.org.cn Ports and destinations Europe 93 Visit Guernsey 94 Orkney Harbours Mediterranean 95 Port of Tarragona Asia 96 Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau North America 99 PortMiami 100 Port of Seattle 102 Tourism Prince Edward Island Featured ports & destinations 105 Our guide to some of the most popular ports and destinations in the world
6 KEYNOTE Carnival Corporation underwent a comprehensive restructure in June 2023, resulting in the dissolution of the Holland America Group and the creation of six new operating units. With the winding down of the Holland America Group, former president Jan Swartz has embarked on a new role as Carnival Corporation’s executive vice president of strategic operations, which sees her leading strategy and innovation, external affairs, corporate marketing, and destination development across all its brands. In addition, she is overseeing its global ports and destination development functions, as well as Alaska-Yukon land operations. As a result of the corporate shakeup, the AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess Cruises and Seabourn brands are expected to gain greater autonomy regarding all operational matters. Specifically, responsibility for port and destination management has been handed back to the individual brands, with potential implications for fleet deployment, itinerary planning and port and destination management. “With the recent changes to our organisational and leadership structure, we removed layers between corporate and our brands,” says Swartz. “Our process to slowly unwind Holland America Group really began over a year ago, and we had been systematically shifting select shared services responsibilities from that group back to the brands to drive enhanced performance.” Brand leaders now report directly to Josh Weinstein, president and CEO and chief climate officer of Carnival Corporation, which Swartz says has given them “more autonomy, flexibility and speed”. The remaining shared service functions have been relocated to corporate, with the intention of generating further benefits for the brands from even greater scale. “By removing layers between corporate and the brands and including a direct line of reporting into Josh, the brands can operate with greater speed and responsiveness to market demands and opportunities,” explains Swartz. “It also gives them more control and accountability, which is vital to their success and their ability to own their space in the vacation market.” Beyond delivering greater agility around brand-specific ambitions, how does Swartz A new strategy Carnival Corporation’s Jan Swartz tells Michele Witthaus how the organisation’s recent restructure will empower its nine brands to create more distinct guest experiences
7 Photo: thenewsmarket.com
8 see the corporate changes playing out in the company’s overall strategy? “In terms of the bigger picture, the realigned structure optimises our support of the business and brands and helps to expedite the achievement of our longterm goals, as we rebuild our financial fortress and deliver shareholder value over time,” she says. “From a corporate perspective, the realignment created an opportunity to establish our new strategic operations function, which I’m honoured to be able to lead. Our new group brings critical teams closer together for even greater collaboration and impact as we continue pushing forward important company initiatives, while helping optimise execution at the brand level to boost our overall collective success.” Crucially, the new group structure will allow for greater freedom for each of the company’s cruise lines to shape product offerings to the needs of their customers. “Each of our brands offers a distinct guest vacation experience,” says Swartz. “Our new structure will allow our brands to move faster in responding to their guest and travel agent needs.” In her capacity as executive vice president of strategic operations, Swartz has begun the process of collecting feedback from all the brands. “After announcing our corporate realignment, I spent eight weeks on a global listening tour,” she says. “I’ve gathered great input from our talented teams on how we at corporate can best support their brand efforts and help drive company priorities even further.” As one of the global company’s most experienced executives, Swartz is keen to share what she has learned over the years with the current brand heads too. She adds: “My personal experience in leading several of our brands also helps inform how we will approach future collaboration across the brands. Our key priorities will be supporting the brands in driving next-level revenue generation capabilities, enhancing our destination development efforts, and increasing our engagement with many external global stakeholders.” “ Each of our brands offers a distinct guest vacation experience. Our new structure will allow our brands to move faster in responding to their guest and travel agent needs” KEYNOTE Holiday highlights Collectively, Carnival Corporation’s brands sail to more than 700 ports around the world, aiming to offer guests the opportunity to explore both well-known and off-the-beaten track destinations during itineraries of various lengths. Below are some of the notable itineraries for the 2023-2024 and 20242025 seasons. AIDA CRUISES Germany-based operator AIDA Cruises’ 2023-2024 winter programme includes various itineraries to destinations in Asia, the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, South America, the Seychelles, the Indian Ocean and the United Arab Emirates. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE In September 2023, Carnival Cruise Line launched sales on approximately 400 cruises that will bring guests to its new purpose-built cruise destination for its guests in the Bahamas, Celebration Key. The first of these calls will take place in July 2025. COSTA CRUISES Costa Serena is to become the largest cruise ship to operate domestic itineraries in India in November 2023. The ship will provide 33 sailings calling at Mumbai, Cochin, Goa and, for the first time, the Lakshadweep islands. Meanwhile, six ships will offer new extended Costa Voyages in spring and autumn 2024 to destinations like Egypt, the Azores, the Balearic and Greek islands, Morocco and Northern Europe. CUNARD Two of Cunard’s ships will offer world cruises in 2024, with Queen Victoria operating a 107-night roundtrip from Southampton, UK, to North America, Australia, Asia, South Africa and Europe. Queen Mary 2 will offer a 123-night voyage from New York, USA, to the Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, South Africa and Europe. Carnival Corporation’s restructure will make it easier for brands to deliver new onboard experiences tailored to their guests’ specific interests Photo: Princess Cruises
9 HOLLAND AMERICA LINE The brand’s 2024 Canada and New England season will feature 29 sailings that range from weeklong getaways to longer journeys that either depart or end in Boston, Massachusetts. One extended roundtrip Boston itinerary also stretches up to Iceland and Greenland. P&O CRUISES (AUSTRALIA) In 2023, P&O Cruises marked 90 years of sailing in Australia. In the 2024-2025 season, its three ships will offer 157 sailings calling at 46 destinations across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands. P&O CRUISES (UK) The UK-based brand’s new series of holidays for summer 2024 will include popular island itineraries to destinations like Ibiza in Spain and Mykonos in Greece, as well as voyages to the Norwegian fjords, short breaks to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and more. Highlights will include extended time in many destinations for new tailored shore experiences. PRINCESS CRUISES In summer 2024, Princess Cruises will celebrate 55 years of Alaska sailings by basing seven ships in the region to provide a total of 158 departures of 14 unique itineraries from four different homeports. In total, the ships will visit 17 Alaskan destinations and make 86 visits to Glacier Bay National Park. SEABOURN New ship Seabourn Pursuit will sail Seabourn’s first expedition cruises in The Kimberley in Australia between June and August 2024. It will also visit Papua New Guinea, West Papua, Indonesia and the South Pacific. Another highlight will be Seabourn Sojourn’s 90-day ‘Grand Africa Voyage’ from Barcelona, Spain, to 44 marquee and lesserknown ports in 26 countries. Clockwise from the top, Princess Cruises will make 86 visits to Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park, Holland America Line will head to Iceland, and Seabourn Pursuit will sail Seabourn’s first cruises in The Kimberley in Australia Photo: Holland America Line Photo: Scott Martin Photo: Princess Cruises
MARKETWATCH 10 Celebrity Ascent will offer alternating seven-night itineraries from its homeport of Port Everglades Celebrity Cruises’ newest Edge series ship, Celebrity Ascent, is to spend its maiden season sailing Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades in Florida, USA. The ship will sail two preview cruises in November 2023 ahead of its official maiden voyage. The first sailing will be a four-night Western Caribbean itinerary on 22 November, followed by a three-night Bahamas cruise on 26 November. On 3 December 2023, Celebrity Ascent will sail a seven-night Eastern Caribbean maiden voyage, which will call at Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The ship will then alternate seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries until April 2024, visiting destinations in The Bahamas, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, Tortola and St. Kitts. On 24 December 2023, Celebrity Ascent will depart on its sevennight ‘Bahamas, Mexico and Grand Cayman Holiday’ itinerary, followed by a seven-night ‘San Juan, Tortola & St. Kitts Holiday’ itinerary departing on 31 December 2023. Celebrity Ascent has all the design features and onboard amenities offered by its sister ships, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Beyond, including its industryfirst outward facing design which maximises views and outdoor areas. It will also offer guests redesigned restaurants, a new immersive dinner experience, expanded food and cocktail menus, a new whiskeytasting experience and a plant-based, multi-course dinner. “I am so excited to introduce the world to Celebrity Ascent and continue the legacy of Celebrity’s Edge series,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Continuously striving to offer travellers a better way to enjoy travel and reach the world around them, we are so proud of what we have built and look forward to welcoming both seasoned and new cruisers alike.” Celebrity Ascent will reposition to the Mediterranean on its 13-night ‘Portugal and Spain Transatlantic’ itinerary in April 2024, which calls at Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Madeira in Portugal and Malaga and Barcelona in Spain after six nights at sea. For summer 2024, the ship will offer a number of itineraries, including a nine-night ‘Italian Riviera and France’ itinerary and a 12-night ‘Best of Greece and Italy’ itinerary, which calls at Rome and Naples in Italy and the Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini. Celebrity Cruises’ new Edge-series ship to debut in the Caribbean
11 Celebrity Cruises to sail new Caribbean voyages for winter 2024-2025 Four Celebrity ships – Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, and Celebrity Summit – will embark on a new programme of Caribbean cruises for the winter 2024-2025 season. Sailing from Port Canaveral, Port Tampa Bay and Port Everglades in Florida, the vessels will offer more than 40 new itineraries ranging from five to nine nights long, visiting destinations including Belize, The Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico. From 23 October 2024 to 8 March 2025, Celebrity Apex will offer five new sailings, ranging from six to seven nights, while Celebrity Summit will sail five new itineraries between 25 February 2025 and 10 April 2025 ranging from five to nine nights. Twenty new itineraries will be offered from Port Canaveral onboard Celebrity Equinox from 21 November 2024 to 19 April 2025. Two sailings on 1 and 15 March 2025 will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean International’s private island destination. Finally, Celebrity Constellation will offer more frequent six- to seven-night cruises from Port Tampa Bay, with a total of 14 sailings from 2 January to 6 April 2025. Celebrity Summit will sail five new itineraries from February to April 2025 Photos: Celebrity Cruises Photo: Celebrity Cruises
MSC Cruises and Port of Kiel inaugurate shore power facility MSC Cruises and the Port of Kiel officially inaugurated the shore power facility at the German port’s Ostuferhafen Terminal on 25 September 2023, during the call of the line’s flagship, MSC Euribia. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Daniel Günther, Prime Minister of the State of SchleswigHolstein, and Ulf Kämpfer, Lord Mayor of Kiel, as well as representatives of the port management, technical partner Siemens, MSC Euribia’s Captain Christopher Pugh, and senior representatives of the cruise line. MSC Euribia will also use the shore power facility at the Port of Hamburg during its winter 2023-2024 season. Read more about shore power facilities for cruise ships at ports around the world on page 32. PowerCon installs shore power system at Aarhus In June 2023, Port of Aarhus in Denmark inaugurated a shore power system supplied by technology provider PowerCon. The port has since connected several cruise ships successfully, including vessels from Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines (pictured) and AIDA Cruises. So far in 2023, PowerCon has been awarded several projects in main ports across Europe, underlining the company’s position as a leading supplier. Photo: PowerCon DID YOU KNOW? 46% of the global fleet of CLIA member ships are fitted to operate on shore power 80.3% of CLIA member ships have advanced wastewater treatment systems installed onboard 60% of CLIA member ships are installed with efficiency tracking systems 25 ships on order for the next five years will be LNG-powered Photo: MSC Cruises 12 MARKETWATCH
MONTEGO BAY | FALMOUTH | OCHO RIOS | PORT ANTONIO | PORT ROYAL @jamaicacruising ----------- -----------
14 Seabourn to visit the South Pacific and Australia in 2024 Seabourn is to offer its first-ever expedition itineraries to both the South Pacific and The Kimberley in the north of Western Australia from March to October 2024. Seabourn Pursuit will operate 14, 17 and 20-day voyages from Chile to Melanesia in March and April, and again in September and October 2024. The ship will then sail a series of 15-day itineraries to Papua New Guinea and West Papua, Indonesia, in May and June, and again in August and September 2024. In June, July and August 2024, Seabourn Pursuit will offer six 10-day expedition voyages between Broome in The Kimberley and Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory. Virgin Voyages reveals 27 itineraries with visits to 19 new ports Virgin Voyages will offer 63 itineraries around the world in 2024 after it unveiled plans for 27 new itineraries, which will include maiden calls to 19 ports. The new voyages will see the Richard Bransonowned cruise operator return to the UK, with a series of voyages scheduled to sail from Portsmouth. “We’re thrilled to announce more than two dozen new itineraries featuring incredible experiences,” said Shane Riley, vice president of UK and international sales. “We’re also incredibly excited to offer new ports of call, including a return to our British roots, with new sailings for Resilient Lady from Portsmouth from mid-August 2024.” MARKETWATCH Photo: Virgin Voyages
15 Small-ship cruise line Azamara has unveiled plans for its 2026 world cruise onboard Azamara Onward from Miami, departing on 6 January. The 155-night itinerary will take in 36 countries over six continents, including visits to seven wonders of the world: Chichen Itza in Mexico, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Taj Mahal in India, Machu Picchu in Peru, The Roman Colosseum in Italy, The Great Wall of China, and the desert city of Petra in Jordan. The voyage is scheduled to conclude on 11 June 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. Azamara introduces 155-night World Cruise for 2026 Oceania Cruises has revealed its new ship, Allura, will visit more than 92 destinations during its inaugural season in summer 2025, with itineraries ranging from seven to 34 days in length. Allura’s maiden voyage is a seven-day cruise departing on 8 June 2025 from Athens in Greece to Istanbul in Turkey, visiting Santorini, Heraklion and Rhodes in Greece and Bodrum, Ephesus and Canakkale in Turkey. Allura will sail several more itineraries in the Mediterranean before embarking on the 34-day ‘Explorer’s Grand Crossing’, a cruise from Rome in Italy to New York, USA, departing on 27 August 2025. Oceania Cruises’ Allura to sail to over 92 destinations during inaugural season American Cruise Lines has introduced two new US National Park cruises for 2024. The 18-day and 15-day itineraries will enable passengers to visit destinations in Alaska such as Glacier Bay, the Inside Passage and Frederick Sound, along with guided tours in Denali and Kenai Fjords National Parks. The 18-day ‘Grand Alaska National Parks’ itinerary sails from Fairbanks, Alaska on 17 June 2024, and on 26 June 2025. The 15-day ‘Alaska National Parks’ itinerary departs on 27 August and 3 September in 2024, and on 23 July and 26 August in 2025. American Cruise Lines introduces new cruises to US national parks Photo: American Cruise Lines Photo: Oceania Cruises Photo: Azamara
St Peter Port, Guernsey’s capital and one of the most picturesque ports in Europe, is a stunning location for cruise ship calls. With quality port services, professional handling arrangements and a warm meet and greet, Guernsey is the ideal port of call. For more information contact cruiseguernsey@gov.gg guernseytrademedia.com/cruise
17 Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn’s second purpose-built expedition ship, made its first call at the Port of Valencia in Spain on 11 September 2023. The milestone was celebrated with a traditional plaque exchange ceremony onboard. Francesca Antonelli, head of marketing and cruises of the Port Authority of Valencia, handed over the traditional socarrat – the Valencian terracotta tile designed with maritime motifs – to the ship’s captain, Stig Betten. The Port of Le Havre in northern France is seeing an increase in cruise turnarounds in its timetable for 2023-2024, with both Compagnie Française de Croisières and MSC Cruises adding more sailings from the port. During summer 2023, Compagnie Française de Croisières operated seven departures from Le Havre onboard its ship, Renaissance. The company will return to the port at the end of February 2024, with 18 full turnarounds planned for the 2024 season. MSC Cruises’ MSC Euribia resumes its weekly sailings to Le Havre from mid-October 2023, with 26 partial turnaround calls planned for the autumn/winter 20232024 season. Cruise brands Cunard, Rivages du Monde, Norwegian Cruise Line and Costa Cruises also offer opportunities to start a cruise from Le Havre. Turnarounds on the increase at Le Havre, France Cruise tourism generates record AUS $5.63 billion for Australia Australia’s cruise industry generated a record AUS $5.63 billion (US $3.6 billion) for the economy in the 2022-2023 financial year, according to a new economic impact assessment jointly commissioned by Cruise Lines International Association and the Australian Cruise Association. Cruise operations resumed in Australia in mid-2022, two years after the start of the Covid pandemic, bringing “significant economic impact” to every state and coastal territory. Statistics from The Value of Cruise Tourism economic impact assessment show that the total economic output was 22.1 per cent higher than in 2018-2019, the previous full year of cruise operations in Australia. Seabourn Pursuit makes maiden call at the Port of Valencia Photo: Unsplash/Jamie Davies Photo: Nicolas Gerk Photo: Seabourn MARKETWATCH
18 A record season for Foyle Port Foyle Port in Ireland’s Northwest has had a record year for cruise operations, welcoming 16,000 passengers and crew across 18 ships during the 2023 cruise season. The port received maiden calls from eight ships, including a visit by Explora I from MSC Group’s new luxury cruise brand, Explora Journeys, and the freshly refurbished Renaissance from recently launched French cruise line, Compagnie Française de Croisières. The port in Derry-Londonderry provides access into the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in one visit, giving passengers the opportunity to discover the local coastlines, countryside, and beaches, as well as the historic city itself. In 2023, Portland Port completed a new deep-water berth and extended the existing outer coaling pier, the largest ever investment by the port in its facilities. The £25 million ($30.7 million) investment saw the creation of 16,000 square metres of new quayside space and delivered two berths capable of handling cruise ships up to 350 metres in length simultaneously. The investment has enabled Portland Port to welcome 55 cruise calls and nearly 130,000 guests during its record-breaking 2023 season. Portland Port’s multimillionpound investment pays off When it launches in 2024, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Treasure will pay homage to the fictional land of Agrabah from Aladdin in the ship’s Grand Hall. Photo: Disney Cruise Lines Photo: Portland Port Group Photo: Foyle Port MARKETWATCH
19 Gibraltar to construct new cruise terminal Gibraltar is to build a new 3,817-square-metre, sustainable cruise terminal. The ground floor of the two-storey facility will be used to process cruise passengers, while the first floor will be used for events and conferences, and possibly feature several shop units. “This new facility will provide a luxurious passenger experience, in a worldclass environment, including improvements in the surrounding area,” said Vijay Daryanani, Gibraltar’s Minister for Tourism. Viking’s 82-passenger ship Viking Sobek will offer Nile River sailings after its debut in 2025, becoming the sixth ship in the cruise line’s fleet to sail the 12-day ‘Pharaohs and Pyramids’ itinerary. “We are very pleased with the continued interest in Egypt and are proud to be the only western company to build, own and operate ships on the Nile,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. Viking Sobek to sail additional Nile River cruises DID YOU KNOW? According to CruiseMapper, there are more than 2,000 ports which cruise ships can dock at around the world. Photo: Ministry of Business, Tourism and The Port Photo: Viking Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Skagway Anchorage Hubbard Glacier Glacier Bay Sitka Juneau Ketchikan Prince Rupert Vancouver Astoria Eureka Santa Barbara San Francisco Monterey Los Angeles San Diego Ensenada Victoria portseattle.org www.portseattle.com/cruise With three shore power cruise berths, a natural deep water harbor, award-winning airport, and a vibrant tourism economy, Seattle is perfectly positioned as the largest cruise port on the West Coast. SEATTLE Perfectly positioned Seattle LEARN MORE
21 AIDA Cruises to call at Japanese ports for the first time in 2025 AIDA Cruises will call at several ports in Japan for the first time as part of its 2025 cruise programme, which includes a 15-day ‘Grand Japan Round Trip’ onboard AIDAstella. The ship will depart from the port of Yokohama in Tokyo Bay on 2 April, before visiting the ports of Tokyo, Kobe, Kanmon Passage, Busan, Kanazawa, Niigata, Akita, Hakodate, Miyako and Shimizu. The cruise will then end with a return to Tokyo on 17 April. Haifa Port to create Israel’s first purpose-built cruise terminal Haifa Port in Israel has appointed Bermello, Ajamil & Partners to design the country’s first purpose-built cruise terminal. The new cruise terminal is set to become the first significant project for the port’s new owners, majority stakeholder Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone and minority partner Gadot Group, after the port was privatised earlier this year. Bermello, Ajamil & Partners, which has successfully executed cruise terminal projects in six continents, has created a design that aims to be “especially sensitive to the history and culture of Israel” as well as the planned waterfront development. Photo: Haifa Port Company Photo: Unsplash/Atul Vinayak Colombia is preparing for the start of its 2023-2024 cruise season, with the South American country anticipating an economic impact of $50 million from the cruise industry. According to data provided by port authorities to government agency ProColombia, at least 30 cruise lines will make calls in Colombia during the season, carrying an estimated 334,000 passengers. Visiting companies will include Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, and AIDA Cruises, among others. Colombia prepares for growth in 2023-2024 cruise season Photo: ProColombia MARKETWATCH
22 MARKETWATCH The International Cruise Summit takes place in Madrid, Spain on 14 and 15 November 2023, with an agenda packed with presentations, panels, games, networking and social events. The annual event sees cruise line executives and delegates from all sectors of the cruise industry come together to discuss key issues affecting the industry, from geopolitics issues affecting itineraries, sustainability, and new developments with an eye in the markets of the future and sales strategies. Tahiti hosts second edition of South Pacific Cruise Forum The second edition of the South Pacific Cruise Forum took place on 18 and 19 October 2023 in Tahiti, led by the South Pacific Cruise Alliance, the Australia Cruise Association and the Tahiti Cruise Club in partnership with the Pacific Tourism Organisation. Delegates from 18 countries and territories in the South Pacific, Europe, Australia and the USA met to exchange ideas with the executives of attending cruise lines, including Ponant, Lindblad, Windstar Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and others. Topics under discussion at the conference included economic issues associated with the industry, delivering inclusive and sustainable cruising, the societal acceptability of cruising and itinerary optimisation for the benefit of local populations. The insular South Pacific represents the world’s largest maritime cruising area, and the region receives more than 2,000 cruise calls a year to its hundreds of islands. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Seatrade Cruise Global 8-11 April 2024 | Miami, Florida, USA www.seatradecruiseevents.com/global The world’s largest cruise event, Seatrade Cruise Global, will bring together the global cruise industry, with more than 600 exhibitors and over 100 cruise brands set to attend. CTO Sustainable Tourism Conference 22-24 April 2024 | St. George’s, Grenada www.caribbeanstc.com The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s annual event examines how member states can implement sustainable tourism policies and programmes. CLIA UK & Ireland 23-25 May 2024 | Southampton, UK cruising.org/en-gb/events/2024/may/ clia-conference-2024 Over two days in Southampton, CLIA UK & Ireland 2024 will offer ship visits, conference sessions, an industry trade fair, and a celebratory evening event. Seatrade Cruise Med 11-12 September 2024 | Málaga, Spain www.seatradecruiseevents.com/med Seatrade Cruise Med returns to Malaga in 2024, offering attendees the chance to network with peers, source new itineraries and solutions and learn about the region’s future. International Cruise Summit 14-15 November | Madrid, Spain Photo: South Pacific Cruise Forum Photo: International Cruise Summit
EXPLORE THE CITY STEPS FROM THE TERMINAL: TOUR.PORTTB.COM America’s favorite vacation is back in full swing at Port Tampa Bay. Choose from some of the world’s most popular cruise lines and a host of itineraries throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. And just steps from your ship, Port Tampa Bay guests have an incredible variety of activities and entertainment to enhance their cruise experience, including Ybor City (Tampa’s Latin Quarter), The Florida Aquarium, Sparkman Wharf and Downtown Tampa’s Riverwalk. In fact, all of the greater Tampa region includes close access to Busch Gardens, the top theme parks in the world and the the world’s top-rated beaches, to name a few. Visit www.porttb.com/cruise-destinations-map and find your dream cruise today. CRUISE PORT TAMPA BAY
24 Hong Kong’s East-meets-West culture, varied culinary landscape, exciting arts scene and welcoming locals have long drawn tourists to the city, and more than 55 million of them visited in 2019. The city’s ideal position within Asia also made it an attractive hub at the centre of the region’s burgeoning cruising industry, drawing in both regional and international cruise lines. However, as with the rest of the world, the pandemic brought tourism to a standstill in the city. The city’s industry has taken time to regain its previous strength, but tourism surged in 2023. Over four million people visited Hong Kong in August alone, taking the total tourist arrivals in the first eight months of the year to 20 million. The Southeast Asia source market has recovered the fastest, with arrivals from the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam surpassing prepandemic levels. The number of travellers from mainland China has also been strong, recovering to about 90 per cent of the pre-pandemic amount. Hong Kong’s resurgent tourism sector has also buoyed the city’s cruise industry. An increasing number of cruise lines have committed to deploying their ships in the city or including it within their itineraries. Resorts World Cruises’ Resorts World One began a year-round deployment until April 2024, while Royal Caribbean International’s Spectrum of the Seas will spend winter 20242025 sailing from the city. Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice will also make several turnaround calls in Hong Kong in winter 2023-2024 and winter 2024-2025. By the end of 2023, 18 cruise lines will have made more than 160 cruise calls in Hong Kong. “With this encouraging rebound, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has made it a priority to recalibrate its cruise strategy to sustain long-term growth in a bid to reclaim the city’s status as the cruise hub of Asia,” says Kenneth Wong, general manager of MICE and cruise at HKTB. In a testimony to its position as an important cruise centre, the HKTB successfully pitched for the regional industry showcase event, Seatrade Cruise Asia Pacific, to return for the first time in four years. The event took place on Hong Kong has long been one of the most popular tourism destinations in Asia. With the sector now showing strong postpandemic recovery, the city is poised to regain its position as the region’s premier cruise hub too. Alex Smith reports Reclaiming the cruise crown COVER STORY
24-26 October 2023 at the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong and focused on the theme of ‘Rebuilding Asia Cruising Together’. During the event, the HKTB was able to pursue a multitude of initiatives to entice more cruise brands to deploy more ships in Hong Kong, with its role as host signalling the city’s openness to the industry. Delegates were able to enjoy first-hand the energy and experiences the city has to offer in range of pre- and post-event familiarisation tours and social programmes. Visitors were also invited by the HKTB to an outdoor gastronomic experience at the city’s Wine & Dine Festival. Hong Kong’s location within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area also offers a range of opportunities for cruise companies. With the unique advantages of the city’s position in the Greater Bay Area, cruise companies are able to develop products targeted at visitors from cities in Southern Mainland China. The city is connected to the region via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Cruise lines will make more than 160 cruise calls in Hong Kong during 2023 25
26 High Speed Rail, meaning that cruise lines can more easily attract guests from the 86 million people in the wider Greater Bay Area market. The HKTB has capitalised on this position by forming a partnership with the port of Shekou to develop a Greater Bay Area itinerary for Zhao Shang Yi Dun, the first cruise ship operated by China Merchants Viking Cruises, a joint venture between China Merchants Shekou and Viking Cruises. The partnership will help to add shore experiences and expand passenger sourcing for the cruise line while bringing more cruise visits to Hong Kong. The brand has committed to making multiple calls during the 20232024 winter season. “The HKTB continues to collaborate and communicate closely with cruise line partners to support deployment and operation in the city,” says Wong. “Funding support, shore excursion recommendations and high-profile welcome ceremonies have been lined up to help our partners promote cruise travel in source markets worldwide and put Hong Kong in the spotlight.” To cater for the expected increase in cruise tourism, Hong Kong has invested in improving the infrastructure around the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. In 2025, the city will complete construction of the Central Kowloon Route, which will connect Yau Ma Tei with the Kai Tak Development Area in Kowloon Bay and shorten the journey from the cruise terminal to key tourist districts. The journey time to the West Kowloon district, for example, will drop from 30 minutes to just five. New landmark venues are also being built in the Kai Tak Development Area, close to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. The Kai Tak Sports Park is set to become the largest sports venue in Hong Kong and offers a variety of sports and park facilities, open spaces, and retail and dining outlets. AIRSIDE, meanwhile, is a large shopping mall that officially opened in October, featuring a range of entertainment and leisure venues. The city’s vibrant range of attractions are constantly being updated and added to as well. Water World Ocean Park, an all-weather indoor and outdoor water park featuring five zones with slides, wave pools and an indoor river, opened in September 2021, and was followed in November that year by M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture. Hong Kong Palace Museum, home to over 900 historic treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing, opened its doors in July 2022, and the world’s first Frozen-themed land, World of Frozen, is set to open in November 2023 at Hong Kong Disneyland. New events are also being created to add to the city’s appeal. From July to August 2023, the Harbour Chilli Carnival brought live music shows, street performances, X-Games “ The Hong Kong Tourism Board has made it a priority to recalibrate its cruise strategy to sustain long-term growth” COVER STORY M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, opened in November 2021
27 exhibitions and pyrotechnics to the waterfront promenade. The Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign, meanwhile, will bring a range of night-time entertainment, arts, cultural and other events to the city from mid-autumn until early 2024. Time-honoured traditional events are also returning. The Cheung Chau Bun Carnival in May saw participants compete in the Bun Scrambling Competition and the Climbing Carnival, while the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races returned to Victoria Harbour after a four-year hiatus on 24-25 June. In September, the quaint neighbourhood of Tai Hang came alive during the Mid-Autumn Festival with the Fire Dragon Dance, which involved over 300 performers carrying a glowing dragon through the streets in keeping with a tradition dating back to the 19th century. Hong Kong provides an exciting destination for cruise guests, whether they are looking to immerse themselves in the city’s rich past or wanting to become a part of the vision of its future. Cruise lines looking to bring their guests to experience everything the city has to offer will also find a valuable partner in the HKTB. “The HKTB is committed to working closely with global cruise industry stakeholders to create once-in-a-lifetime cruise experiences and expand the customer base for the entire industry,” concludes Wong. Over 300 performers carry a glowing dragon through the streets of Tai Hung during the Mid-Autumn Festival The Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races are held on 24-25 June
FEATURE Naturally appealing From whale watching in Alaska to solar eclipse experiences in Australia, cruise lines are seeking to deliver more natural experiences for their guests. Alice Chambers asks a selection of ports and destinations around the world to highlight a natural feature or phenomenon that has proven to be popular with visiting cruise passengers Orkney, UK Scapa Flow is the largest natural harbour in the Northern Hemisphere and has a central place in the geography and hearts of Orcadians. A rich history of use can be seen across the archipelago from the Neolithic to the Viking, Medieval and World War II periods, when Orkney was the base for Royal Navy fleets. Scapa Flow is 125 square miles of sheltered water that is the home for orca pods, dolphins and seals, as well as many species of birds. Visible from anywhere in Orkney, cruise guests can see the scale of this water that is ‘the island’s lifeblood Ports of Jersey, UK With its small size, measuring just nine by five miles, the island of Jersey is an ideal location for a day trip. Shaped by the sea, the island has the third largest tidal range in the world, and on spring tides the difference between low and high tide can be up to 12 metres. Additionally, Jersey’s beaches have won multiple awards and rank among the cleanest in the UK. With golden sandy bays in the south, Atlantic waves on the west coast, and the sheltered coves and hidden rock pooling spots on the north and east, Jersey’s beaches provide a variety of natural landscapes to explore. 28
Foyle Port, Northern Ireland The spectacular Causeway Coastal Route stretches from Foyle Port in DerryLondonderry in the northwest of Ireland. With dramatic cliffs, picturesque fishing villages and ancient castle ruins along the winding coastline, there is plenty for cruise guests to explore. The showstopper is the spectacular rock formation of the Unesco World Heritage Site, the Giant’s Causeway, which is just under an hour’s drive from the port and delights as the most popular shore excursion. The rugged, raw elemental beauty of the landscape filled with mythical stories truly captures the thrill of nature and adventure! Alicante, Spain Only 11 miles off the coast of Alicante in Spain is the uninhabited island of Tabarca. Accessible by boat from Alicante, this island has been designated as a Marine Reserve by the Spanish Government since 1986. A variety of marine fauna including sea bass, grouper, conger eel and gilthead are protected in this area by an artificial reef that was laid near the island by the Marine Reserve authorities, and the area was declared a ‘Zone of Special Protection for Birds’ by the European Union. Moreover, Alicante’s proximity to Tabarca positions the port as an ideal destination for cruise operators looking to engage stargazing enthusiasts. In the winter for example, constellations such as Orion, Taurus and Auriga can all be seen from the island. Crotone, Italy Crotone, home to Pythagoras and a Greek-founded city more ancient than Rome, is Italy’s largest marine protected area, spanning 15,000 hectares. Nestled by the sea, its historic core features the impressive Castle of Carlos V and an ancient cathedral dedicated to the Madonna Nera. The region is adorned with ancient towers and castles that are centuries old, including the sea-bound Aragon Fortress of Le Castella. Crotone also serves as a gateway to the towering Sila Mountains, a 150,000-hectare region. Within the Sila National Park, located an hour from Crotone, cruise guests can explore villages and participate in water sports activities like river rafting. 29
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