Seatrade Cruise Global will be opening the doors to its 40th anniversary edition in just a few weeks, bringing together the global cruise community for a milestone event from 07 to 10 April at the Miami Beach Convention Center. This year’s theme, Milestones, encourages cruise lines and industry partners to reflect on four decades of evolution while looking ahead to the future of cruising.
Since its inaugural event in 1985, Seatrade Cruise Global has served as the premier platform for innovation, collaboration, and growth within the industry. The 2025 edition will not only celebrate the industry's remarkable journey but also provide a forward-looking agenda, with 80 conference sessions and 225 expert speakers tackling key opportunities and challenges shaping the next era of cruise travel across four days.
Chiara Giorgi, Global Brand Director, comments on the conference experience: "As we celebrate 40 years of Seatrade Cruise Global, this year’s conference will be our most dynamic yet, bringing together industry leaders to explore the key milestones shaping the future of cruising. From evolving guest expectations to groundbreaking innovations and sustainability efforts, we’re curating discussions that will inspire, challenge, and drive the industry forward. We can’t wait to welcome the global cruise community to Miami for this landmark edition."
Keynote Session: The State of the Global Cruise Industry
A highly anticipated keynote session, "The State of the Global Cruise Industry," sponsored by Hong Kong Tourism Board, is scheduled for Tuesday, 08 April, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Moderated by Anne Kalosh, Editor at Seatrade Cruise News, this session will feature a panel of esteemed industry leaders:
– Charles “Bud” Darr, President & CEO, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
– Jason Liberty, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean Group
– Harry Sommer, President & CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
– Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division of MSC Group
– Josh Weinstein, President, CEO & Chief Climate Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc
These industry leaders will dive into cruising's important topics in 2025 and beyond including opportunities and challenges, supply and demand, reaching new markets, the orderbook — which ballooned in 2024 — product innovation and AI's role, Europe as a bellwether for policy, thoughts on Asia, infrastructure investments including how private destinations are reshaping Caribbean deployment, and an update on the important Sustainable Maritime Fuels Coalition. Plus, they will share their predictions on what cruising will look like 40 years from now.
Bud Darr, CLIA’s President and CEO will deliver a keynote address ahead of the panel discussion. Darr says: "The State of the Global Cruise Industry keynote is a defining moment each year, bringing together the industry's top leaders to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping our future. As we celebrate 40 years of Seatrade Cruise Global, this session will provide insights into key issues such as market expansion, sustainability, and innovation. It’s an exciting time for cruising and I look forward to an engaging conversation, along with revealing highlights from CLIA’s 2025 State of the Cruise Industry report.”
