News

Passengers want experiences, not sight seeing, work and use smart technology onboard - CLIA

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 10 April 2019 10 April 2019

The cruise industry is experiencing a range of changes in what passengers expect from their holiday and many of these changes are driven by new information technology, CLIA said in its 2019 State of the Industry Report.

People want to work onboard ships, post photos of their experience on platforms such as Instagram and utilise smart technology onboard ships.

In addition, sight seeing is no longer enough when it comes to excursion ashore for many, but instead want experiences like hiking to Macchu Picchu. This is most evident with Generation Z, which likes genuine experiences overmaterial matters, the report said.

CLIA listed 10 consumer trends that affect the cruise industry at the moment:

“Instagram photos are driving interest in travel around the world. With onboard connectivity, cruise passengers are filling Instagram feeds with diverse travel experiences both onboard and on land from several cruise destinations.

Stressed out from fast-paced lives, travelers are seeking ways to check out from daily responsibilities and rejuvenate more than ever before. Cruise lines are responding by offering total wellness in the form of restorative spa experiences, onboard oxygen bars, healthy menu choices for a wide variety of diets, and the latest in fitness innovations.

Experiential travel has evolved into achievement travel as vacationers are looking for experiences beyond sightseeing. Bucket lists have become goal demands. Passengers can conquer Machu Picchu or complete culinary workshops hosted by Le Cordon Bleu chefs.

Travelers use tech in daily lives and are expecting smart tech when vacationing as well. Cruise lines have adopted technology for cruise travelers, including key chains, necklaces, bracelets, apps and in order to provide a highly personalized travel experience more while on and off the ship.

Travelers want to see the world in a conscious, mindful way. The cruise industry is more conscientious than ever, working to local destinations to local cultures, landmarks and minimize environmental footprints.

Travelers are setting sights on destinations that were previously out of reach – some only accessible now by cruise ship – from the Galapagos Islands to Antarctica.

Generation Z is set to become the largest consumer generation by the year 2020—outpacing even Millennials. This generation like the one before, prefers experiences over material items and is seeking out travel. The appeal of multiple destinations and unique experiences, such as music festivals at sea, is attracting this new category of cruisers.

The off-peak season is rising in popularity whether travelers want to escape the cold in a tropical locale or embrace the chill in a new destination. Cruising offers some once in a lifetime experiences during colder months including excursions to see the Northern Lights, visiting a penguin colony and touring European Christmas markets.

Combining work with leisure time is on the rise. Straying far from the notion of device-free travel, many modern travelers or “digital nomads” are opting for trips where they can work remotely which cuts down on time off and lost wages. With WiFi, desks and work-friendly cafes, travelers can keep up with work while enjoying a cruise vacation.

With the number of female travelers growing, many tourism and travel companies are creating female-centered itineraries based on interests and connecting women with other women. Female- centered cruises can create a female empowerment community at sea while allowing travelers to experience the world around them, as well as famous feminist landmarks.

With more Google searches for “solo travel” and “traveling alone” than ever before, solo traveling is rising in popularity. Cruising allows for solo travel without the worry of arranging a ton of details while visiting even the most far-reaching destinations and connecting with other travelers, forming community bonds and once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” CLIA said.

MSC Cruises unveils plans for highly-innovative multi-cruise ship terminal at PortMiami

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 10 April 2019 10 April 2019

MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately-owned cruise company, announced today details of a new highly-innovative cruise terminal at PortMiami that will support its expanding presence in North America and in the Caribbean in particular.

As per the terms of the agreement, which has today received approval from the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, MSC Cruises will design, construct, operate and maintain a large building that hosts two cruise terminals (AA and AAA) as well as two berths. Designed by the award-winning global architecture firm Arquitectonica, MSC Cruises’ exclusive new PortMiami terminals will be capable of hosting two mega cruise ships at the same time, allowing the Company to conduct two turnaround operations simultaneously, handling up to 28,000 passenger movements per day.

Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises Executive Chairman, said: “With another 13 cruise vessels due to join our fleet in the next eight years, our ambition is to have our most innovative ship classes represented at PortMiami, bringing a wealth of choice to our North American as well as international guests.

“In particular, the new terminal – which will be one of the most innovative the industry has seen – will ensure that we can provide our guests an enhanced end-to-end high-quality experience while both embarking and disembarking, thus adding to their ability to fully enjoy every moment of their vacation.”

MSC Cruises currently operates four vessels out of PortMiami: MSC Seaside and MSC Armonia year-round; MSC Divina seasonally; and MSC Meraviglia, which will join the ships sailing from Miami this fall, seasonally. With the new cruise facilities, MSC Cruises will bring a total 1 million guests through PortMiami each year.

Work on the new terminals is due to commence in early 2020. MSC Cruises currently estimates that the work will be completed by late 2022, at which time the Company will transfer all its PortMiami operations to the new Terminal.

Viking and China Merchants Group to join forces in expanding China's cruise industry

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 09 April 2019 09 April 2019

On April 8, Viking and China Merchants Shekou, representing China Merchants Group, announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture focused on building a cruise line with worldwide cruise offerings for the Chinese cruise market.

This will be a wide-ranging partnership covering from product development to sales and marketing. Further, China Merchants Group’s shipbuilding subsidiaries will partner with the joint venture to design and build new ocean cruise ships dedicated to the Chinese market.

“China is a dynamic outbound tourism market, and we are pleased to be partnering with China Merchants Group in this joint venture to drive the development of the cruise industry – we see Viking’s way of cruising less as a trip and more as a lifestyle,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “For more than 20 years, we have led the industry in developing a fleet of ships and a range of cruise itineraries that we believe provide guests with the most comfortable and enriching way to explore the world. Our partnership with China Merchants Group will allow us to bring this Viking travel lifestyle to more Chinese travelers more quickly, satisfying the Chinese market’s unmet demand for a greater choice of sophisticated travel.”

“China Merchants Group treasures this cooperation with Viking. This is a full scale, multi-dimensional cooperation that covers all three main business sectors of China Merchants group,” said Gangfeng Fu, president of China Merchants Group. “Viking has gained tremendous experience in cruise operations and branding strategies during its 20 years of rapid growth. We sincerely hope that the alliance of the two powerful brands will create synergies and innovative business models that will lead the cooperation into a market-leading cruise brand.

Viking operates a current fleet of 78 vessels, offering scenic cruising on rivers and oceans around the world. China has been a part of Viking’s destination portfolio since 2003, and since setting up local operations in China in 2016, the company has seen strong momentum in its European river cruise product tailored for Chinese-speaking guests.