Cruise Line Industry & Business News by Skift

Hybrid Solutions for Cruise Ships Are Gaining Steam

Áine Quinn, Bloomberg

It's good news in the fight against climate disruption. Cruise ships, which devour fossil fuels, may someday shift some of their power needs to rechargeable battery power, trimming carbon emissions along the way.

8 hours ago

Norwegian Cruise Line Wants Passengers to Keep Spending More at Sea

Hannah Sampson , Skift

Cruise lines keep loading their ships with things for passengers to buy — Starbucks latte and a game of laser tag, anyone? With consumers feeling confident, no one seems to mind spending money on extras. But if the economy takes a turn for the worse, will that change?

1 week ago

Billionaire Cruise Line Owners Are Expanding the Industry

Fran Golden, Bloomberg

Publicly traded cruise operators are the biggest players in the industry, but super-wealthy owners are finding ways to disrupt the status quo.

2 weeks ago

Royal Caribbean Is Seeing Its China Business Perk Up

Hannah Sampson , Skift

It's not often these days that a cruise company singles out China as a highlight; the market has been too volatile. But for Royal Caribbean Cruises, China was one of several positive pieces that added up to an unexpectedly good quarter.

2 weeks ago

Cruise Lines Are Carving Out Exclusive Spaces for the Biggest Spenders

Eric Rosen, Bloomberg

This ship-within-a-ship concept isn't new, but it does appear to be gaining in popularity. Sometimes cruise passengers want a ton of amenities, and sometimes — especially if they can afford it — they want a break from crowds and more personal service. It makes sense for big-ship lines to offer a hybrid.

3 weeks ago

Royal Caribbean Is Giving Its New Silversea Fleet a Luxury Upgrade

Hannah Sampson , Skift

It's probably good news that the first move Royal Caribbean made after closing its majority stake in Silversea was announcing improvements to its fleet. We'll be curious to see what those upgrades include — and how the experience changes for passengers.

3 weeks ago

Cruise Industry Trade Group Needs a New Leader Again

Hannah Sampson, Skift

The cruise industry is still growing fast, and the next leader of Cruise Lines International Association should be prepared to address the side effects of that growth. We'll be interested to see who ends up in the job, especially considering earlier difficulty in filling it.

1 month ago

Norwegian Cruise Line Is Moving Its Built-for-China Ship to the U.S.

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Norwegian Cruise Line made a significant investment in China when it built a ship specifically for that market. But as executives like to say, ships are easy to move when necessary, and clearly Norwegian sees a brighter future in the U.S.

1 month ago

Wall Street Concerns Aren’t Keeping Cruise Lines From Ordering More Ships

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Cruise lines are confident that people will fill the ships they order, and shipbuilding yards are packed with business for years to come. Will Wall Street shake off its worries that demand won't keep up?

1 month ago

UK and Ireland Cruisers Are Actually Getting Older Despite Push for Millennials

Patrick Whyte, Skift

While some cruise lines have had success targeting younger travelers, it is older people who are still the most interested. But so what? There are plenty of wealthy retirees who are happy to while away their days sipping cocktails at sea.

1 month ago

Seabourn Is Building Expedition Ships as Demand for Luxury Adventure Grows

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Now that Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corp. have made serious moves in the expedition space, is it still a "niche" sector of the cruise industry? We expect to see more activity in the coming years from players big and small.

2 months ago

Carnival Lowers Full-Year Forecast as Hurricane Season Looms

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Carnival's shares took a beating Monday after the company lowered its forecast for the full year. Executives pointed out the reason was a hit from fuel and currency, not a lack of demand. That said, they (and the rest of the travel industry) could really use a quiet hurricane season this year.

2 months ago