Cruise Line Industry & Business News by Skift

Royal Caribbean Is Buying a $1 Billion Stake in Silversea to Boost Its Luxury Offerings

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Buying Silversea will certainly improve Royal Caribbean's offering in the luxury and expedition sectors. Will it be happy as a majority shareholder, as it says now, or will it eventually want complete control?

1 week ago

How the Ritz-Carlton at Sea Will Avoid the Bus-Route Nature of Cruising

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Luxury cruisers have some well-known options, but the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection believes it can win over both fans of cruising and non-cruisers alike. Will newcomers abandon land to check out how Ritz-Carlton translates to sea?

2 weeks ago

Glacier Bay Permit Fees Are Rising for Cruise Passengers

Associated Press

In addition to raising fees for cruise passengers who visit Glacier Bay in Alaska, the National Park Service is asking operators to explain the impact their presence will have on the park. As larger cruise ships sail to Alaska, it's important that the destination not become overwhelmed.

2 weeks ago

Newest Norwegian Cruise Line Ship Offers More Fun for a Fee

Christopher Palmeri, Bloomberg

Cruise lines have been adding bells and whistles — some included in the price, some not — for years now. Executives have a good sense of what passengers are willing to pay extra for, and we expect to see a continued push to generate more onboard revenue.

2 weeks ago

Old Cruise Ships Get New Life as Costs Soar for New Builds

Fran Golden, Bloomberg

Shiny new megaships get a lot of attention, but cruise lines aren't forgetting about the rest of their fleet. Older ships can be just the ticket for emerging markets, quick weekend trips, and ports that can't handle giant vessels.

3 weeks ago

Havana’s Big Cruise Ambitions Could Be Too Much Too Fast

Hannah Sampson, Skift

No one doubts that Cuba will continue to grow as a cruise destination. The question is how that growth will be managed — and whether the island can cope with the influx of additional daily visitors.

3 weeks ago

Havana Is Tripling the Size of Its Cruise Terminal as Demand Soars

Christopher Jasper , Bloomberg

Cruise lines say interest is still high for Cuba, especially because so many U.S. travelers have been forced to stay away for decades. But visits have been limited for capacity reasons. With more room for ships, will the destination become a Caribbean cruise staple — and will the island's infrastructure be able to handle the crowds?

4 weeks ago

Royal Caribbean Tour Venture GoBe Calls It Quits

Hannah Sampson, Skift

As we've said repeatedly: Everyone wants a piece of tours and activities, but not everyone can be successful. Royal Caribbean Cruises tried something different for a cruise company with GoBe, but the space was crowded.

1 month ago

How Cruise Lines Innovate When They Keep Building the Same Type of Ship

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Cruise lines are constantly trying to come out with more impressive bells and whistles, even when the type of ship has been around for years. Consumers appear to be responding, so don't expect the game to change.

1 month ago

Cruise Wellness Company One Spa World Could Be For Sale

Melissa Mittelman and Kiel Porter, Bloomberg

Spa treatments on cruise ships and resorts are big business, as shown by the potential $1 billion price tag for One Spa World. What would a new owner mean for the brand — and for all its partners?

2 months ago

Norwegian Cruise CEO Sees No Signs of Recession

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Like other cruise operators, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is seeing strong business for 2018 and even 2019. Two words — hurricane season — could interfere, but with so many bookings already made, even a stormy summer shouldn't ruin the year.

2 months ago

Royal Caribbean Ups Forecast But Wall Street Worries About Too Many Ships

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Royal Caribbean Cruises has a lot of new ships coming, which will let the cruise operator charge higher prices and attract fresh interest. But as the global cruise industry continues to add capacity, analysts wonder if demand can keep up with the building boom.

2 months ago