Andrea Zelinski
This year in the cruise industry brought headlines about the strength of cruise bookings and geopolitical conflicts. But readers were interested in about a lot more than that this year: Desserts, refurbs, personnel moves, startups, shakeups, among others.
So as social media sites release their annual year-in-review recaps of what songs we listened to or the posts that earned us the most likes, it’s time to look at what cruise stories readers like you most read.
Some of them may surprise you.
No. 10: The fun-ship line is getting serious with travel agents
Carnival Cruise Line showed its appreciation for travel advisors differently this year, pivoting its focus from “Agentpalooza” parties with stretch limos, temporary tattoos and games to training agents on how to build a better business plan.
No. 9: Margaritaville at Sea is working to build appeal with travel advisors
Although the line sails two-night cruises, the brand’s then-CEO Kevin Sheehan, Jr., said he wanted to make the line more attractive to travel advisors. Ten months later, and with a new CEO, the line announced the purchase of a second ship that would sail four- and five-day voyages, potentially making it more attractive for advisors to sell.
No. 8: Barcelona bans cruise ships from docking near the city center
Barcelona, the busiest cruise port in Europe, officially closed its popular Moll Adossat pier south of the city center. The port’s president said the move will push “pollution away” and reduce the emissions that reach the city, although travel advisors generallly said they were satisfied with the use of the city’s larger cruise facility nearby. Barcelona is one of several cities that have sought restrictions on cruise ships this year pointing to pollution or overtourism.
No. 7: Margaritaville at Sea will do a multimillion-dollar ship upgrade
Margaritaville at Sea captured our readers’ attention again. This time, it was the brand’s decision to beef up features on its original ship by adding a Cheeseburger in Paradise burger bar and new production shows. It also wanted to join the pickleball craze. This enhancement is part of the brand’s effort to refine its product after launching the Margaritaville at See Paradise in 2022.
No. 6: After buying Seabourn Odyssey, Japanese cruise line to put focus on the U.S.
Japan has been a huge draw for U.S. travelers, and Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines plans to position itself internationally as the best way to see the country. The ship, which is still in use by Seabourn, officially changes hands next August, with the Japanese line planning to relaunch it by the end of 2024 under the brand Mitsui Ocean Cruises.
No. 5: Dondra Ritzenthaler on her retirement from Celebrity Cruises and what’s next
When the popular senior vice president of sales for the Americas for Celebrity Cruises stepped down earlier this year, she said she was young enough to pursue other interests she’s passionate about. Little did we know that before the year was up she’d be named the next CEO of Azamara Cruises, although she won’t step into that role until May.
No. 4: Princess Cruises expands bundles to include elaborate desserts and exercise classes
Perhaps it was the headline pairing exercising with desserts. Or maybe it was the picture of ice cream garnished with pointy chocolate triangles, swirly hard candy and sprinkles. Regardless of what it was, readers flocked to this report about Princess Cruises building on its Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages.
No. 3: A new OTA will pursue first-time cruisers
As cruise lines look to attract first-timers, a new online travel agency put focus on that market, too. Cruisebound launched in January focused on travelers looking for cruise deals. The agency taps into information like the customer’s location, demographics, age and military service to offer personalized discounts.
No. 2: Carnival Corp. reorganizes brands in corporate restructuring
As the CEO at Carnival Corp. was about to hit his one-year anniversary, Josh Weinstein reshuffled the organizational structure of its brands. This was the first major change from Weinstein since he took the helm of the company in August 2022 and the first hint of what his leadership would look like.
No. 1: Cruise lines double down on solo cabins.
As the trends of solo travel gained momentum, so did interest from cruise lines. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced it would double the number of single-person cabins it offers, and other lines are also factoring solo cruisers into how they build their ships. The story was so popular, we produced a podcast episode about the trend.
