The weather

Due to bad weather conditions such as storms, hurricanes rain, thunderstorms, etc. cruise line
cancels their trips, switch embarkation points, change their tour destinations and change their
decisions.

Like any other vessel that sails the high seas or rivers or lakes, cruise ships are at the mercy of
the weather. Cruise lines know this and try to place their ships in destinations where the weather
is less likely to affect the itinerary, but avoiding inclement weather is never guaranteed. From
rain, hurricanes and high winds to fog and low or high waters, there are many ways in which bad
weather can force a cruise off its original course or simply ruin passengers’ beach days.

Cruise ships sailing to the Bahamas, Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean during hurricane
season on both the East and West Coasts of the U.S. often reroute or skip ports to avoid storms in
the area. Hawaii cruises also can be affected, though less frequently. Ships departing from
Galveston and Tampa in the winter and spring often run into fog, leading to delayed departures
and at least one canceled cruise a season.

Some tender ports (ports that must be reached via small boats that go back and forth between
your cruise ship and shore) like Grand Turk, Belize City, Grand Cayman, Princess Cays and
Great Stirrup Cay in the Caribbean and Bahamas -- as well as Santorini, Cannes and Split in
Europe -- are commonly skipped because of high winds. River cruises are not immune either,
often rerouting or putting passengers on tour buses because river waters are too high or too low.
Even when ports are not missed entirely, arrival can be delayed and your time ashore cut short.

And any destination can be cold, rainy, cloudy or windy. Bad weather can mean anything from
less impressive photos or a canceled helicopter ride to a rained-out snorkel trip.
What happens if cruise ship reroutes or skips a port?

First of all, you might not know right away whether or not a port will be skipped. In some cases,
such as hurricanes, you'll probably know at least a day ahead of time. Other times, a captain may
actually attempt to dock, but be unable to and thus skip the port call.

If the captain of your cruise decides it's too dangerous to proceed with the scheduled itinerary, he
might implement any number of alternative plans. You might get one or more extra days at sea,
or the captain could swap out the missed port for a new port. Sometimes, the entire order of ports
is rearranged so that all are still visited but at times when the weather will be less disruptive.
Less frequently, but not unheard of, the ship will be forced to switch destinations. For example,
your Eastern Caribbean itinerary could be changed to a Western Caribbean one, or your entire
Caribbean cruise will be replaced by a Bermuda or New England/Canada sailing.

Are cruises ever canceled because of bad weather?

Because cruise ships can move around bad weather, full cancellations are rare. But they do
happen. Cruise lines are loath to cancel sailings and try to wait as long as possible before making
a decision, while still trying to give passengers enough lead time to make alternate plans if
necessary. If a line does cancel, it will offer compensation -- usually a full refund of the cruise
fare and possibly an additional percentage of your fare paid, given in the form of a future cruise
certificate.

For example, during 2017's back-to-back hurricanes Irma and Maria (which affected more than
100 itineraries), passengers were given full refunds on canceled sailings. Some lines also offered
a future cruise credit of 25 percent in addition to the refund. In other cases, cruise lines were
forced to shorten itineraries and gave booked cruisers the option to cancel for a full refund or sail
and get a partial refund (25 to 50 percent) as well as a future cruise credit of 25 to 50 percent.
How Bad Weather Can Affect a Cruise

Cruise ships are built to withstand typical weather with ease, including the occasional storm or
other bad weather. Likewise, cruise itineraries are planned to take advantage of the best weather
seasons with minimal disruptions. Still, bad weather can impact a cruise in several ways.

A simple rainy day may close pools and hot tubs or cancel outdoor activities or shore tours, or
rough seas may mean certain shows are not safe for entertainers to perform and will have to be
rescheduled. In very poor weather, the ship may need to be rerouted, and arrivals and departures
at ports of call may be delayed, changed or even canceled in extreme case.

When extreme adjustments are made to a ship’s itinerary, cruise passengers are often offered
onboard credit or refunds, but those compensations are not required and should not be expected
or demanded. At the same time, cruise lines will make every effort to offer substitute activities
and more events that can be enjoyed regardless of the weather.

Enjoying Your Cruise When Bad Weather Strikes

It can be disappointing when bad weather changes the activities or destinations you’d hoped to
enjoy on your cruise, but there is still plenty to do.

Most indoor activities will be unaffected by inclement weather, including trivia contests,
karaoke, cooking demonstrations, Bingo games, art auctions, craft projects, comedy shows, slot
tournaments, scavenger hunts and more.

You can also take advantage of the ship’s indoor facilities, such as the gym, spa, arcade and
shopping mall, all of which may have different presentations, lectures and sales going on no
matter what the weather. Larger, more elaborate ships often have even more unusual options,
such as ice rinks, bowling alleys, movie theaters or planetariums.

If none of the scheduled options appeal to you on a rainy day, you can enjoy a slower pace by
indulging in your own entertainment onboard. Most cruise ships offer several in-cabin movie
options and you can order room service for a cozy snack.

You could visit the ship’s library and see what reading material is available, and many libraries
offer board games and puzzles for passengers to use.

The future

Many people spend their money for tourism due to increase their income level. Cruise line
always concern additional ports, tour packages prices, taxes, interest rate changers and other
economic variable changers.

What new technologies are you most excited about?

We presently offer a shipboard app on four ships which will eventually be fleetwide. It allows
guests to track all the exciting happenings on board from dining to music and entertainment and
it also includes the option of purchasing an innovative chat feature for a nominal charge. We are
also offering enhanced, higher speed internet fleetwide and Carnival Vista is the first ship in our
fleet to go 100 percent digital in terms of photography.

On the operational front, advanced technology is allowing us to build more efficient ships that
save energy and fuel and help us lessen our environmental footprint. Every new ship that is
constructed is better than the one prior in terms of operational technologies and this will
continue.
What major changes do you see coming to Carnival and the cruise industry in the years
ahead?

Customized and tailored experiences for different demographics. For example, tailored youth
programming for different age groups, family friendly programming and facilities, adults-only
areas and experiences, tailored accommodations such as Family Harbor and Havana Cabanas
aboard Carnival Vista. We will also continue to see growth in flexible and widely varied dining
choices. Entertainment on ships continues to change and become more diversified and
spectacular. Shore excursion experiences are changing as well. People are looking for interesting
shore-ex choices and cruise lines are responding with some truly unique and exciting experiences
that didn’t exist even five years ago.

Cruise Ships of the Future

Fifty years ago, no one thought cruise ships would evolve into 1,200-foot behemoths capable of
carrying 5,000 passengers. And while we’re excited by the innovations on new ships
like Quantum of the Seas, it’s hard not to wonder how dramatically different cruise ships will
look 50 years from now.

With our curiosity piqued, we scoured the Internet for the craziest cruise ship concept art we
could find. Some designs are plausible; others are a long way off, and some are borderline absurd
— but they all make us eager to book a cruise in 2060.
1. Sleek and Sexy

If someone said this ship could fly, we would probably believe them.

We’re not sure if this is a cruise ship or a mega-yacht, but we sure want to sail on it. There may
not be much open deck space, but this ship looks like it travels between ports so fast you could
go to sleep in Cozumel and wake up in St. Thomas.
2. The Floating Island

The new definition of luxury at sea. - Photo by Yacht Island Design

Can’t decide between a cruise and an island resort? With the Tropical Island Paradise by Yacht
Island Design, you can have both. The lido deck is rather small, but the huts and palm trees are a
classy touch. And it’s impossible not to be excited about the infinity pool on the bow.
3. The City

They could fit a runway on this ship and do away with airport transfers entirely. - Photo by GriffinIncorporated

Think Royal Caribbean's Central Park concept is impressive? This floating city, appropriately
dubbed “Atlantis II,” looks like it’s trying to rival the size of Central Park itself. Open space is
clearly not an issue with this design, since the ship appears to be one massive lido deck.
4. The Shark Fin

If The SeaOrbiter (left) were to be adapted for cruise purposes, underwater dining would be a must. - Photo by Jacques
Rougerie

There’s always something to be said for great views from a balcony, but how amazing would it
be to look out your porthole and see a coral reef or a school of fish? What makes this design
unlikely is that destination ports would have to be completely redesigned to accommodate a ship
that extends this far underwater. At the moment, designer Jacques Rougerie intends for “The
SeaOrbiter” to be a research lab, but we cruisers will be keeping our fingers crossed for a
commercial version.
5. The Submarine

Do the helicopters and planes mean there's a landing strip on top?

OK, maybe it’s not necessarily designed to go underwater, but we love the prospect of taking a
private boat out for a spin on sea days. As strange as this “ship” looks, some of its features
already exist: The bow appears to be one giant observation deck like Quantum of the Seas’
Two70 lounge, and some lines — like Seabourn Cruise Line and Paul Gauguin Cruises —
already have water sports platforms for kayaks, personal watercrafts, and water-skiing.
6. The Skyscraper

We've heard cruise ships called "floating hotels" before, but this is a lot more literal than anything we've seen.

It may look like the seafaring version of a tacky Vegas resort, but we’re not ashamed to admit
that we would book the first sailing available. Our biggest complaint? Limited open space means
these ships won’t have the most impressive lido decks.
7. The Horseshoe

With this design, every day is a port day.

This design doesn’t look very hydrodynamic — or aesthetically pleasing, for that matter — but if
they did manage to make it float, this “ship” would have the largest pool in cruising, plus a boat
launch in the aft.
8. The Boomerang

The strange bend gives smaller ships access to an interior dock.- Photo by Ken Oltheius

With space for three large ships and 5 million square feet of shopping, dining, and entertainment,
this terminal-resort hybrid could be the new private island of the cruise industry. Ken Oltheius
designed the Floating Ship Terminal as a series of sustainable aquatic structures, and lined the
terminal with photovoltaic cells to give the structure its own power supply.
9. The Lilypad

Taking a stroll throught this floating behemoth should be on every cruiser's bucket list. - Photo by Vincent Callebut

Think a ship with 5,000 passengers feels like a floating city? How about one with 50,000? Green
architect Vincent Callebaut designed the Lilypad as a solution to global warming and rising sea
levels. It looks as if every available inch of the ship — including the walls — has been covered
with greenery, giving it the nickname a “floating ecopolis.” It’s not a cruise ship per se, since it
would float freely on the ocean’s currents, but it would be an amazing opportunity for die-hard
cruisers to make their dream of life on the high seas a reality.

So where is cruising headed over the next decade? In truth, it's difficult to make genuine
predictions, since most guesses rely on already existing, emerging trends. Maybe virtual reality
will allow you to undertake a ship inspection before you choose which cruise to book. What we
do know is that there will be a whole lot more choice. Next year, 17 new ships will launch; the
Year after. An astonishing 97 are currently on order up to 2026 which, says Cruise Lines
International Association (CLIA), adds capacity for 230,788 more passengers.

That doesn't mean the cost of cruising will fall, however. Capacity will likely be far outstripped
by demand, so I suggest you make sail while the sun shines. Passenger numbers rose 62 per cent
over the last decade, and this year CLIA says 26 million passengers took a cruise. That growth is
accelerating. The reality is that hardly anyone has cruised yet – not even 5 per cent of Americans
or Australians – while Asians have only just discovered holidays afloat.

More millennials and Gen X travellers will also take up cruising. Nearly half of cruise
passengers are already under 50, and over a third of the exploding Asian cruise market is under
40. As the average age of cruisers falls, large ships will surely continue the trend towards more
active and adventurous options both on board and on-shore excursions.

Expedition cruising is likely to continue its current boom. Sightseeing may well be combined
with fitness activities, whether jogging, kayaking, cycling or even extreme sports in remote
locales: skiing in Antarctica provides great social-media kudos.

Millennials in particular are tech-savvy and will be making use of cruise ships' already existing
technological advances: comprehensive booking apps, luggage-tracking apps, radio-frequency
identity bracelets, and interactive online games and photo sharing.

They won't be the only ones celebrating a farewell to frustrating shipboard communications. In
another 10 years, we'll all be rid of the cruise bugbear of dreadful internet and mobile-phone
connections. Passengers will get the included, high-speed connectivity now common in hotels.
Cruise companies are beginning to recognise another advantage in this, apart from customer
satisfaction: the lucrative incentives and conference market that has so far ignored ships.
Business cruisers could well become more common.
FUTURE POSSIBLE
Predicting the long-term future of cruising is a challenge: who could have imagined mobile
phones, the internet, GPS and other world-transforming technologies just 50 years ago? Still,
we've cast our eyes a little further ahead to what might happen over the next few decades.

PILOTLESS SHIPS
There's a growing buzz about driverless cars, and it's surely a small leap to ships without
captains; there are fewer hazards at sea than on the roads. Japanese shipbuilding firms recently
announced plans to have remote-controlled cargo ships by 2025; Rolls-Royce has also flagged
autonomous vessels.

ROBOT CREW
Robots are already stocking Amazon shelves, dispensing prescriptions and doing the vacuuming,
so surely housekeeping, cooking and accounting on cruise ships must be next. Indeed, four Royal
Caribbean International ships already feature robot bartenders who can shake, stir and produce
endless cocktail combinations.

TRUE MEGA-SHIPS
Ships with enough space for 50,000 people, such as the fantasy $US10-billion Freedom Ship
project, have been mooted since the 1990s, although they have so far been postponed. Marine
architects have produced other designs for entire slow-moving floating cities powered by wind
and solar energy.

CHALLENGE : TORONTO CRUISE SHIP

Set sail with Challenge, just steps from downtown Toronto. This 96' three-masted schooner is
your ultimate upscale destination 'on-the-go'; with a sleek appearance and a chic interior –
complete with lounge style couches, two large LCD televisions and a full service bar – Challenge
rises to any occasion with style.
From corporate events to personal parties, Challenge is designed with you in mind: a top notch
sound system, a complimentary DJ, and personalized menu availability. Our chefs use many
local, fresh ingredients and our catering staff work with you to ensure your gathering is exquisite
and unforgettable.

With the best view in the city, of Toronto's skyline, Challenge offers a fabulous venue for your
next soiree; it boasts authentic hardwood decks for sun-seekers, as well as a stellar dining and
lounge area below for all-weather luxury and comfort. Challenge can accommodate up to 72
guests, and is waiting for you in the heart of the Harbourfront.

Our experienced, knowledgeable crew is here to customize your sail to accommodate your
needs; whether it is traditional sailing or a lavish entertainment experience; Challenge is
unsurpassable.

Economic challenges

This article considers economic risks which could potentially threaten the competitiveness and
sustainability of cruise destinations such as New Zealand. Included in this article are those
economic risks which are factored into cruise lines’ decisions as to whether to send their ships to
a destination and the destination’s capacity to host these ships and their passengers. A cruise life-
cycle framework has been developed to provide a structure for discussion: (a) product
development; (b) infrastructure development; (c) distribution; (d) consumption; and (e) disposal.
Five strategies for managing economic risks are presented: the formation of an adequately
funded peak committee; the cultivation of a cruise culture; the provision of appropriate training;
the creation of a national cruise manual; and the design, development and implementation of a
cruise brand. Each of these strategies is based on an approach to risk management which calls for
a positive view of risk and how it can be transformed into competitive success.

The cruise industry worldwide is subject to a wide range of risks, threats and vulnerabilities
(collectively, risks). These risks can attach to any aspect of cruising and invariably, at some time,
do. Risks can affect the cruise line itself, individual ships, ports and terminals, passengers, and
onshore providers. The manifestations of these risks can be as high profile as building a new
terminal which is unreachable by big cruise ships or more routine such as a powerful storm
resulting in the cancellation of all outdoor shore excursions. The overriding risk for the
destination, though, is that no ships will turn up because of a loss of confidence by the cruise line
in that destination.

2Many risks are magnified in remote, isolated destinations as well as in destinations which
experience rapid growth. New Zealand (NZ) falls into both categories: it is a two-day sail from
any other destination (ie Australia and the South Pacific Islands), and as the following table
illustrates, is experiencing rapid growth: