ONE YEAR OF CRUISES, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND SATISFACTIONS
A year of publications, enhanced by over 20 cruise lines that have sponsored our magazine. A year of cruises, discoveries, itineraries, and new collaborations. A look back and a few future projects.
These lines representing the introduction to the magazine, as usual, are actually the last to be written before going to press. Leafing through the pages to present them means retracing two months of news, discoveries, and updates. But above all, it takes us back to the magnificent experiences that enriched our website and, most importantly, our eyes in this bimester. Images of ships, certainly, but also of beautiful cities, cultures, and landscapes. Added to all this is a great value: the ability to narrate these experiences to an ever-growing audience, ranging from the most extreme and unusual to the more frequent but equally important itineraries for the cruise market and the number of cruisers who frequent them.
Interactions on the website and readings of the digital version of Cruising Journal tell us how thousands of people around the world have traveled with us in the discovery of wonderful places, incredible animals, and increasingly innovative and cutting-edge ships. This success simultaneously represents a stimulus to do more and do better but also a satisfaction for our work. I thank, first of all, the readers and those who visit our web portal daily in the six available languages. Also, all our collaborators, who are now over 25 passionate correspondents from 12 countries worldwide. The cruise industry continues to amaze us every day with new itineraries and new ships. Among the highlights of this first edition of Cruising Journal in 2024, there is certainly the discovery of Norwegian Viva, where we spent a few days on board, and SH Diana, the excellent firstborn of Swan Hellenic. But it was equally unique to rediscover the value of Silversea Cruises on such an exclusive itinerary as the Galapagos Islands, a true paradise off the coast of South America.
River cruises have also proven to be a topic of great interest to our audience, and we have increasingly recurring contributions to showcase this segment of the industry, which involves a steadily increasing percentage of travelers, especially in Europe. AmaViola and A-Rosa Sena are two completely different products: it’s interesting to discover the differences and evaluate how much variety of offerings is available in the river sector today.
The variety of itineraries, both maritime and river, is equally vast. Scrolling through the pages of this edition, we realize that there is always something wonderful to discover, both during stops in
famous cities or places and in countries still unknown from the perspective of cruise travelers. The example of Star Legend, which is offering a winter itinerary in the Mediterranean, demonstrates how much cities like Rome, Marseille, Nice, and Barcelona have to offer when visited off-season and with plenty of time available thanks to overnights. On the contrary, learning about the potential of a country like Uruguay makes us understand how much there is still to develop in terms of destinations and novelties. We feel the urge to leave immediately and travel the coasts and rivers of this promising country.
The index then introduces us to topics that closely involve our passion and help us understand how much can be known in terms of history, technique, and services, in addition to updates on ships and destinations. In this edition, we delve into the topic of energy for cruise ships, particularly into the details of “shore power,” which the industry has been talking about a lot in recent years. But we also take a look at the shipyards of Castellammare, in Italy, where many famous naval units were born. It’s always curious to discover some onboard restaurants or even new projects like the one related to Storylines described in our Cruise Line Guide column.
Cruising Journal is turning one. Beyond the numbers and distribution, what represents the greatest recognition is undoubtedly the collaboration with cruise lines, authorities, and destinations. Our work is constantly developed with the aim of a mutual exchange of information, proposing updates and, above all, the most interesting novelties.
This edition of Cruising Journal presents significant innovations alongside an already appreciated and consolidated structure. First and foremost, we wanted to distinguish Cruise Itineraries more precisely from Cruise Destinations. This way, we will discover the most fascinating proposals in terms of itineraries and new stops introduced by cruise companies on one side. On the other side, it is possible to learn about areas that are opening up to cruise tourism or proposing novelties in terms of structures and the organization of tourist flow.
As we explain more detailed in the relevant article, we felt obligated to enhance a whole year of participation by readers and users by creating a ranking for 2023 derived from their reviews. Our Cruising Journal Awards project actually started a few years ago, but our magazine has undoubtedly brought even more value and prestige to the review system. We dedicate our first anniversary to this important milestone, which, like every “first edition,” will surely undergo evolutions and transformations. But we are still happy to present our first Awards, recognizing cruise lines’ merit in earning the top positions in the evaluation criteria made available to our audience.
The new year opens with novelties on all fronts. While we go to press, our staff has the bags ready for at least four fabulous itineraries, details of which we don’t want to reveal yet. Other exclusive itineraries, alongside traditional trips that are always enjoyable to participate in for the beauty of being among friends and colleagues. We also don’t hide that we already have an eye on Miami, where Cruising Journal will again be a protagonist at Seatrade Cruise Global, both in terms of organizing panels and sponsorship.