IN SEARCH OF AN IDENTITY: TRENDS AND CONFIRMATIONS IN THE CRUISE INDUSTRY
Introducing a new edition of Cruising Journal doesn’t just mean presenting the topics and authors who have contributed with their dedication and experiences to another journey into the world of ships and destinations.
Instead, it means capturing the innovations that characterize the industry, trends, and, why not, an interpretation of the evolution of the industry in which we all work every day.
But let’s start from here, from what the second edition of the Magazine offers to our readers. An increasingly loyal international audience, judging by the demand for printed magazines and digital version views. But also, increasingly interactive, as evidenced by the reviews users post on the website and the willingness to actively participate in the editorial activities, on social media, at the event cruises we organize and attend.
Two months later, it is also a source of great satisfaction to have witnessed the appreciation of all cruise lines for our Awards. Some companies have already published the award logos on their websites, turning our efforts and the readers who submit reviews into an additional acknowledgment of our work.
Among the many topics we deal with daily, travel experiences are undoubtedly the most interesting, especially for cruisers seeking inspiration and who get to know different companies through the reports that authors and travelers strive to provide. On this occasion, we will discover the wonders of South Africa offered by Azamara Voyages’ Intensive Voyage, the very “French” charm of Ponant, the eclecticism of Scarlet Lady. But also, more distant destinations such as Australia aboard Vasco da Gama or the Orient with the spectacular Spectrum of the Seas. Unique experiences, extraordinary journeys that truly make it clear how the concept of “cruise” is increasingly assimilable to that of intensive and comprehensive travel.
It is precisely by drawing inspiration from these itineraries that a trend towards innovation and transformation of the cruise travel concept is observed. Two models that are increasingly divergent, where new players frequently appear to seize the moment and launch new ships. On the one hand, the “destination ship”: technological masterpieces capable of impressing and astonishing guests, dragging them into a whirlwind of activities and fun where days fly by without being able to discover all the services offered on board. On the other hand, the “ship for the destination”: services are well-crafted and certainly not overlooked, but the real difference is made by itineraries, increasingly aimed at allowing
the discovery of places, stories, and cultures. Two worlds that may seem polar opposites but are actually in constant dialogue. Certainly, there are cruise companies that aim to reconcile the two trends, offering cutting-edge ships capable of proposing exclusive and sought-after itineraries.
Navigating between these two dimensions is not easy. However, I believe there are real professionals today for those approaching the world of cruises. First and foremost, travel agents, for those who still rely on this important figure in tourism. And there are professional magazines and websites that, rather than promoting or selling, can provide the best information to indicate the best ships and itineraries based on individual traveler needs.
Taking a look at the services, as described in this edition, highlights the operators’ willingness to innovate and continuously renew, offering more and more attention to their customers. Loyalty is important, and rarely does immobility pay off with a high number of repeaters. Innovation, of course, does not mean a radical change in a brand’s philosophy, which, on the contrary, is what gives it stability and individuality within such a vast and heterogeneous panorama.
Two columns of this magazine are receiving great appreciation. The historical one, which talks about aspects related to the origin and past of cruise travel, and the technical one, capable of explaining many backstage aspects of ships and ports, always in non-too-specialized terms. This means that in addition to the growing number of travelers on cruise ships, the number of “cruisers” is also growing: people interested and aware, open to new knowledge and to delve into many less obvious aspects of this type of travel and the industry behind it.
The journey that Cruising Journal proposes through its pages continues with destinations and ports of call. Simple and effective guides that not only want to suggest and inspire travelers and operators but also demonstrate how many still relatively unknown destinations there are to discover, how much potential there still is in the destination industry. Many of these are ready or will be soon. Others refine their welcome to ships. Whether they are big cities or small hidden treasures, our joy is to go and discover them and propose them to readers.
This issue will be the protagonist at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami 2024. Once again, we will be the Media Sponsor of the most important event in the industry. An important appointment not only for business but for the awareness of belonging to an increasingly united, dynamic, and attentive industry. A great gathering of people from various roles, but all equally important to achieve the complementarity that is fundamental in this sector. From the craftsmen to the suppliers, from the port operators to the cruise lines’ executives, from journalists to destinations. We are all bound together in a synergy that is the basis of the sector’s success and improves year after year thanks to availability, the ability to listen, and the willingness to collaborate.
Personally, I will lead a panel that I care a lot about: “Back to Life – Reviving Iconic Cruise Ships”. In an industry where the race for the new and innovative is increasingly tight, there are small realities that have been able to recover prestigious ships that have contributed to the success and history of cruises, bringing them into the limelight, each with its own identity and philosophy of cruising. I felt the duty, as well as the great pleasure, to talk to them, to understand the business, the operations, the type of guests who love this type of itinerary.
As we write, we are traveling to new discovery itineraries, from the Caribbean to Europe. March is the month when river cruises reactivate in the Old Continent, a sector where our audience has shown itself increasingly numerous and attentive. There are also many technological innovations at this level, and it will be our pleasure to showcase them in the coming weeks.
In conclusion, it is my duty to thank once again all the authors. You will never learn to know them all because they continually renew themselves. We have many collaborators thanks to our fundamental internationality. In my opinion, more than the significant number, it is internationality that is the real wealth. Our perspective manages to be more reliable, more complete, more elaborate. We are happy to offer you the panorama of cruises read by many different cruisers, travelers, explorers. “The Cruising World reviewed by You”...