All articles by Amit Thadani
Amit Thadani
Restoring the faith
Over the past 18 months, it’s been impossible to avoid Covid-19’s impact on the cruise market, and the rush from operators to promote health and safety. But what’s the actual relationship between the seaborne risk of Covid-19 and what passengers perceive it to be? And how much can cruise companies actually do to restore faith in the industry? Andrea Valentino speaks to Dr Jennifer Holland, an expert in risk perception at Suffolk Business School, to learn more.
Extraordinary expeditions
Over 59 years, Abercrombie & Kent has established itself as a leading luxury travel company specialising in award-winning tailor-made holidays and escorted tours. A specialist in polar exploration, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the group’s first maiden voyage to Antarctica. Will Moffitt speaks to the groups’ founder and CEO, Geoffrey Kent, about how his military background shaped his appetite for adventure, the challenges of delivering exciting and educational forms of polar exploration, and his plans to expand to Abercrombie’s swelling list of itineraries.
Clean steam ahead
Amid growing pressure for shipping to meet net-zero carbon emissions goals by 2050, the International Maritime Organisation has adopted new measures requiring more data reporting and emissions reductions using carbon intensity measures and a revised energy efficiency ship index. Brian Salerno, senior vice president of maritime policy for Cruise Lines International Association, and Dr. Alexis Papathanassis, professor of cruise management at Bremerhaven University, tell Jim Banks about the impact this will have and what part alternative fuels, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), will play in meeting these demands.
Salt of the earth
As environmental considerations and healthy lifestyles become higher priorities for cruise guests, more are either adopting a fully vegan lifestyle or incorporating more plant-based dishes into their diets. Elly Earls speaks to Anton Egger, consultant chef at Seabourn, Dirk Bocklage, managing director of Vegan Travel, and Sandy Pukel, president of Holistic Holiday at Sea about why cruise lines must cater to this growing trend and the onus it puts on culinary ingenuity.
Close to home
After cautious planning and some trepidation, domestic cruising has returned to the British Isles, with the spike in demand marking Britain’s busiest ever summer of cruising. Abi Millar speaks to Nigel Blanks, CEO of Saga Cruises, and Ben Bouldin, vice president, EMEA, Royal Caribbean about vaccine policy, the challenges of safeguarding passengers and staff on board, and restarting operations after almost a year and half of inactivity.
The bigger the better
When it comes to on board services, cruise lines have been trying to outdo each other for decades, investing vast sums in lavish activities and amenities to attract guests eager to have everything in one destination. But will the downturn caused by the pandemic put a stop to the industry’s quest to build bigger and better? Elly Earls speaks to industry insiders including Ben Clement, senior vice president of newbuilds and refurbishments at Carnival, and John Zamora, partner in Deloitte’s transportation, hospitality and services to find out.
The Jewel of the Nile
Poised between Africa, Asia and Europe, Egypt stands at the spaghetti junction of the world and its shimmering jewel is the Nile. Spanning 4,258 miles from Lake Victoria and emptying into the Mediterranean Sea, this noble waterway was once the preserve of the Victorian elite, filled with paddle steamers built for the moneyed, and adventurous. A lot has changed since then, but that same clamour for Egyptian exoticism has not died away. Will Moffitt speaks to Enrique Cansino, co-owner of Nour el Nil, about the merits, and challenges, of delivering cruises along Egypt’s famous river.
An amber light for Red Sea cruises
Though the eastern flank of the Arabian Peninsula has been a cruise hotspot for years, its western cousin Saudi Arabia has long rejected tourists of all kinds, let alone foreign cruise ships. But with the country’s rulers now eager to promote native tourism, that’s finally changing. Andrea Valentino talks to Shaun Ebelthite at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research, and Achille Staiano, vice president global sales at MSC Cruises, to learn more about what the Italian operator has planned for Saudi Arabia, why this unexplored country is such a gem for history and nature-lovers alike – and whether the kingdom will soon be integrated into global cruising more broadly.
Rule Britannia
It’s been a year of mixed emotions for UK cruising. After a series of lockdowns in the bleak months of winter stalling operations, the great British cruise is alive and kicking and has had a summer of successful domestic itineraries. But do these recent victories signal a brighter future for the national cruise sector, if not the global industry as a whole? Will Moffitt puts the question to Andy Harmer, director for UK and Ireland at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
Rise of the river cruise
Even a global pandemic wouldn’t stop river cruise lines from taking to the waterways of Europe in summer 2020. Elly Earls speaks to Marcus Leskovar, executive vice-president of Amadeus River Cruises, and Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways, to find out how their experiences last year have prepared them to capitalise on pent-up demand from ocean cruisers in the months and years to come.