Travel & Cruise 1st Qtr. 2020

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CRUISE INDUSTRY FIRST QUARTER 2020

Barbados Provides Hope in Trying Times

Reduce, Enhance, Upcycle: Spotlight on Cruise Lines’ Sustainability & Destination Stewardship Recovery & Rising Stars Down Under Creating & Selling Experiences Ships, Technologies & Trends Propelling Cruise Lines Updates from & Insights for Destinations Around the World

Mar Chiquita, Manatí, Puerto Rico

YOUR NEIGHBOR WITH THE INFINITY POOL Have we met yet? We should. Lay back and relax with an ice-cold drink in hand while you soak in the sun at one of our nearly 300 sensational beaches. Or grab a snorkel to explore an underwater world teeming with lide and awe-inspiring splendor. No matter what you’re looking for, our world-famous beaches are waiting for you. We’re right next door.

Find out more at DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

Where adventure is more unique than you imagine

When the serenity of a peaceful pier is brought to life with the laughter and happiness of youth that’s the moment when adventure happens. What will your unique adventure be? Discovering a cavern in the North? A garden in a gully? Or the top of an age-old deep-sea volcano on the East Coast?

Find your adventure and so much more in beautiful Barbados.

N°1 ST. MAARTEN

WELCOME TO

N°1 PORT IN THE CARIBBEAN

PORT ST. MAARTEN

NO1 PORT IN THE NORTH EASTERN CARIBBEAN. THE GATEWAY TO MEMORABLE & ENRICHING EXPERIENCES.

37 WHITE SAND BEACHES – WORLD MOST FAMOUS PLANE-SPOTTING AT MAHO BEACH – DUTY-FREE DESTINATION OF THE CARIBBEAN – DELICIOUS CARIBBEAN CUISINE – SECRET ESCAPES TO RECOVER & RELAX ST. MAARTEN, THE ‘FRIENDLY ISLAND’ OF THE CARIBBEAN

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CONTENTS

Features

SPOTLIGHT

Carnival Corporation CCO Roger Frizzell shares some of the sustainable technologies and responsible tourism processes – and why “we want to be a positive partner to every destination that we visit.”

12 Innovating for Sustainability FIRST QUARTER 2020 WWW.TRAVELANDCRUISE.COM

ON THE COVER

16 Paving the Road Towards a Greener Future for the Maritime Sector MSC

Cruises Director of Sustainability Linden Coppell presents their vision for a “zeroimpact future” and “to be a positive force for the community.”

20 Sailing Toward a Brighter Future

Bathsheba Beach, Barbados

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings SVP of ESG, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Andrea DeMarco reveals how and why their three brands rely on “maintaining healthy oceans and preserving and supporting the local destinations we visit.”

22 Royal Caribbean’s Place in the Community Royal Caribbean Cruises

DEPARTMENTS

07, 09 President’s Letter

Travel & Cruise Magazine © 2020.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, in any form, electronic or otherwise, without written permission of the FCCA is prohibited.

AVP of Corporate Responsibility Helen O’Connell tells of some of the 40+ initiatives toward reducing its impact and why “We believe that for a business to thrive, its place is not just to be in a community, but to be a part of it.”

24 Recent Studies Confirm Scrubber Technology’s Limited Impact on Marine Environments

To subscribe or change your address, please send requests to info@f-cca.com

26 Global Maritime Industry Proposes R&D Board

Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) 10390 USA Today Way Miramar, FL 33025 Phone: (954) 441-8881 Fax: (954) 441-3171

28 Cruise Lines Sailing Toward Australian Tourism Recovery

Published by:

16 MEETINGS & EVENTS 30 Cruise Industry Honors Rising Stars Down Under 32 Business and Relationship Development Hits High Gear on the High Seas

FCCA Platinum Members embarked on an itinerary packed with meetings & networking with nearly 20 high-level cruise executives.

ON BOARD 36 Scarlet Lady Celebrated, with Love Virgin

Voyages’ first ship – and carbon neutral direct emissions from the first day of commercial operations – are welcomed with open gangways.

36 Costa Toscana Turns a Historic Page A

construction milestone in Costa Cruises’ second LNG ship marked “a further step forward in the use of LNG in the cruise sector,” according to Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises.

37 Princess Cruises to Tap Groundbreaking Satellite-Based Communications System “The future

is now with real solutions and proven technolog y delivering real experiences to floating smart cities around the globe,” per John Padgett, Chief Experience & Innovation Officer for Carnival Corporation.

In Partnership with:

The information in this publication is provided “as is.” FCCA, CLIA and its Member Lines disclaim all representations and warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to any information, services, products and materials contained herein. FCCA, CLIA and its Member Lines will in no event be liable for any damage or losses as a result of your use of this publication.

18 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 3

CONTENTS

Features

37 Carnival Radiance to Feature a Radiant Team After a $200 million transformation,

a different kind of popular brand offerings are bringing the revitalized ship to life: longtime guest favorites Lee Mason and Katie Eastham.

52 Panama Signs Multi-Destination Arrangement

38 Mein Schiff 4 Plugged for Shore Power Connection, Fleet-Wide Conversion by 2023

53 Port Everglades Embarks on Enhancements

38 Azamara Enhances ‘People to People’ Commitment, Celebrates 10 Years of Destination Immersion

60

38 Seabourn Giving New Perspective of Coveted Destinations

54 Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Honored for Hurricane Dorian Efforts 54 MSC Launches Initiative for Sustainable Tours, Campaign to Protect Coral Reefs 54 Disney’s New Eleuthera Experience

38 Silversea Reveling in Luxury (Experiences) Two new ships, one

deeprooted focus: engaging with the places we travel through the lens of food, wine and culinary culture

39 Celebrity Apex Reaching New Heights 40 Regent Seven Seas Redefining Luxury

49 BVI Upgrades Berth Booking, Showcases Recovery

56 Port Canaveral, Orlando’s Closest Port

49 Cayman Kind of Soaring High

MEMBERS & TRAVEL AGENTS

50 St. Kitts & Nevis ‘Heading in the Right Direction’

58 Selling Experiences

50 Dominican Republic Gets Presidential Seal of Approval

40 Four Carnival Corporation Brands Will Launch New Cruise Ships in 2020

51 Costa Rica’s Road to Success

41 MSC Cruises Firms Up Four World Class Ships, Looks to 2030

52 Belize Welcomes Record-Breaking Growth & FCCA Site Visit

42 Star Wars Day at Sea Returns in 2021

52 Jamaica Giving an Authentic Taste to Cruise Guests

42 Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Voted Best Short Cruise

ON LAND 44 Celebrating Barbados: An Island Leading with Heart, Providing Hope During Trying Times After leading region-

60 Carnival Cruise Line Says ‘Welcome Aboard’ to Travel Advisors in 2020 62 Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Targets Travel Advisors in US & Canada 64 Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence Growing with Global Trainers & New Programs 66 FCCA Platinum Member Highlights

44

wide efforts to prepare for COVID-19 and readying for cruise tourism’s return, the spirit of togetherness still reverberates in Barbados.

46 ‘Remaarkable’ Sint Maarten 46 USVI’s United Front on Individual Islands 47 Saint Lucia Sailing Ahead 48 Yes, Puerto Rico Is Open!

49 The Bahamas: Better Than Ever

FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 5

PRESIDENT’S LETTER: FCCA

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Micky Arison FCCA CHAIRMAN CHAIRMAN CARNIVAL CORPORATION Michael Bayley PRESIDENT & CEO ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL Adam Goldstein VICE CHAIRMAN ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD. Jeff Vahle PRESIDENT DISNEY SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES Richard E. Sasso CHAIRMAN MSC CRUISES (USA) INC. Andrew Stuart PRESIDENT & CEO NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

FCCA STAFF Michele M. Paige PRESIDENT Adam Ceserano SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Terri Cannici VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Omari Breakenridge DIRECTOR, DIGITAL STRATEGY & CREATIVE SERVICES Mario Aguirre DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP EVENTS & PROGRAMS Justin Paige DIRECTOR, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS & STRATEGIC MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS Jessica Lalama EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Vanessa Gutierrez ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Despite the world being halted on its axis due to COVID-19, it is still an exciting time to be in the cruise industry. Time and time again the industry has proven its resiliency and ability to navigate downturns like the recession and geopolitical issues, so we know this is simply a blimp on the radar before a comeback story fit for Hollywood.

After all, last year represented another in a long line of broken records, with a projected 30 million guests cruising around the world, and the industry continues to shock the world with groundbreaking innovations announced almost daily. This issue of Travel & Cruise tells all about it – along with how as the industry grows, its focus remains on reducing its footprint while creating sustainable opportunities wherever it travels.

Some of our Member Lines’ top brass chime in to echo the importance of sustainability and community, as well as share some of their unique innovations and philosophies leading the way Michele with Barbados Prime Minister and CARICOM – with cruise ships comprising less than 1% of the global maritime community Chair Mia Mottley following a meeting called and chaired by Mottley to establish region-wide protocols and continuing to launch new technolobetween destinations and cruise lines gies and practices.

In doing so, they also reaffirm something we hold dearly at FCCA: the importance that destinations and stakeholders play in the record success. That is why the continued broken records, and the shattering stop of cruise tourism, represent so much more to us all.

That symbiotic relationship is our foundation, and while we know how much our partners throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Mexico have been impacted, we are certain that now more than ever this partnership is crucial.

Some of the ways we help foster partnership between cruise lines and destination stakeholders are featured in the following pages. One of our exclusive annual events joining Platinum Members with cruise executives for meetings and networking, the PAMAC Cruise Summit, is recapped.

We will also have boatloads of those opportunities throughout the year, including an itinerary of events for the rescheduled Seatrade Cruise Global, as well as the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, the largest and only official cruise conference and trade show in the Caribbean, which will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from October 19-23.

Hopefully this issue also provides knowledge or inspiration for you to grow synergistically with this burgeoning industry. After all, success for any of us means success for us all!

Respectfully yours,

Michele M. Paige President FCCA FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 7

Santo Domingo feel the vibe

GoDominicanRepublic.com

PRESIDENT’S LETTER: CLIA

CLIA GLOBAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Adam Goldstein CLIA GLOBAL CHAIRMAN Arnold Donald PRESIDENT & CEO CARNIVAL CORPORATION & PLC Micky Arison CHAIRMAN CARNIVAL CORPORATION & PLC Pierfrancesco Vago EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN MSC CRUISES Frank Del Rio CEO NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HOLDINGS Richard Fain CHAIRMAN & CEO ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD. Manfredi Lefebvre CHAIRMAN SILVERSEA CRUISES, LTD.

CLIA STAFF Kelly Craighead PRESIDENT & CEO Mike McGarry SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND NORTH AMERICAN SECRETARIAT Caroline Johnson SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP OPERATIONS Brian Salerno SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MARITIME POLICY Joshua S. Good SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

Welcome to this edition to Travel & Cruise, the official magazine of the global cruise industry.

I hope that everyone is staying healthy and safe.

There is no doubt that our community is hurting right now as we continue to face a challenge that is unprecedented in scale. However, I want to reassure you that the cruise industry is a strong, close-knit community, and it is because of this collaborative culture that the industry continues to be resilient when faced with adversity.

We are committed to putting people first and will continue to work around the clock and spare no effort to advocate for each of you who make up our industry. We know the travel industry is a huge economic engine for the global economy, and when our ships sail once again, our industry will be a significant contributor to fueling the economic recovery.

Current events aside, we have a lot to celebrate. In this issue, we share stories about the resilience of the cruise industry and the ports we serve, our commitment to environmental stewardship, ways to attract new cruisers and the honors for the dedicated members of the cruise industry.

We also look at three independent analyses that further validate the industry’s progress in its commitment to reduce its environmental impact—an exciting development as we continue to keep these efforts front and center while also addressing the challenges of today. And even though we are in the midst of an unprecedented global event, we cannot afford to lose ground in our mission to remain a leader in responsible tourism in the years and decades to come.

As many of you know, the New Year marked an important milestone for the maritime industry with the introduction of the IMO’s 2020 sulfur requirements, which mandate that emissions from maritime vessels not exceed 0.5% sulfur content, compared to 3.5% previously. We are proud to say that the cruise industry successfully rose to this challenge and was fully prepared to meet these new standards across the entire CLIA fleet.

Additionally, CLIA cruise lines partnered with several partner associations in the maritime sector just before the new year to put forth a proposal to the IMO to fund and establish a R&D Board that would generate $5 billion over 10 years to help the maritime industry identify and develop the technologies that will propel us into the future. We are thrilled to be a part of this effort and excited for the discoveries that will emerge from this partnership to propel our entire sector forward into a cleaner future.

We have much to be proud of, as well as much to do, as we forge ahead in developing responsible environmental practices and innovative solutions to help our industry continue to prosper. I look forward to continuing our work together and bringing you the resources and news that are relevant to you.

On behalf of all of us at CLIA, we thank you for your continued support and unwavering dedication to the cruise industry.

Best,

Kelly Craighead President and CEO FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 9

Cruising

Innovating for Sustainability

By Roger Frizzell, Chief Communications Officer, Carnival Corporation

C

ruise lines have a long history of pioneering innovation, especially in their creative design of spectacular cruise ships. Most often, innovation is represented by exciting ship features such as roller coasters, indoor trampoline parks, onboard breweries, blues and classic rock clubs, musicals by Tony-award winning Broadway legends and much more.

But for all of us at Carnival Corporation and across the industry, it is also a top priority to develop innovation in sustainability, particularly to protect the environment. While there are only about 300 cruise ships in the world, comprising less than 1% of the global maritime fleet of over 50,000 ships, the cruise industry is at the forefront in implementing sustainable technologies and developing responsible tourism processes to improve not only shipboard environmental operations, but also the shoreside experience of its customers and the impact on local communities.

Based on our comprehensive sustainability programs and innovations across 12 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

our nine global cruise line brands and the efforts of our 150,000 employees, we have been able to reduce our carbon footprint rate by 25% through a number of key initiatives, and we have plans in place to reduce the rate even further to 40% by 2030. Additionally, we’re working together across the industry on a shared commitment to reduce the global cruise fleet’s rate of carbon emissions by 40% over the next 10 years.

This vision will take not only continuous improvement across the maritime industry, but also disruptive innovation, new technologies and new solutions to power ships, which are absolutely vital to the global economy for trade, transporting international goods and for tourism.

As the cruise industry grows and its profile increases, we recognize our duty and even greater commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible tourism. This is an important journey, and we are making significant progress

through company-wide sustainability efforts to help play a significant role in reducing future impacts.

INNOVATING FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT As part of our top priorities to operate safely, protect the environment and be in compliance everywhere we operate in the world, we are maintaining a relentless focus on sustainability through our innovative efforts already underway.

Late last year, we created a new executive role focused on ethics and compliance, tied to the company’s settlement with the Department of Justice.

As part of those efforts, Pete Anderson took on the role of chief ethics and compliance officer for Carnival Corporation, working closely with each of our nine cruise line brands on key priorities supporting global environmental compliance efforts, such as leadership, culture and continuous improvement, along with many other initiatives.

Spotlight Protecting the environment and compliance, along with safety, are the top priorities for the corporation and each of our brands, and as part of this, we’re pursuing dozens of groundbreaking projects designed to improve operational efficiencies, reduce waste and decrease energy consumption.

Between 2017 to 2019, we spent almost a billion dollars on environmental initiatives, implemented new and more effective procedures, and invested in hundreds of thousands of hours of training for our crew members — not only to meet our compliance targets, but to strive to constantly improve every day in environmental excellence and stewardship.

We are working on several cutting-edge trials with partners to develop and test fuel cell technology and battery storage systems as fuel solutions to power our ships and further reduce emissions.

Through these projects, our German brand AIDA Cruises is working to develop a hybrid energy system with a new generation of fuel cells for use in cruise ships, and will become the first in the industry to

“…THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IS AT THE FOREFRONT IN IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES AND DEVELOPING RESPONSIBLE TOURISM PROCESSES…” pilot a fuel cell system designed to power large cruise ships starting as early as 2021.

AIDA is also pioneering our efforts to develop battery power systems through a partnership with a marine battery supplier to test, produce and install a first-of-itskind battery storage system on large cruise ships to power propulsion and operation for limited periods of time.

INNOVATING TO IMPROVE AIR EMISSIONS The entire shipping industry benefits from early adoption of innovative technologies by cruise lines – many of which did not exist only years ago, such as Advanced Air Quality Systems (AAQS), liquified natural gas (LNG) as fuel for passenger ships and shoreside power capabilities.

Overcoming the design challenges of storing LNG within the space constraints of a cruise ship, we have already launched the first two cruise ships in the world powered by LNG, the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology.

This year, two more of our brands will launch ships powered by LNG, including the first LNG-powered cruise ship in North America, representing the next of our nine additional LNG ships on order for our global brands. Each will significantly improve overall air emissions to help protect the environment and support our sustainability goals.

We began this new decade having installed over 80 ships in our existing fleet with Advanced Air Quality Systems,

FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 13

Spotlight which result in significantly cleaner air emissions. Additionally, nearly half our fleet is equipped with shore power capabilities to “plug in” to the electrical grid where available while at port, further reducing overall emissions.

We are also excited about recently joining the Getting to Zero coalition and supporting its ambition to develop scalable infrastructure for zero-carbon energy sources. Together with fellow coalition partners in maritime, energy and other related industries, as well as academics, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), think-tanks and policy makers, we look forward to helping develop and identify solutions to begin introducing zero-emission vessels into the global shipping and passenger fleets.

Through these developments and more, we are working diligently to help the cruise industry achieve its shared goal for reducing carbon emissions in the coming years.

INNOVATING TO REDUCE WASTE We’ve strengthened our commitment to the environment with extensive initiatives to significantly reduce single-use plastics, non-plastic single-use items and food waste on our ships, along with plans to invest nearly $50 million in advanced waste-water treatment systems on both existing and new ships over the next two years. Through these efforts underway, our nine cruise brands already reduced the sourcing of more than 80 million plastic items and 95 million other sin-

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“…DOZENS OF GROUNDBREAKING PROJECTS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, REDUCE WASTE AND DECREASE ENERGY CONSUMPTION.” gle-use items in 2019, including plastic straws, cups, lids and bags, and are also working to find environmentally friendly replacements to continue servicing guests.

While cruise ships already recycle 60% more waste per person than the average person does on land, we continue to seek new opportunities to recycle as many items as possible. Our Carnival Cruise Line brand is the first large-scale cruise operator to partner with global health organization Clean the World to assist in its global soap recycling initiative. Nearly 40 tons of discarded soap will be collected each year to be recycled into new, clean bars of soap and distributed to communities across the globe, including Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, Mexico, Bermuda and Central America.

Additionally, we have pilot tested new food waste digester technology on board our ships that efficiently and naturally break down food waste using microorganisms, reducing equivalent carbon dioxide production while also separating plastics and other debris from food waste, and have committed to a multi-year plan to install these digesters across our fleet.

As the world’s largest cruise company with nine global cruise line brands, we are committed to being leaders in environmental stewardship and protecting the environments in which we operate.

Those who have cruised with us before may recognize the level of commitment from our team, including our shipboard staff, to be environmentally responsible because they see that commitment come alive on our ships – from full-time environmental officers on each ship to the reduction of single-use plastics, increased recycling efforts and lessening food waste to conserving more water. While we are encouraged by and proud of the progress we’ve made, we know there is still work to be done.

Along with the entire cruise industry, we are committed to continuously improving our operations, including through our ever-increasing environmental focus.

Whether it’s economic development, educational opportunities or environmental stewardship, we want to be a positive partner to every destination that we visit.

And while we are held to a high standard by the public, we hold ourselves to an even higher standard.

White Bay, Jost Van Dyke.

CHART YOUR COURSE AND FEEL FREE TO WANDER. Discover one of nature’s best-kept secrets when you cruise into the British Virgin Islands. Set among 60 islands, cays, atolls and isles, this destination is overflowing with unique culture, good food and endless adventures.

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Spotlight

Paving the Road Toward a Greener Future for the Maritime Sector

By Linden Coppell, Director of Sustainability, MSC Cruises

”W

ith our founding family’s three centuries of maritime heritage, MSC Cruises’ unique identity is defined by our passion for the seas. When it comes to sustainability and environmental protection, this translates into an unequivocal commitment to protect the oceans and the natural and built environments of the communities that we reach every day. When we started operating purpose-built cruise ships in 2003, we also embarked on a journey to reduce our environmental footprint. Our vision is to advance towards a zero-impact future.

With the energy sources and technologies currently available, zero impact operations are not feasible today. Making the right investments and accelerating R&D are crucial steps to ensure that the cruise industry and the world’s entire maritime sector continue to take decisive steps towards reaching this goal.

With every ship that we order, working with our shipyard partners and technology providers, we aim to achieve meaningful reductions of our environmental impact. By deploying these new technologies and solutions across our entire rapidly growing fleet, we are operating one of the most modern and environmentally-sound cruise fleets at sea.

Our work to reduce our environmental impact includes three areas of priority: air emissions, solid and liquid waste management, and promoting sustainable and conscious tourism practices.

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“OUR VISION IS TO ADVANCE TOWARDS A ZERO-IMPACT FUTURE.” In terms of improving the quality of our air emissions, we are constantly working to remove pollutants from our ships’ exhaust, with SOx, NOx and particulate matter having local air quality impacts.

Recent technological advances have led to the development and deployment of exhaust gas cleaning systems and selective catalytic reduction systems, which go a long way towards decreasing these emissions.

Mitigating CO2 emissions is also critical, as they can have a negative impact globally. While CO2 is not directly harmful to human life and does not impact the local environment, it contributes to climate change. In line with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) vision for the decarbonization of the maritime sector, reducing and ultimately eliminating CO2 emissions from shipping is one of the biggest challenges that our sector faces. In the last decade we have achieved significant advances in terms of lowering our carbon footprint. Our objective is to achieve a 40% improvement in carbon intensity by 2030 against a 2008 baseline, which is on track, currently at 28%.

Carbon neutrality cannot be achieved with today’s technology. For this reason, in January 2020 MSC Cruises became the first major cruise line to offset all CO2 emissions from its fleet operations. While we continue to develop new technologies that will help

us reach this goal, this step is allowing us to bridge the existing technology gap towards a zero-emission future We are also working to install shore power capabilities across our fleet to minimize emissions in port. This relies on the required infrastructure being available on land, and we are working with numerous stakeholders to encourage this.

We will also build five LNG-powered cruise ships in the next decade. LNG is the cleanest marine fuel that is currently available in the quantities needed by the industry. Compared to standard marine fuels, it reduces SOx emissions by more than 99% and NOx emissions by up to 85%. It also largely eliminates particu-

late matter and can achieve up to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions.

For the first of these LNG-powered ships, which is being built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, in France, we recently unveiled the groundbreaking trial integration of a new fuel cell technology to produce electricity. With a conversion capability approximately 25% better than a traditional combustion engine. We are very excited about this unique type of fuel cell.

Other upcoming technologies and energy solutions that we are currently exploring include battery packs, hydrogen, ammonia and wind power.

Beyond emissions, waste management is another top priority for MSC Cruises and the entire cruise industry.

FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 17

Spotlight Throughout the years, we have taken voluntary steps to equip our ships with state-of-the-art solid waste management and recycling facilities. We have seven different waste categories on board and all organic waste, as well as recyclable disposable items including plastics, metals, paper and glass are collected and separated by specially trained waste handling crew members. Much of this can remain segregated and together with residual waste carefully delivered to dedicated port facilities. In 2019 we segregated over 26,000m3 of waste material for recycling.

The best way to reduce waste on board is to reduce the amount of potential waste that makes it to the ship in the first place. In October 2018, we announced our commitment to eliminate single-use plastics from our entire fleet and introduce sustainable alternatives where available.

We identified 115 single-use plastic items which accounts for most of our plastic waste, phasing them out and replacing them with environmentally-sound alternatives. Our actions avoided the need for 97 million single-use plastic items in 2019.

No sewage is discharged from any of our ships without proper treatment. Our entire fleet is equipped with wastewater treatment systems, and since 2008 we have equipped all our newbuilds with advanced wastewater treatment systems to purify grey and blackwater waste streams to the point of nearly

18 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

“OUR BIGGER SHIPS CAN PRODUCE OVER 3 MILLION LITERS OF TAP WATER PER DAY.” reaching tap water quality. Other liquid waste that may be hazardous such as cooking oil, oily water, machinery lubricants and cleaning products are never and under no circumstances discharged into the sea, but carefully offloaded ashore by authorized companies.

The entire MSC Cruises fleet is equipped with freshwater production plants that produce drinkable water for the entire ship. In 2019 80% of all water used on the ship was produced onboard.

Our bigger ships can produce over 3 million liters of tap water per day.

Finally, with more people traveling than ever before, the need to act to limit unmanaged tourism and promote sustainable tourism practices is another challenge for our industry. We continue to engage with local authorities and stakeholders at the ports and destinations that our ships reach to eliminate any externalities that

our presence might create and make sure that we continue to be a positive force for the community.

Seeking to promote sustainable tourism practices and raise our guests’ awareness about the need to protect our planet, we have recently opened the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas. A former sand extraction site, it presented a desolate post-industrial landscape when we took it over in 2016. Our vision has been to move the cay away from resource exploitation to resource conservation. For the past three years we have worked in partnership with the Government of the Bahamas and environmental experts to restore Ocean Cay to its former pristine condition. Having removed over 5,000 tons of industrial waste from the cay and the surrounding waters, we have planted 75,000 indigenous trees and shrubs across the island. We have also established a coral nursery to encourage the growth of new coral and the return of marine life as well as a marine laboratory.

Nature is at the heart of our guests’ experience, with a vast array of experiences available to let them explore the Caribbean’s natural wonders.

In the past 10 years, we have made tremendous progress to reduce our environmental footprint. We will never stop in this quest until we completely eliminate our impact on the natural and built environments. We only have one planet, and this will always be a priority.

Free To Wonder

Sailing Toward a Brighter Future

A

“

t Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, our success and our ability to offer fantastic guest experiences across our three brands relies on maintaining healthy oceans and preserving and supporting the local destinations we visit. We are committed to driving a positive impact on society and the environment. With the recent creation of a dedicated ESG department to coordinate our sustainability strategy across our organization, we look forward to continued advancement of our ESG initiatives.”

—Andrea DeMarco, Senior Vice President ESG, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

SAIL & SUSTAIN Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is committed to the preservation of our environment for future generations. The company’s Sail & Sustain program was born from this commitment and to foster a culture of awareness and respect for our world’s resources. Through this program, we have launched many successful initiatives to mitigate waste, invest in new technologies to improve fuel and energy efficiency and promote water conservation and management on board our ships. The implementation of initiatives by our dedicated ship crews and unique company partnerships are essential to the program’s success.

REDUCING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES As we continue our efforts to transition away from single use plastics, Norwegian Cruise 20 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

Spotlight Line became the first major global cruise company to become plastic water bottle free with its partnership with JUST®Goods, Inc. As of January 1, 2020, the cruise line replaced all single- use plastic water bottles across its fleet with JUST Water, 100% spring water in a plant-based carton that is refillable and recyclable. The brand expects to eliminate over six million plastic bottles each year as part of its effort towards providing guests with more environmentally friendly and sustainable options at sea. Regent and Oceania both announced partnerships with Vero Water to replace single use plastic water bottles on board, which together are expected to eliminate an additional five million plastic bottles each year.

THE LAST STRAW As a member of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Alliance®, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings launched an initiative in 2018 to eliminate single-use plastic straws from its two island destinations and its fleet of 28 ships, which includes Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. It is estimated that this will eliminate more than 50 million straws from the fleet per year.

high-efficiency hand dryers in bathrooms and implementing a recycling program to further assist in reducing overall energy consumption. We also funded the development of a nature trail to allow guests to experience the Alaskan wildlife firsthand.

“THE GUY HARVEY OCEAN FOUNDATION IS A WORLDWIDE LEADER IN MARINE CONSERVATION RESEARCH AND NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE HAS PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT'S ROLE IN OCEAN CONSERVATION. TOGETHER, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE AND THE GHOF ARE MAKING A SUBSTANTIAL POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEANS.” —DR. GUY HARVEY

large enough, they will be transplanted to the local reef. Through this partnership we hope to restore and maintain healthy local ecosystems in the Bahamas.

CORAL REEF RESTORATION Norwegian has developed a unique partnership with Nova Southeastern University (NSU) to restore the coral reef—among the most diverse ecosystems on the planet – located in the waters surrounding our private island, Great Stirrup Cay. In 2018, researchers established several in-water Acropora coral nurseries so that once these corals are

ALASKA RAPTOR CENTER As the youngest fleet cruising Alaska, Norwegian is dedicated to preserving the spectacular landscapes and biodiversity of The Last Frontier and has partnered with the Alaska Raptor Center. The facility provides invaluable programs to provide medical treatment for local birds of prey, conduct avian research and educate its visitors about the birds and environmental conservation. We provided the necessary funding to update some of the center’s equipment – switching from paper towels to

CRUISING FOR CONSERVATION The hulls of all of Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships are adorned with unique artwork. Through working with some of these talented artists, we have developed unique partnerships to further the mission of our Sail & Sustain program to preserve our oceans.

Since famed artist and conservationist Guy Harvey painted the stunning hull artwork on Norwegian Escape, Norwegian has been proud to continue fostering our partnership with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF). Since 2017, Norwegian has hosted an annual “Cruising for Conservation with Guy Harvey” sailing aboard Norwegian Escape. Guests on the week-long cruise have the unique opportunity to listen to Dr. Harvey and his daughter, Jessica, speak about their conservation efforts, attend live painting sessions and hear from other renowned ocean conservation researchers.

The 2018 unveiling of Norwegian Bliss signified the launch of our partnership with the Wyland Foundation. Wellknown for his captivating marine murals, Wyland’s incredible hull art on Norwegian Bliss not only showcases his talents but also highlights the Wyland Foundation’s and Norwegian’s dedication to protecting the ocean’s diverse ecosystems.

We must come together as an industry to protect and preserve our precious natural resources. Future generations deserve to experience the exhilaration of hiking across Alaska’s glaciers, feel the thrill of witnessing humpback whales traversing the waters off Hawai`i’s Big Island and the awe of swimming alongside sea turtles and colorful fish at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

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Royal Caribbean’s Place in the Community

By Helen O’Connell, Associate Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

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oung, eager, smiling faces are some of my fondest memories of Labadee, our private destination in Haiti. Not because of our spectacular zip line or luxurious cabanas, but because of the 339 students at L’Ecole Nouvelle Royal Caribbean, our school that has been serving the surrounding villages of Labadee for 10 years.

The responsibility we have to our neighbors and the oceans on which we sail is ever-present at Royal Caribbean. It is a lifestyle we live and breathe and focuses on the protection and improvement of the communities and environments we visit and call home.

L’Ecole Nouvelle Royal Caribbean in Haiti is just one example. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, I’m reminded of our decision to build the school after the devasting 2010 earthquake. Our ties to the island have always been strong, and although our immediate disaster relief

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efforts were extensive, we wanted to show a longer-term commitment that would have a lasting impact. To date, we have seen more than 800 graduates go on to high school in neighboring Cap Haitien with Royal Caribbean-sponsored scholarships.

Education is a key part of our overall social impact efforts, from initiatives such as L’Ecole Nouvelle to our commitments to Miami-Dade County Public Schools in our hometown Miami. And even to our guests who we educate on ocean conservation efforts in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) while on board.

We also carry this practice over to our employees who participate in impact projects during their time on board or through our executive board participation and our shoreside employee volunteer programs.

Like all seafarers, we have a special connection to the oceans. You can see it in several of our employee-led initiatives, such as beach clean-ups at ports of call

and most recently through a partnership with the University of Miami’s Rescue a Reef program. This citizen science program features expeditions for employee scuba divers and snorkelers to participate in a coral reef nursery and outplanting initiative to restore coral reefs in South Florida. In the last two years, Royal Caribbean employees have helped plant over 1,000 coral fragments.

That passion for our oceans is fostered through our Save the Waves program that began on board our ships nearly 30 years ago. It began as an ambitious recycling program that quickly evolved to a company-wide philosophy. It has since then branched out to include more ambitious goals such as emissions reduction, wastewater treatment and waste reduction.

Extending well beyond onboard operations and our employee workforce, Save the Waves also drives our collaboration with educational institutions such as the

Spotlight University of Miami and conservation-focused organizations like WWF. Our ambitious partnership with WWF began in 2016 and has helped drive our 2020 sustainability targets in the areas of emissions reduction, sustainable sourcing and destination stewardship. The collaborative efforts have included tremendous amounts of work and ingenuity among our teams.

Now in 2020 and on target to reach 100% of our goals, the results so far have been incredibly fulfilling; we have surpassed many and are ahead of schedule. For example, our efforts to offer our guests a total of 1,000 sustainable tours certified to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council standard has now reach more than 1,400 tours.

“IT BEGAN AS AN AMBITIOUS RECYCLING PROGRAM THAT QUICKLY EVOLVED TO A COMPANY-WIDE PHILOSOPHY.” Continuous improvement is the mantra we live by at Royal Caribbean. Through the years, ship technologies and designs have advanced and our ships have moved with the times. Today, we design to build the most efficient ships possible. This includes reducing energy consumption across both marine and hotel operations. Celebrity Apex, our newest ship, for example, is 20% more energy efficient than her predecessor Solstice Class ships – and not by one or two improvements, but by over 40+ initiatives all with one thing in mind: reducing our impact.

At its core, we know that tourism depends on the beauty of the environment.

And those destinations are not immune to mother nature’s and life’s unpredictable situations. We have a strong sense of responsibility to our employees, their friends and families, our guests and the affected communities that are our friends and neighbors.

When Hurricane Dorian devasted Grand Bahama island for more than 30 hours last fall, we took immediate action.

Through tireless efforts on behalf of our employees on board and in our offices, our ships made their way to help those affected by the storm with 10,000 hot meals that were prepped and delivered within 24 hours of impact. Then, for the next four consecutive days, 20,000 hot meals were provided before setting up a land-based operation that served 600,000 meals over the course of more than a month.

We believe that for a business to thrive, its place is not just to be in a community, but to be a part of it. We continue to work with the people of Grand Bahama through a renovation project at Hugh Campbell elementary, where more than 400 of our leaders assembled desks, chairs and furniture for the largest school on the island.

I’m fortunate to see first-hand the work we do. But I’m doubly blessed to know I have an army of helpers, cheerleaders and supporters across our ships and offices around the world.

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Spotlight

Recent Studies Confirm Scrubber Technology’s Limited Impact on Marine Environments

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hree independent analyses released in 2019 found minimal impact of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) operated in open-loop mode, including on water and sediment quality and marine life.

The most recent report, conducted by CE Delft and co-sponsored by CLIA, analyzed the long-term impact of washwater discharges from EGCS on port water and sediment. Using empirical data from almost 300 EGCS washwater samples—the most extensive dataset of this kind to date—it was found that such discharges have minimal environmental impact on water and sediment quality as compared to new European environmental quality standards entering into force in 2021.

The CE Delft report and its findings follow two additional studies released in 2019 which were conducted to further understand the impact of EGCS on marine environments. This includes a two-year study conducted by DNV GL, which found washwater samples from 53 cruise ships equipped with EGCS to be below the limits set by major international water quality standards. Another recent study, conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, found the impact of scrubbers on water quality and marine life to be negligible.

EGCS systems are designed to effectively remove 98% of sulfur and well over 50% of particulate matter.

These studies are important validators for the industry that these systems, whether operated in open or closedloop modes, are safe for the environment, in compliance with the new restrictions set forth in IMO 2020 and in keeping with the industry’s commitment to responsible tourism practices.

Taken together, the studies further support the use of EGCS technology as a viable means for compliance with the IMO’s 2020 sulfur requirements, which went into effect 1 January 2020 and mandate that emissions from maritime vessels not exceed 0.5% sulfur content, compared to 3.5% previously.

Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems process emissions from ships to almost completely remove sulfur content and significantly reduce particulate matter found in exhaust. Additional means of compliance with IMO’s 2020 regulations include the use of LNG fuel, which has virtually zero sulfur emissions, and use of compliant fuel such as Marine Gas Oil. The CLIA oceangoing cruise fleet includes two ships that are currently using LNG for primary propulsion, with another 25 under construction or on the order books.

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Spotlight

Global Maritime Industry Proposes R&D Board

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he demand for cruising has never been higher and will likely continue to grow in the years to come. So too will the cruise industry’s responsibility to lead the way in sustainable tourism practices that uphold the value of cruising while protecting the oceans we sail and caring for the destinations we visit.

With bigger opportunities come bigger challenges, challenges that will require the cruise industry to come together as one. The good news is that the industry is already hard at work planning and investing in the future.

CLIA cruise lines are collaborating with several partner associations in the maritime sector to put forth a proposal to the IMO to fund and establish a Research and Development (R&D) Board that would generate $5 billion over 10 years to help the maritime industry identify and develop the technologies that will propel the industry into the future.

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The industry-wide move to accelerate research and development is necessary to ensure the ambitious CO2 reduction targets, agreed to by the IMO Member States in 2018, are met.

“WITH BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES COME BIGGER CHALLENGES, CHALLENGES THAT WILL REQUIRE THE CRUISE INDUSTRY TO COME TOGETHER AS ONE.”

If approved, the shipping industry hopes to establish an International Maritime Research and Development Board (IMRB), a non-governmental R&D organization that would be overseen by IMO Member States. The IMRB will be financed by shipping companies worldwide via a mandatory R&D contribution of $2 per ton of marine fuel purchased for consumption by shipping companies worldwide, which will generate about $5 billion in core funding over a 10-year period.

Although the R&D program and its funding is an initiative of the leading international shipowners’ associations, additional stakeholders’ participation is welcomed. A global fund can be established quickly, and the shipping industry is confident that other stakeholders will also want to contribute, potentially generating substantial additional funding for R&D.

Spotlight

Cruise Lines Sailing Toward Australian Tourism Recovery

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ruise tourism has made a swift return to Australian regions affected by the devastating fires that hit parts of the country over the southern summer, bringing important economic opportunities at a time when local communities are working hard to recover.

Most of approximately 50 Australian cruise ports were unaffected by the fires— including key gateways like Sydney and Melbourne—but a handful of cruises had to be redirected at the height of the emergency, missing calls to communities on Kangaroo Island in South Australia and Eden on the south coast of New South Wales.

Despite the fires, both regions were back in business and ready to again welcome cruise ships within a week or two, thanks largely to the dedication of community members and tourism operators on the ground.

In mid-January, Sun Princess became the first ship to return to Kangaroo Island, where locals showed a great determination to make activities and excursions available for visitors.

A few days later, Norwegian Jewel became the first ship to return to Eden, where a similarly dedicated community dispatched volunteers and tour operators to welcome passengers.

In both destinations, locals established markets to showcase their regions’ produce, while volunteer firefighters were on hand to welcome cruise passengers and give a show of support for recovering communities.

“With the return of cruise tourism to Eden, 100% of Australia’s cruise ports are now open for business and welcoming visitors,” said CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz. “More than 60 cruise

ships have been scheduled to call on Australian ports over the southern summer season, and the fact they’re all continuing to operate as scheduled will help lift confidence in many parts of the tourism industry.”

As a vast country—similar in size to the United States—much of Australia was unaffected by the fires. But after intense international media coverage of the emergency, destinations all over the country were hit by a downturn in tourism.

As a major economic contributor in regional Australia, cruising is seen as a key part of the recovery process for the country’s tourism industry, bringing business opportunities to remote locations and leaving lasting benefits.

“Cruise tourism is worth more than A$5 billion a year to the Australian economy,” continued Katz. “It reaches communities right around the Australian coast, connecting people and creating employment in areas far from the major cities.

“…CRUISING IS SEEN AS A KEY PART OF THE RECOVERY PROCESS FOR THE COUNTRY’S TOURISM INDUSTRY…”

“In areas where cruise ships call, visitor spending will help inject much-needed income for local businesses and help provide immediate benefits for areas affected by the tourism downturn.”

Along with other tourism associations, CLIA joined a national industry response group that worked to ensure a united approach to recovery and a strong voice to government.

Eden - Volunteer firefighters welcome Norwegian Jewel to the town of Eden, pictured with NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres (left) and Norwegian Cruise Line Vice President & Managing Director APAC Ben Angell (right)

Cruise lines also contributed more than A$2 million in direct donations to fire relief in Australia.

The cruise industry had made a swift and vocal commitment to supporting regional destinations as they worked toward economic renewal in the wake of the fires, according to Katz.

“The cruise industry joins Australians in thanking firefighters, volunteers and other emergency personnel for their dedication,” he said. “We hope for a swift recovery in affected communities, and our thoughts are with those who have suffered losses in these tragic events.”

Kangaroo Island – Sun Princess arrives at Kangaroo Island in South Australia

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A new partner on board brings more choices on shore.

Two paths coming together with a steady goal can broaden horizons for all. Through a shared vision and passion for the cruise industry, Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and ExcursionInsurance.com have joined paths.

As the new administrator of the FCCA Global Tour Operator Insurance Program, ExcursionInsurance.com provides tour operators with the coverage they need to grow their business—and enhance the destination experience.

To learn more about how this partnership can benefit you, contact our experts today.

Ken Furlow Global Development Officer M: 786.351.3408 ken@excursioninsurance.com

Meetings & Events

Cruise Industry Honors Rising Stars Down Under

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he stars of the Australasian cruise community were honored at the 19th Annual Cruise Industry Awards in Sydney, where more than 500 people gathered to acknowledge the most dedicated members of the Australian and New Zealand travel trade.

Held by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia on Saturday, February 15, the gala dinner and presentation night was hosted by actor and singer Tim Campbell and involved 19 awards for travel agencies and individuals from both countries.

JoelKatz: CLIA Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz addresses the 19th Annual Cruise Industry Awards

CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz said this year’s awards had attracted more than 560 entries from across Australia and New Zealand, more than any previous year.

“This year’s winners reflect an increasing level of dedication among travel agents when it comes to engaging with their clients and developing their cruise business,” he said. “Their passion for cruising is stronger than ever and a sign of the growing levels of expertise among cruise specialists right across the Australasian travel trade.”

A highlight on the night was the induction of prominent Australian business leader Ann Sherry into the CLIA Hall of Fame, recognizing her pivotal role in the industry’s success over more than a decade.

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CLIA awards and entertainment

Mr. Katz highlighted the sector’s sustained growth since Ms. Sherry entered as CEO of Carnival Australia in 2007 and said she had had worked passionately to help transform the Australasian cruise industry.

“With a dynamic combination of unique skills, personality and determination, combined with a far-sighted vision, she successfully placed the cruise industry and its most critical issues front-and-center,” he said. “She also used her personal reputation as one of Australia’s most prominent businesspeople to grow the reputation of cruising among business, government and media, working to ensure that others in the tourism industry, and policymakers, understand the economic value of cruising.”

Having begun her career as a radiographer, Ms. Sherry moved into government and then banking before joining Carnival Australia, where she became “an outstanding advocate for the cruise industry,” according to Mr. Katz.

“Her vision has touched on matters such as port infrastructure, opening new cruise destinations, ensuring island communities in the Pacific share the economic benefits of cruising, and safeguarding the marine environment and the cultures of the people who sup-

“THEIR PASSION FOR CRUISING IS STRONGER THAN EVER AND A SIGN OF THE GROWING LEVELS OF EXPERTISE AMONG CRUISE SPECIALISTS RIGHT ACROSS THE AUSTRALASIAN TRAVEL TRADE.” —CLIA AUSTRALASIA MANAGING DIRECTOR JOEL KATZ

Hall of Fame inductee Ann Sherry with CLIA Managing Director Australasia Joel Katz

port cruise visitors,” he said. “She is a leading advocate in the wider community for gender equality and diversity in the workplace, she mentors several people across a diverse range of businesses and community groups, and she holds several board positions.”

Ms, Sherry was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and an Order of Australia in 2004. She was named overall winner of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Award in 2015.

Other award recipients at the 19th Annual Cruise Industry Awards included Julie Avery of Brighton Travelworld, named Australia’s Cruise Consultant of the Year, and Lorraine Van Veen of House of Travel Botany Junction, awarded New Zealand Cruise Consultant of the Year.

Jeff Leckey of House of Travel was named Cruise Champion Australasia.

Agency winners included Bicton Travel, named Australia’s Large Cruise Agency of the Year, and helloworld Lambton Quay/ St Heliers/Mt Eden/Botany, chosen as New Zealand’s Large Cruise Agency of the Year.

Australia’s Small Cruise Agency of the Year was New Farm Travel, while New Zealand’s Small Cruise Agency of the Year was Pukekohe Travel.

Meetings & Events

Business and Relationship Development Hits High Gear on the High Seas

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group of more than 250—including FCCA Platinum Members that represent some of the top stakeholders for cruise tourism in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Mexico, along with their guests of business partners and even family members—gathered at Port Everglades on January 20. They were joined by nearly 20 high-level executives from FCCA Member Lines—some also with family in tow—all ready to sail into the sunset on Carnival Sunrise for a five-day itinerary to develop business and relationships while experiencing some of the latest on board and on land.

As usual, the FCCA’s annual PAMAC Cruise Summit put business and relationship development in high gear on the high seas through an agenda ranging from meetings to unique networking opportunities through receptions and tours together, offering a healthy balance of work and fun. After all, linking some of the premier players of destinations’ private and public sectors with the high-level cruise executives not only offers vital collaboration and promotion, but also makes them comfortable together to form invaluable, synergistic partnerships.

“FCCA Platinum Membership events like the PAMAC Cruise Summit are essential to both the members and cruise

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line representatives,” said Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA. “They join some of the industry’s most influential decision makers with significant stakeholders, which leads to positive developments for all parties.”

Soon after Sunrise set off, members and executives embarked on those chances for positive developments at the first scheduled event, a business card exchange reception, where they swapped not only cards and salutations, but also trends and develop-

“FCCA PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP EVENTS LIKE THE PAMAC CRUISE SUMMIT ARE ESSENTIAL TO BOTH THE MEMBERS AND CRUISE LINE REPRESENTATIVES.” – MICKY ARISON, CHAIRMAN, CARNIVAL CORPORATION & FCCA

ments—from a new destination product or target market, to a new child or hobby.

Dinner followed, where the group could continue their discussions or start new ones. Reserved tables ensured Platinum Members would have appetizing choices of dining partners who decide where ships call, what is used and sold onboard, and how to invest in products and infrastructure – or to simply enjoy the company of their family or fellow members.

Alarm clocks announced the next day, with the group rising early for one of the summit’s most important proceedings, the PAMAC Meeting. A fixture of both annual PAMAC events, the meeting brought together the entire group to discuss operations and developments, with Platinum Members able to present any point to a panel of Member Line executives, led by Albino Di Lorenzo, vice president of cruise operations for MSC Cruises USA and chairman of the FCCA Operations Committee, and including Carlos Estrada, director of commercial home port operations for Carnival Cruise Line; Federico Gonzalez-Denton, vice president of destination development, Latin America & Caribbean, Royal Caribbean Cruises; Jaco Gouws, senior manager of port adventures for Disney Cruise Line; and Jheniffer Ortiz, senior manager of destination services, shore excursions for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

“The PAMAC Meeting is extremely important, as it ensures that the communications between FCCA Platinum Members and the Member Lines remain open, allows the members to articulate their challenges face-to-face with the cruise lines, whilst also providing an opportunity to learn from each other, and discuss what measures might be required by either the members in their respective destinations or by the lines to ensure that the guest experience can be improved, along with the respective destination ratings,” said Russell Daya, executive director, marine & port operations, port development and itinerary planning, Disney Cruise Line.

As part of those efforts to learn from each other, Di Lorenzo also took the spotlight to give a presentation updating on the Member Lines’ latest, with a focus on how the audience could utilize the information to create both great guest experiences and partnerships.

Additionally, the meeting praised the partnership between FCCA and Barbados, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, St. Maarten and United States Virgin Islands.

A nearly four-hour session of one-on-one meetings followed, where members privately met with pre-selected executives. Often these executives filled a required need for discussing and presenting new business, as they have the knowledge to offer their input and cruise lines’ perspectives to make a more viable business model or potentially tailor offerings for particular brands and guests.

“The one-on-one meetings allow for us to address the specific concerns or learn about new products from Platinum Members,” said Matthew Sams, vice president of Caribbean relations and private islands for Holland America Group. “This is an important tool for both the members and the cruise industry. For us, we frequently learn about new developments and products, and we are able to help fine-tune them to best fit the cruise lines. For the members, it gives them a real vantage point in knowing what the lines are looking for and how to appeal to them.”

The group then continued full steam ahead in Grand Turk, with a private beach day planned for the group, including a reception sponsored by Chukka, to have some invaluable R&R time mixed with B2B opportunities.

An idyllic sunrise over the iconic turquoise waters of Amber Cove,

Dominican Republic served not only as an Instagrammable moment, but also a symbol to the beginning of a different kind of networking: the group experiencing the destination and some of its unforgettable experiences together.

Ocean World gave the VIP treatment while serving up an authentic taste of the destination, with a cultural enriching experience combining nature inspired by the exotic island with history coming to life through the traditions of its people.

The group savored local gastronomy, heard the rhythms while celebrating like a true dominicano as a team performed merengue and bachata dances, and sampled national drinks – along with offerings like dolphin and sea lion encounters, snorkeling, water slides and aquatic games, and a rainforest area complete with macaws and toucans.

The day also put the shoe on the other foot, allowing the group to see what they want to experience and how they want to be treated, along with getting a different perspective of crowd control, passenger flow, transportation to and from cruise ship and tour guide interaction.

A pair of dinners and day at sea gave the group time and freedom for more product promotion and discussions including not only work, but also the enthusiasm about the activities and even some of the lessons learned and inspiration given, before disembarking on January 25 and starting to look forward to the next PAMAC event.

Taking place in Montego Bay, Jamaica from June 10-13, the PAMAC Conference will give a land-based perspective of the PAMAC events’ trademarked series of meetings, workshops and networking events connecting Platinum Members with senior cruise industry leaders to discuss industry trends and standards and develop relationships and mutual benefits.

“We cannot be prouder to offer events like these to foster mutual growth for Platinum Members and Member Line executives,” said Michele Paige, president of FCCA. “Bringing together these two vital entities in a comfortable setting lets them better understand not only the latest happenings and offerings, but also each other, which has proven to be one of the best ways to synergistically grow and improve.”

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Scarlet Lady Celebrated, with Love Scarlet Lady officially reached completion on Valentine’s Day. Nearly three years in the making, Virgin Voyages formally welcomed its first ‘Lady Ship’ in its fleet of four – and on the heels of this celebratory occasion, Virgin Voyages launched an approach taking immediate action to address climate change.

Not only has the brand designed its fleet of ships to the latest energy-efficiency standards with state-of-the art equipment, Virgin Voyages is offsetting its direct climate change emissions through the purchase of carbon offsets. This commitment makes the brand the first cruise line to become carbon-neutral for its direct emissions footprint from its first day of commercial operation.

“It’s wonderful to welcome Scarlet Lady today,” said Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson. “I’m so proud that as we start this exciting journey, we also bring to life Virgin Voyages’ commitment to preserving the ocean and the first of many steps towards a net zero carbon future.”

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Scarlet Lady also showcases Virgin Voyages’ commitment to environmental preservation, and fashion, through The Band, a sleek wearable technology made from recycled ocean plastic.

Equal parts functional and stylish – and brought to life through a partnership with BIONIC® Yarn, a material engineering leader committed to addressing plastic pollution in marine and coastal environments – the lightweight, relaxed eco-chic accessory is nautically inspired and can be taken home by Sailors as a post-voyage keepsake.

“Just like our stunning fleet of Lady Ships…our wearable technology marries sustainability with smarts and style, which is quintessentially Virgin,” said Tom McAlpin, CEO of Virgin Voyages. “The Band [is] our seamless and worry-free way for Sailors to not only unlock their cabin with ease, but to explore all of the thrills and great experiences that Scarlet Lady and the rest of our fleet will have to offer.”

COSTA TOSCANA TURNS A HISTORIC PAGE Assembly work on the hull of Costa Toscana – the second ship in the Costa Cruises fleet to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the “cleanest” fossil fuel in the world – started on February 11 at the Meyer shipyard in Turku.

“This symbolic moment in the construction of Costa Toscana marks a further step forward in the use of LNG in the cruise sector,” said Neil Palomba, President of Costa Cruises. “We were the first in the world to believe in this innovation five years ago, when we ordered these new ships, starting a transformation process toward make tourism increasingly sustainable. LNG is currently the solution that allows the best and most immediate results to be achieved in terms of reducing the environmental impact of ships.”

Costa Toscana is the sister ship of Costa Smeralda, which came into service on December 21. Thanks to the use of LNG, an innovation that the Costa Group was the first to introduce in the cruise sector, this new class of low environmental impact ships can virtually eliminate sulfur dioxide emissions (zero emissions) and particulate matter (95100% reduction), also significantly reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides (85% direct reduction) and CO2 reduction of up to 20%).

Costa Toscana and Costa Smeralda are part of an expansion plan that includes a total of seven new ships being delivered to the Costa Group by 2023, for a total investment of over six billion euros. As many as five of these ships are fueled by LNG. The use of LNG on cruise ships for the first time is an integral part of a bigger responsible innovation project promoted by the Costa Group to reduce the environmental impact of its fleet. Around 70% of the group’s ships currently in service are fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems called Advanced Air Quality Systems, which guarantee the

On Board almost complete elimination of sulfur oxides, a 75% reduction in particulate and a substantial reduction in nitrogen oxides.

The Costa Group is also a pioneer in the use of “shore power” – which allows ships to be powered with electricity from land while they are docked – and is making big investments to equip all its ships currently in service with this technology. The company is also trialing the use of lithium ion batteries and fuel cells on some of its ships.

John Padgett (left), chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation, and JP Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks

PRINCESS CRUISES TO TAP GROUNDBREAKING SATELLITE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM Princess Cruises will enter a new dimension in connectivity through its partnership with SES making it the first global cruise ship fleet with early access to SES’s ground-breaking O3b mPOWER network – augmenting the Princess MedallionClass experience as it scales across the fleet.

SES is enabling global, high-performance connectivity to Princess Cruises using its hybrid medium earth orbit (MEO) and geostationary (GEO) network. The combination of the globally-deployed Princess MedallionClass ships, the Ocean Guest Experience “Cloud Connected” Platform and SES’s Multi-Constellations Satellite network not only creates unmatched and ubiquitous global Wi-Fi service levels, but also ensures seamless land/sea digital experience enablement including OceanView TV – and is disrupting the traditional commodity satellite bandwidth model.

“The future is now with real solutions and proven technology delivering real experiences to floating smart cities around the globe powering a coveted experience.

SES integration into the Global Experience and Innovation team not only provides

world-leading connectivity technology and fueling OceanMedallion capabilities, but most importantly provides expertise that is passionate about creating amazing experiences through the fusion of creativity, story, connectivity and media across the world,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation

officer for Carnival Corporation. “Our first joint creation, MedallionNet, has significantly elevated the cruise experience for our guests and crew, but more importantly stimulated the creation of leading-edge, cloud-based edge compute models that were previously considered impossible.”

Carnival Radiance to Feature a Radiant Team When Carnival Radiance rises from its $200 million bow-to-stern transformation, it will feature other popular brand offerings on top of the host of eateries – with longtime guest favorites Lee Mason and Katie Eastham serving as the ship’s cruise director and entertainment director duo.

“As cruise director and entertainment director, you have to have more energy than all of our guests combined, and as you can imagine, that is tough to come by,” said Chris Nelson, vice president of entertainment for Carnival Cruise Line. “Lee’s and Katie’s talents are obvious – within seconds of talking with them, you can feel their enthusiasm and see their expertise. We can’t wait to watch this powerhouse duo bring the new Carnival Radiance to life.”

Known throughout the fleet for his outgoing personality and million-watt smile, Mason joined Carnival in 2016 and has since served as cruise director for eight Carnival ships. The Cumbria, England-native has earned a number of accolades at Carnival as well as notoriety for helping to raise $40,000 in one cruise at the onboard Groove for St. Jude fundraiser, the most raised in 2019.

Also an award winner, Eastham is a versatile leader who has proven her perseverance, innovation and creativity at Carnival since 2012. As driven as she is organized, the native of Cheshire, England, has worked on 12 ships serving as entertainment director and mentoring many of the company’s newly promoted entertainment directors.

The third in the line’s Sunshine class, Carnival Radiance’s dry dock will add a host of eateries including Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse created by Food Network star Guy Fieri, the classic American steakhouse Fahrenheit 555 and the first Big Chicken restaurant at sea created by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal. The ship will also feature a number of new entertainment venues including a WaterWorks aqua park, Serenity Adult Only Retreat, Cloud 9 Spa and a new Liquid Lounge.

Carnival Radiance will debut on her inaugural voyage, a 10-day Mediterranean sailing from Barcelona on April 29, 2020, kicking off a summer schedule of nine- and 12-day sailings.

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On Board

MEIN SCHIFF 4 PLUGGED FOR SHORE POWER CONNECTION, FLEET-WIDE CONVERSION BY 2023 Mein Schiff 4 is now the first ship in TUI Cruises’ fleet to have a shore power connection after a February dry dock that also included a number or renovations in the public areas. The connection ensures emissions-free ship operation in ports where a shore-side shore power device is available – and is planned to be available fleet-wide as the company retrofits all of its ships by 2023 and further underline its pioneering role in environmental protection. Next, Mein Schiff 5 will receive the final equipment on board in autumn.

AZAMARA ENHANCES ‘PEOPLE TO PEOPLE’ COMMITMENT BY PROVIDING CREW WITH WHATSAPP, CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF DESTINATION IMMERSION When announcing its initiative to provide crew members with complimentary texting through WhatsApp, Azamara told this further reinforces the brand’s commitment to connect “people to people,” as well adding some perks and signs of appreciation.

“At Azamara, we are lucky to have a crew that goes above and beyond each and every day, so it’s crucial for us to showcase our appreciation through added perks,” said Scott Daniels, AVP, Hotel Operations of Azamara. “Seamless communication is important when traveling, and we’re pleased our crew can stay connected with family and friends while aboard their home away from home.”

Separately, Azamara will soon celebrate its 10-year anniversary of its award-wining Destination Immersion® programming. Set to take place on October 8, for one night only, Azamara will enhance its unmatched 38 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

AzAmazing Evenings – the brand’s signature nighttime events designed to connect guests to the local culture of a destination – and create an incomparable experience, the “Ten-Years Further Event,” with guests and crew on separate voyages aboard Azamara’s three sister ships all meeting in Koper, Slovenia to enjoy the celebratory event.

“The Three Sisters will come together for the first time in Azamara history to celebrate our brand’s special milestone, 10 years of Destination Immersion® experiences,” said Larry Pimentel, President & CEO of Azamara. “We couldn’t think of a better way to show Azamara’s commitment to having guests fully explore different locales through immersive land experiences than with a Grand AzAmazing Evening in one of Europe’s most charming cities.”

SEABOURN GIVING NEW PERSPECTIVE OF COVETED DESTINATIONS Seabourn will soon be offering guests a breathtaking perspective on the sights in the most coveted and remote destinations. The line’s two new purpose-built expedition vessels will feature the new Constellation Lounge.

Silversea Reveling in Luxury (Experiences) Silversea will soon be basking in the luxury of two new ships – its new ultra-luxury ship, Silver Moon, and first-ever destination-specific ship slated to be the most elegant ship to ever sail in the Galapagos, Silver Origin – but despite all the firsts and elegance, the brand is continuing its nitty-gritty commitment to destination experiences and engaging with the places we travel through the lens of food, wine and culinary culture.

When Silver Moon is launched on August 6, guests will get a taste of Silversea’s pioneering new culinary concept, S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste).

Adapting with each sailed region, Silver Moon’s S.A.L.T. program will elevate the role of food and drink as a means to travel deeper into a destination, by showcasing entire ecosystems around the culinary cultures of the world.

In the S.A.L.T. Kitchen, the S.A.L.T. Lab, and the S.A.L.T. Bar, guests will develop an appreciation for regional ingredients and culinary customs, before venturing ashore under the guidance of experts to experience food and drink cultures first-hand.

As well as foods and flavors, people will define Silversea’s pioneering new culinary program: culinary experts from around the world will use story-

telling to form meaningful connections between Silversea’s curious guests and the world’s most remarkable places, cultures and communities.

“I passionately believe that food and drink facilitate profound discovery – into destinations, cultures and people – and that guests will nurture strong connections with amazing destinations as a result of S.A.L.T.,” said the ‘Queen of Barbaresco’ and Godmother of Silver Moon, Gaia Gaja, who is of the fifth generation to own and manage the renowned Gaja winery in the small Italian town of Barbaresco.

“My own experience with wine making has taught me that culinary discovery possesses limitless potential; here’s to the curious travelers who seek to unlock it.”

Separately, Silversea’s first-ever destination-specific ship, Silver Origin, is

Designed along the lines of the Observation Bar, among the most popular venues on every ship in the current Seabourn fleet, the Constellation Lounge will debut with the launch of Seabourn Venture in June 2021, and follow on the sister ship in May 2022.

The Constellation Lounge will be the highest indoor viewing point on each ship. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls will wrap around the space, offering guests stunning 270-degree, outward-facing views as far as their eyes can see, heightening their expeditionary spirit while bringing them closer to wildlife and wonders at sea and in port.

In addition, the expedition team will be in the lounge regularly to help identify points of interest, wildlife and geological

almost ready to become the most elegant ship to ever sail in the Galapagos Islands, with the all-suite, 100-guest ship floating out of the De Hoop shipyard in Lobith, the Netherlands, and touching water for the first time on December 30, 2019.

When Silver Origin welcomes travelers on July 18, she will not only be the most elegant ship to ever sail the pristine archipelago – with a luxurious enclave of ocean-view suites, sumptuous cuisine, personalized service of a butler and all-inclusive amenities – but she will also excel in environmental friendliness.

Purpose-built with the environment in mind, the innovative new ship will feature a dynamic positioning system, which will be used when the

wonders – like glimpsing killer whales, waddling penguins, and sea lions in Antarctica; sleepy-eyed sloths, sprightly monkeys, and colorful parrots in the rainforests of South and Central America; and icebergs bobbing in the seas and waterfalls rushing over cliffs in the far reaches of the Arctic and Northern Europe – all from the comfort of the Constellation Lounge.

The name reflects the heavenly direction of the space, which is dressed up in constellation-inspired interiors, fashioned by hospitality design icon Adam D. Tihany, including dark carpeting laid out with bright constellation patterns. The name is also a nod to the heritage of luxury hospitality more than 30 years in the making, as “Constellation Lounge” was last used on Seabourn Pride.

ship is positioned over delicate seabed ecosystems to prevent the anchor from causing damage; incorporate in-suite freshwater purification systems that drastically reduce the use of plastic on board; and meet the highest standards of energy efficiency in the segment.

Guests traveling on Silver Origin will also enjoy the highest crew-toguest ratio in the Galapagos. Part of the ship’s crew, a team of expedition experts will lead immersive shore experiences for guests. In addition to guided Zodiac excursions, hikes, and nature walks ashore – all included – these passionate and knowledgeable professionals will offer onboard lectures, discussions and recaps in Silver Origin’s innovative Basecamp.

CELEBRITY APEX REACHING NEW HEIGHTS When the much-anticipated Celebrity Apex was christened on March 30, Celebrity Cruises did more than continue the lineage of its groundbreaking Edge Series that began with the 2018 launch of Celebrity Edge. Celebrity Apex took modern cruising to yet another level, with the very latest culinary, spa and wellness trends, and progressive entertainment offerings.

The first-in-class Celebrity Edge has received more than 50 awards and was crowned one of TIME Magazine’s 2019 World’s Greatest Places. It impressed the world with its innovative outward-facing design and visionary spaces created by world-renowned designers.

Celebrity Apex encored the transformational look and feel of its sister ship with such distinctive features as the floating Magic Carpet cantilevered off the ship’s side inviting guests to eat, drink and soar over the sea up to deck 16; The Retreat, the all-exclusive experience for all suite guests; dramatically expanded staterooms with Infinite Verandas; soothing indoor and outdoor garden escapes; magnificent two-story Edge Villas with their own private terrace and plunge pool; and high-style spaces throughout public areas, keeping focus on the contemporary design elements that are a highlight of the Edge Series of ships.

It then added new luxury features and experiences, including new culinary venues, menus and programming; an array of new firsts in beauty, fitness, and wellness; sweeping changes to The Theatre with state-of-the-art technology taking center stage in three all-new production shows to captivate audiences; and new Eden experiences, transforming the breathtaking Eden venue into a myriad of moods.

Even the noncodified Godmother of Celebrity Apex continued tradition while leading to firsts. Reshma Saujani – founder and CEO of international nonprofit Girls Who Code and author of international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect – was selected, FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 39

On Board continuing the brand’s tradition in choosing Godmothers who are breaking ground in their respective fields for people around the world, and helped develop firsts at sea including an onboard coding experience.

Another first that launched on Celebrity Apex is the goop at sea experience, with goop – the modern lifestyle brand founded

and helmed by Gwyneth Paltrow – partnering with Celebrity Cruises to create an experience enhanced by Paltrow and goop’s chief content officer, Elise Loehnen, joining an 11-night wellness cruise through the Mediterranean on August 30 to host a special onboard experience for the retreat goers.

PENÉLOPE CRUZ STARS AT COSTA SMERALDA NAMING CEREMONY Special celebrations were held in Savona for the naming ceremony of Costa Smeralda, Costa Cruises’ sensational new flagship, powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) on February 23. The ship’s godmother and star of the event was international celebrity Penélope Cruz, who performed the ribbon-cutting duties with the traditional breaking of the bottle against the bow of the ship in the presence of the Master of Costa Smeralda, Paolo Benini. Also starring at the celebration was the Italian multi-starred chef Bruno Barbieri, who personally conceived and presented a special gala cocktail, giving guests a taste of his creativity and experience.

Regent Seven Seas Redefining Luxury Regent Seven Seas Cruises hosted an elegant and glamorous christening gala in Miami on February 24 to welcome its newest ship that defines Luxury Perfected, Seven Seas Splendor™.

“Seven Seas Splendor is the epitome of luxury perfected,” said Frank Del Rio, President & CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “Every ship we launch gets even better, and Seven Seas Splendor is magnificent. The collaboration between the designers, engineers, craftsmen, hotel and restaurant teams, and the crew onboard, all brings the renowned Regent experience to life on this beautiful ship. Seven Seas Splendor is a celebration of excellence, friendship, success and luxury.”

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Exclusive guests, including travel partners, local community leaders, media and luxury travelers, were invited to the private black-tie evening ceremony on board Seven Seas Splendor to experience that perfection and celebrate the all-suite, all-balcony luxury cruise ship. “’Gorgeous’ is the word I use to describe Seven Seas Splendor,” said Honorary Godmother and trailblazer Christie Brinkley. “All the details on this ship are amazing, from the artistic style of the Italian marble, the artwork and chandeliers, to the sculpture of the mythical dragon outside Pacific Rim. Every inch of this light and bright ship is filled with luxurious details.”

Photo by Visit Cayman Islands

FOUR CARNIVAL CORPORATION BRANDS WILL LAUNCH NEW CRUISE SHIPS IN 2020 Carnival Corporation will launch four new cruise ships in 2020 across four of its global cruise line brands – Iona for P&O Cruises UK, Britain’s favorite cruise line; Enchanted Princess for Princess Cruises, the fastest growing international premium cruise line; Mardi Gras for Carnival Cruise Line, America’s cruise line; and Costa Firenze for Italian brand Costa Cruises.

Photo by @satoshi_i_fotografie [IG]

ALL-NEW NORWEGIAN SPIRIT Norwegian Cruise Line recently unveiled the all-new Norwegian Spirit following an over $100 million renovation as part of The Norwegian Edge® program, which reaffirms the Company’s commitment to elevating the standard of excellence across the fleet. Norwegian Spirit emerged from a 43-day dry dock in Marseille, France to arrive to Civitavecchia, Italy, boasting 14 new venues, additional and updated staterooms, enhanced public areas and new hull art.

Photo by @sublime.imagery [IG]

MSC Cruises Firms Up Four World Class Ships, Looks to 2030 MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique further extended their long-term partnership by making a number of strategic announcements at a ceremony on January 20. First, the two companies announced the signing of firm contracts for the construction of MSC Cruises’ third and fourth LNG-powered MSC World Class ships, to be delivered in

2025 and 2027. A second MoU sees the companies partnering in the development of yet another innovative prototype ship class concept with which they will explore opportunities that wind power and other advanced technologies could bring to passenger shipping. The three agreements represent an investment in excess of EUR 6.5 billion.

CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE COMPLETES DRAMATIC MODERNIZATION Celebrity Silhouette recently returned from a 42-day bow-to-stern makeover, ready to transform the way modern travelers will experience the world. The completion of the dramatic modernization makes Celebrity Silhouette the fourth ship in Celebrity Cruises’ fleet to undergo The Celebrity Revolution – the brand’s more than $500 million investment in ship-wide upgrades and breath-taking reimagined spaces. To learn more about The Celebrity Revolution and view a complete schedule, visit www.celebritycruises.com/revolution.

FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 41

On Board Seabourn Elevates Teatime, Announces Lineup of Distinguished Speakers Seabourn is inviting guests to sip tea at sea with an enhancement on the cruise line’s beloved Afternoon Tea Service across the entire fleet. Steeped in the tradition of proper English tea service, yet as fresh and memorable as a newly brewed pot, the cruise line’s new daily tea service is the latest innovation designed to ensure that every detail of the Seabourn experience is constantly evolving and delighting guests near and far.

Separately, Seabourn announced its lineup of distinguished speakers in 2020 as part of its popular Seabourn Conversations program. Designed to

Photo by @gsoult [IG]

42 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

enlighten, inform and entertain guests, the complementary onboard enrichment program hosts guest speakers and personalities from a variety of fields including entertainment, adventure, government, journalism, and the arts.

The Seabourn Conversations schedule is populated with both firsttime and notable returning speakers, and is featured on Seabourn’s fleet of award-winning, intimate ships. In addition to sharing their expertise with guests, the speakers will also participate in the daily social scene, sharing meals, adventures ashore and casual conversations throughout the voyage.

STAR WARS DAY AT SEA RETURNS IN 2021 Out-of-this-world adventures return to Disney Cruise Line in 2021 with Star Wars Day at Sea. This special day-long celebration is filled with unique character encounters, unforgettable live shows and Star Wars-themed activities for the entire family. Star Wars Day at Sea takes place on seven-night Disney Fantasy cruises to the Caribbean from January through March.

BAHAMAS PARADISE CRUISE LINE VOTED BEST SHORT CRUISE Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line was named “Best Short Cruise” as part of Porthole Cruise Magazine’s 2020 Editorin-Chief Awards. Editor-in-Chief Bill Panoff selected the cruise line for its one-of-a-kind product, including daily departures to both Grand Bahama Island and Nassau, as well as the unique Cruise & Stay Program. This recognition underscores the innovation driving Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.

ONE ISLAND, ENDLESS REASONS TO STAY Maybe you’re an adventurer — someone who lives for the thrill of a rigorous hike. Maybe you’re a history buff — an enthusiast who loves investigating the holdovers of bygone eras. Maybe you’re a beachgoer, a marine explorer, a souvenir shopper, or an inquisitive traveler. Whatever you are, St. Kitts welcomes you. And we’ll show you the time of your life.

Visit StKittsTourism.kn to learn more

On Land

Celebrating Barbados: An Island Leading with Heart, Providing Hope During Trying Times

T

he true leadership of Barbados’ Prime Minister the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley was on full display when the island readied itself for the global pandemic of COVID-19. Taking charge of the region by rallying together the Caribbean’s heads of government to make their preparations for what would become an unprecedented challenge to hit the nation’s shores, Prime Minister Mottley shifted the motions of the National Pandemic Preparedness Plan into high gear.

In an effort to ensure that Barbadian citizens and visitors alike would be safe and protected, the island’s Ministry of Health & Wellness ordered the virus testing kits and prepped the various isolation centers around the country, a move that when the first two cases were announced,

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proved the effectiveness of having such an organized plan of action.

On March 14, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced the temporary suspension of cruise ships around the world. Barbados, in the position as a home port for a number of cruise lines, welcomed other ships that had to cancel their trips mid-itiner-

“…THE SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS STILL REVERBERATES…”

ary and allowed for quick repatriation of passengers via the airlines back to their home countries.

Barbados’ Public Health Authorities implemented a series of surveillance mea-

sures at the ports of entry to make certain anyone who entered the country was carefully screened and/or quarantined to control the spread of the global pandemic.

Prime Minister Mottley has kept the country informed with press conferences transmitted on all communication channels in an effort to reach as much of the public as possible. Stressing her belief in the resilience of the people, she continues to encourage Barbadians in the preventative measures against the virus and outlines the stages of the Preparedness Plan step by step so everyone has a better understanding of the roles they have to play.

As the country winds down its public events, activities and gatherings while joining the rest of the world in social distancing, the spirit of togetherness still reverberates in weekend streaming dance parties on social media channels, as this is the time of year when preparation for the annual Crop Over Festival usually takes place. The hope for the unity of a people celebrating music, culture, food and dance has not been completely dampened by COVID-19, and many are still looking forward to the summer

“…RALLYING TOGETHER THE CARIBBEAN’S HEADS OF GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THEIR PREPARATIONS FOR WHAT WOULD BECOME AN UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE…” event. This year’s theme, Love Crop Over, focuses on weeks of music, art, heritage, events and food, and culminates with one massive street party on Grand Kadooment Day. Later in the year, the Barbados Food & Rum Festival is set to take place and never disappoints in the culinary events that range from the casual fish fry to the elegant evening of dining.

It is an unforgettable cultural experience that locals and visitors enjoy to their stomachs’ content.

Barbados looks forward to welcoming cruisers again with a smile and a fruity rum punch and sharing in all the island still has to offer. The vast number and amazing diversity of attractions and experiences in Barbados encourage longer stays than a few hours in a single day can fulfil. The longer the cruise stay and island encounter, the greater the chance to celebrate Barbados with its people, beautiful landscapes, food, rich heritage and beaches too.

Cruising will be back, perhaps sooner than expected – and a stay before or after a cruise vacation is undoubtedly a must in Barbados. Daily airlift from major cities and gateways in Canada, the USA, and the UK make this dream vacation a close reality. Furthermore, Barbados’ assortment in accommodation choices caters to those looking for luxurious all-inclusive resorts, intimate hotels with outstanding service and amenities, private villas or a home away from home like an Airbnb or HomeAway property.

Find out more on how Barbados is responding to COVID-19 by visiting gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/category/ corona-virus/.

For those visiting soon, check out www.visitbarbados.org/travel-guidelines-2020 to stay up to date.

Celebrating Barbados and all things Barbadian means more than you can imagine. Hope to see you soon.

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On Land

Disembarked passengers ready to explore the destination

‘REMAARKABLE’ SINT MAARTEN St. Maarten had a ‘remaarkable’ 2019, and 2020 is moving full steam ahead with a clear vision throughout the destination.

Last year ended with St. Maarten receiving over 1.6 million cruise passengers (1,631,537) on 565 cruise calls – an increase of 2.2% (34,436 more guests) over 2018, when the destination received 1,597,101 passengers and 490 cruise ship calls.

Things are already gaining steam this year with, Royal Caribbean recently announcing plans to add 15 calls to St. Maarten in 2020, potentially bringing as many as 68,000 additional guests to the island’s shores – which would equate to a boost of $12.42 million in direct economic benefits by extrapolating the information from the 2018 Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) study, “Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies.”

Its efforts and results were also recognized and awarded at the 2020 FCCA PAMAC Cruise Summit. Of course, the destination is much more than just cruise. Already considered the ‘Most Innovative Destination’ in Caribbean Journal’s Caribbean Travel Awards due to the island’s impressive strategy, which has ushered in a full-fledged tourism renaissance, St. Maarten is focused on further enhancing with a more authentic, appealing, exciting, interesting and memorable guest experience.

This has certainly been spotted by yachters, and St. Maarten has flexed its superpowers for Super Yachts.

Three major international publications (Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, and Forbes) ran positive articles calling Sint Maarten the number one Caribbean destination for Super Yachts, so it is no surprise that its traditional 2019-20 yacht season – 46 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

December 15-March 15 – provided guests with another fascinating, fantastic and eye-popping season complete with a wide variety of shops, restaurants and casinos along with a buzzing nightlife offering the many captains, their crew and guests with a wonderful experience during their stay.

Plus, visitors are likely to have the chance to experience an event, with something always going on in St. Maarten.

Recent events included the 40th edition of the Caribbean’s largest sailing event, St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, headlined

by Flo Rida and gathering thousands of sailors and revelers for the “Serious Fun” synonymous with the Regatta; the Get Up Stand Up Festival, which was powerful night of reverence, levity, peace, and unity – and food, arts and reggae – as a tribute to Robert Nesta Marley, aka Bob Marley, headlined by Ky-Mani Marley; and the second edition of the Caribbean Multihull Challenge, featuring the world’s fastest, boldest one-design trimarans.

St. Maarten strives to become the leading Caribbean destination, offering unforgettable experiences to visitors, and it is doing so by investing in one of its finest resources – its people.

FCCA President Michele Paige led an Operations Committee delegation visit to Sint Maarten from February 5-6. The group met with destination officials including Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and hosted a town hall meeting in collaboration with Port St. Maarten.

Taking place at the Homeporting Terminal at Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities in Pointe Blanche yesterday from 6:00 - 7:30 PM and open to entrepreneurs, business owners/managers and the public, the meeting provided information that “would be beneficial to persons in the tourism-cruise-hospitality sector or to those who would like to enter the local cruise business,” according to the Port.

It also followed a new format that the Port implemented this year to further enhance stakeholder and community engagement and knowledge sharing to stimulate greater awareness for persons interested in entering the industry.

“Cruise tourism is an essential pillar to the national economy,” said the Port.

“At the heart of the economy are small, medium-sized and large businesses. The

town hall meeting is an opportunity for existing, mature businesses to be apprised of the latest and new trends and developments related to the interests of cruise passengers when they visit a destination.

“At the same time, the engagement session is also an opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs and should be considered a road to entrepreneurship in developing niche markets, services and products for an ever-changing cruise demographic.”

For more information about the smallest island in the world to be shared by two nations, visit www.vacationstmaarten.com, www.facebook.com/portstmaarten or www.portstmaarten.com.

USVI’S UNITED FRONT ON INDIVIDUAL ISLANDS While the united front of the USVI continues full steam ahead in tourism, the destination is putting its focus and spotlight outside of the traditional cruise and tourism powerhouse of St. Thomas and on its other islands: St. Croix and St. John.

Of course, St. Croix is no cruise tourism slouch, and it has been a hive of cruise activity. St. Croix started the year strong, welcoming three cruise ships to the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility the week of January 13. Passengers from Carnival Breeze and Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas and Empress of the Seas were treated to warm Crucian hospitality complete with live musical entertainment and performances from Mocko Jumbies in downtown Frederiksted. Holland America’s MS Nieuw Amsterdam then immediately followed.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism also launched a distinctive brand

for the island of St. Croix. Dubbed “St. Croix: a vibe like no other,” the new brand for “The Big Island” displays the people, cuisine, history and culture, and laid-back vibe.

St. Croix has also been a hive of event activity. It will host four days of culinary events and activities during the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience from April 2-5.

Known as one of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ hallmark epicurean events, attendees will experience a sunset barbecue, exclusive wine tastings and an intimate gourmet dinner.

Proceeds support the St. Croix Foundation, a nonprofit that serves the USVI community through education and historic preservation.

On President’s Day Weekend (February 14-17), St. Croix hosted the 49th Annual St. Croix Agriculture Fair.

The event, also known as Agrifest, was a colorful display of agricultural products, livestock, arts and crafts, and local cuisine.

Festivalgoers could also enjoy the sights and sounds of live entertainment and cultural demonstrations, from steel pan orchestras to Mocko Jumbies. This year’s theme was “Agriculture: Trendy in 2020.”

On the heels of a successful 201920 Crucian Christmas Festival, which attracted visitors from around the world, Commissioner Boschulte told that St. Croix is poised for a strong tourism performance this year.

He reported that 2019 saw an increase of 7.9% in visitor arrivals by air to St. Croix over 2018, and he is optimistic that with refreshed accommodations coming back online in the months ahead, the island would see more positive trends in 2020.

“After the hurricanes of 2017, impacted islands saw major dips in arrivals with reduced accommodations inventory.

However, two years later, airline capacity on St. Croix is actually ahead of pre-storm levels; with continued hard work and focus, we expect that trend to continue,” the Commissioner asserted.

Those numbers should continue their ascent, St. Croix will welcome a third American Airlines daily flight from Miami between June 4 - August 17. The carrier also recently extended Charlotte-St. Croix flights from Saturday-only to daily during the peak Christmas period.

St. John, also known as the “Love City,” and the smallest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, is packed with experiences – and cruise guests visiting the bustling ports

of St. Thomas can take a quick 20-minute ferry ride to explore the activities, attractions, restaurants and retail shops.

Upon arrival in Cruz Bay, passengers can head to Trunk Bay for snorkeling; dine at De Coal Pot for some local cuisine; or check out Mongoose Junction shopping center, which features stores, boutiques and dining options; before heading back to St. Thomas for their departure.

Sports tourism is also on the rise in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. territory hosts many sporting events year-round, attracting competitors, their families, and visitors to its shores. The St. Croix Triathlon, Beach to Beach Power Swim on St. John and the St. Thomas International Regatta are some of the major events which appeal to sports aficionados and active travelers. Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte reports more investments are on the cards for this burgeoning sector. In the meantime, visitors can peruse www.visitusvi.com for more information.

SAINT LUCIA SAILING AHEAD Saint Lucia had plenty to celebrate on top of its 40th year of independence in 2019, including record tourism arrivals, contin-

ued national economic growth, further reductions in unemployment and other initiatives and projects that have benefited and will continue to benefit thousands of Saint Lucians.

Last year Saint Lucia welcomed over 1.3 million visitors with the cruise sector contributing significantly to that number. Cruise arrivals for 2019 stood at 786,743, a 3.5% increase over the previous year. Based on those impressive figures and its partnership with FCCA, Saint Lucia was recognized at 2020 PAMAC Cruise Summit for its contribution to growing the cruise sector in the subregion.

Saint Lucia also surpassed all previous records for stay-over arrivals – with 423,736 stay-over visitors, the highest in the island’s history, from January - December 2019. This marked a significant achievement as both the first time the destination broke the 400,000 milestone and an additional 100,000 guests, a 38% increase, compared to nine years ago. It also represented a 7% growth over the previous record set in 2018.

Much of the growth is being attributed to increases in airlift from the US market in particular, which this year, accounted for close to half (45 percent) of total stay-over arrivals – roughly 191,000 visitors. The Caribbean emerged as the island’s second-largest market claiming 20% of total stay-over arrivals, followed closely by the UK market with 19% and Canada with 10%.

Minister of Tourism Dominic Fedee said the island’s festivals have also played a role in their performance, with Carnival gaining steam thanks to the popularity of the island’s Dennery Segment music and the success of its producers and musicians. According to Fedee, Saint Lucia, is the fastest-growing soca destination in the Caribbean.

Saint Lucia also has the tune for jazz, and the 2020 Saint Lucia Jazz Festival – produced in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center – will take place from May 7-9 and show why Jazziz magazine dubbed Saint Lucia “the Caribbean’s premier jazz destination.”

Saint Lucia is also further proving its prominence amongst Caribbean destinations within the romance niche, again named the World’s Leading FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 47

On Land Honeymoon Destination, earning the honors for a record 11th time, and earning a bevy of hardware at the 2020 Travvy Awards, including Gold honors for ‘Best Wedding Destination and Best Honeymoon Destination – Caribbean/ Bahamas,’ as well as being home to the Best Boutique Hotel – Overall: Boucan by Hotel Chocolat (Silver); Best Boutique Hotel – Caribbean/ Bahamas: Boucan by Hotel Chocolat (Gold); Best Honeymoon Hotel/Resort – Caribbean/Bahamas: Jade Mountain (Gold); Ladera Resort (Silver); and Best Individual Hotel – Overall: Anse Chastanet (Gold) Yet 2019 had even more reason for celebration, with Hon. Fedee winning the Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year award and Saint Lucian Orlando Satchell honored as the Caribbean Chef of the Year in the Caribbean Journal’s Travel awards.

Instead of basking in this success, Prime Minister Allen Chastanet told in 2020, the government “will be making a concerted effort via game changing policies and projects to ensure more Saint Lucians benefit from these exceptional performances.”

The future should indeed be bright – and benefit all parts of and people throughout the island – with additions like the Canelles Resort Project, which broke ground on January 15 in Micoud, a nearly pristine area boasting rich archaeological, historical and environmental sites as well opportunities for the locals in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

“This hotel will fit in nicely with a number of other projects that are currently already underway or planned for the south of the island, as we attempt to spread the benefits of national development and narrow the social and economic gap between rural and urban communities,” said Chastanet.

The development will feature a 163,000 sq. ft. Dreams Resort comprising 250 rooms and a 117,000 sq. ft. Zoetry Resort comprising an 80-room Hotel. In addition, The Residences at Anse Canelles will feature Condominiums totaling 380rooms located in 17 buildings offering high-end, residential living for singles, couples and families.

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Photo by @eguie_colon [IG]

YES, PUERTO RICO IS OPEN! Following Puerto Rico’s record-breaking 2019, in lodging revenue, airport arrivals and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) bookings, tragedy broke with historic seismic activity in January.

In the wake of that tragedy, there was a silver lining – with cruise tourism and its needed economic boost operating normally. In fact, three cruise calls and 15,000 guests were welcomed the Wednesday following the event, with accompanying cultural programming and many of the ships in Old San Juan open.

In February, Discover Puerto Rico rolled out a new campaign – #GoForPuertoRico – to encourage travel to the Island following January’s seismic activity. Drawing inspiration from Puerto Rico’s resilient spirit, the new creative reminds travelers that Puerto Rico is open for tourism, focuses on the Island’s diverse offerings, and communicates that by traveling, visitors are fueling local communities.

The new campaign builds upon Discover Puerto Rico’s brand campaign “Have We Met Yet?,” which reintroduced the island to the world in April 2019. Travelers and meeting planners will immediately be drawn by the many aspects that make Puerto

Rico a unique and meaningful destination – ranging from the hospitality of the Puerto Rican people, to the cuisine, festive spirit, abundant natural attractions, and much more.

Plus, it is easier than ever to discover Puerto Rico, with 17 hotels joining an initiative to encourage travel to the island. The packages feature different offers, some including a free night, on-property credits or special discounts.

Discover Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association worked with hotels around the island to develop the packages.

“This a direct call to action that we are open for tourism and that we are waiting for them to show everything that Puerto Rico has to offer,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is also continuing its ascent in air arrivals, with San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport welcoming more than an 18% increase in passenger traffic for Q4 2019 (2,376,073 passengers) – supported by increases of 19.1% in domestic traffic and 9.9% in international traffic – and a 12.8% increase for FY2019 (9,448,253 passengers, with 13.2% and 9.7% respective domestic/international increases), according to the February 24 report by ASUR.

Photo by Kemuel Stubbs

THE BAHAMAS: BETTER THAN EVER After further proving that the majority of The Islands of The Bahamas was open for tourism following Hurricane Dorian, with 2019 actually being a record-breaking year welcoming 7 million visitors, the destination had other symbols of both tourism recovery and prominence showcasing that it is also better than ever.

Hosting the 27th Annual World Travel Awards Caribbean Gala Ceremony at Sandals Royal Bahamian, Nassau on January 20, The Islands of The Bahamas took home more tokens of its tourism prominence with seven awards in total in several prestigious categories, including the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury Island Destination – as well as being named “Destination of the Year” award at the 2nd Annual CCRA Power Solutions National Conference and earning nominations as a top destination for romance, luxury, cruising, diving and more in multiple awards so far this year.

The Islands of The Bahamas also kicked off the New Year with increased airlift options in Boston, Denver and Houston that will bring visitors to The Bahamas during peak travel season this spring, just in time for Baha Mar’s inaugural Culinary & Arts Festival.

American Airlines relaunched its flight service to Grand Bahama on February 13, now providing daily flights between Freeport and Miami – and destination officials expect even more international arrivals for summer.

In the few affected areas, recovery also continues apace, with Lucayan National Park officially reopening and Grand Bahama Island snagging some accolades for itself – including UNEXSO being named Carnival Cruise

Line’s “Caribbean’s Leading Tour Operator” and several nominations in USA Today’s 2020 Caribbean Readers’ Choice Awards – while it continues to recover better than ever and offer special offers for guests to experience the renovated product.

Additionally, a host of hotels, businesses and attractions are reopening in Abaco – with airlift taking flight as well. For more about The Abacos, please visit bahamas. com/abaco. To help fund the recovery and rebuilding efforts taking place in The Abacos, visit bahamas.com/relief.

Photo by the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS UPGRADES BERTH BOOKING, SHOWCASES RECOVERY British Virgin Islands is welcoming more than just visitors this quarter, including improvements to the cruise and cargo berth booking system, a new app providing a comprehensive directory of tourism businesses and an iconic eco resort.

British Virgin Islands Ports Authority (BVIPA) is revamping its system through PortCall.com, which will coordinate scheduling between the port, pilots and agents. The online booking system is set to be operational this quarter.

Additionally, the destination’s remarkable recovery following the historic 2017 hurricane season are on full display through both a new app and more hotel reopenings.

A new app – BVI Now – launched on Apple and Google to provide a comprehensive directory of tourist businesses, with up-to-date contact information and hours of operation.

And following a four-year closure and comprehensive renovation staying true to its ecotourism roots, the iconic Rosewood Little Dix Bay – situated along one of Virgin Gorda’s most beautiful bays and set across 500 acres of pristine private beachfront and breathtaking flora and fauna – is back and better than ever, and one of the host of reopened and improved accommodations.

CAYMAN KIND OF SOARING HIGH After ending the decade with record-breaking air arrivals, highlighting another year of steady growth in airlift and accommodations, the Cayman Islands has already hit the runway running in 2020 and continued its ascent in airlift and future hotels – all meaning memorable #CaymanKind vacations are more accessible than ever.

For the calendar year 2019, the Cayman Islands welcomed 502,739 air arrivals, an 8.6% increase and 39,738 extra persons over 2018 – and the highest number of stayover visits in recorded history, surpassing the record set the previous year and representing the 10th consecutive year of growth in stayover visitation, and 30.5% more than 2015.

Also marking a first in in Cayman’s history, the destination topped 50,000 stayover guests for three months in one calendar year (March, July, and December). Except for September, the country broke previous arrival records each month in 2019.

Plus, this growth is being welcomed throughout all islands, with Cayman Brac arrivals totaling 62,911 in 2019, 7.4% FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 49

On Land more than 2018 and a new record for the route, and Little Cayman also welcoming big growth and its most arrivals ever, with 30,537 passengers.

Notable airline activity paving the way for a continued ascent in 2020 include Cayman Airways returning to Denver in December 2019 through August 2020 with twice weekly service; American Airlines’ additional seasonal service from Boston and new service from JFK in 2020; Sunwing’s entry into the Cayman Islands from Toronto for February 2020; British Airways introducing an extra flight on Tuesdays; United Airlines transitioning their Newark route to daily service from December 2019 through April 2020; Southwest adding Baltimore seasonally, which launched in June 2019, and increased frequency in 2020; Southwest moving their Houston service to start in March and progressing to daily as of June 2020; WestJet and Air Canada increasing frequency for 2020; and Delta launching Saturday service from JFK from June 13 – August 20.

More accommodations are also en route, with Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman setting its official expected launch. The 351-room set on Seven Mile Beach that will draw inspiration from its iconic whitesand setting and include a residential component set a planned 2022 opening.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS ‘HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION’ “Today, our Federation is heading in the right direction,” told Dr. The Hon. Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, at the New Year’s Gala on January 4, touting “our construction of a modern cruise pier facility or the Government’s end-of-year bonus in the form of a double salary to civil servants, which we have given for the fourth consecutive year,” as well as the “safer streets, bigger and better housing, more jobs 50 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

and more opportunities for our young people and indeed for all our people.”

Plenty of opportunities and advances are also being afforded by the destination’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program.

As one of them, biometric checks are headed to St. Kitts and Nevis this year as part of the compulsory due diligence process every applicant must pass to be considered for CBI – part of the government’s broader plan to invest in stronger security checks under the CBI Program.

Photo by @valtterimurto

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC GETS PRESIDENTIAL SEAL OF APPROVAL The Dominican Republic has been declared safe by former President Bill Clinton, who recently visited and publicly acknowledged his safety while on the island. “This is a great place – and everybody should come here and see it.”

Indeed, there is plenty new to see – and plenty people seeing it, especially cruise guests. Last year brought 1,115,722 cruise guests throughout the destination, representing a 16% growth over 2017.

Instead of resting on laurels, plenty progress is on path. SANSOUCI Port of Santo Domingo is preparing to welcome enhancements to the colonial city as part of its Comprehensive Tourism and Urban Development Program – with a principal objective of revitalizing the urban, economic, and cultural tourism aspects by restoring public spaces and historical monuments,

improving habitability for residents, developing local economies and strengthening the management of the town.

On the overnight side, there are plenty more accommodations and airfare connectivity. AMResorts has broken ground on two new all-inclusive resorts in Miches – an unspoiled paradise on the northeast coast – which form the backbone of the company’s $400-million ‘eco-chic luxury’ Playa Esmeralda development, and Punta Cana explorers can plan a dream trip at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana resort, a family- and couple-friendly 500-room resort that opened on February 21 – or experience the new star-studded event calendar at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana.

And more is on the radar to make flying to the Dominican Republic more convenient and hassle-free. Punta Cana International Airport continued its enhancements by implementing Auto Passport Control, adding to other initiatives over the past year including Pre-Clearance and wellness benefits like elimination of announcements over speakers and space for nursing moms to breastfeed in privacy. Additionally, TUI fly will launch service from Dusseldorf to Puerto Plata beginning November 4, with weekly flights, and to Punta Cana on Boeing 787 jets thrice weekly.

COME SEE WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT DOMINICA Dominica is rebuilding with climate resiliency in mind, banning single-use plastics by 2030 to protect its most asset. Adding to this thrust, last year, the Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica debuted as the island’s first true five-star hotel, with solar panels and a grey water system.

This untamed jungle island is building with an eye for sustainable luxury to pair

with its gurgling hot springs, black sand beaches, absurdly cool hikes, and some of the best scuba diving in the Caribbean

Photo by @geektouristique [IG]

GUADELOUPE LANDS FIRST JETBLUE FLIGHTS JetBlue’s new service between JFK and Guadeloupe’s Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport has officially begun. The inaugural flight landed at 1 PM local time on February 1, marking JetBlue’s first time ever flying to the French Caribbean island – and the only service between Guadeloupe and the northeast. The service, which operates on a winter seasonal schedule on Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays, “…allows us to…introduce JetBlue customers to this unique island destination,” according to Andrea Lusso, director, route planning.

GRENADA TOUR GUIDES COMPLETE AQUILA TRAINING Forty tour guides in Grenada successfully completed training facilitated by the Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence, the official training partner of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA). Sponsored by the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), the course was an opportunity for the tour guides to become master storytellers about the experiences in their country while receiving internationally recognized certification.

COSTA RICA’S ROAD TO SUCCESS Costa Rica is moving forward on the The study covered the perception road to success, recently being named of 7,000 businesspeople and considered the third-best investment destination factors including corruption, economic and green lighting road works that stability, dynamism, tax environment, could pave the way for more growth. qualified human talent, innovation and Costa Rica was considered the technological experience. world’s third best country to invest in Additionally, work to widen a

by U.S. News & World Report. In its 46-kilometer stretch of road in Costa study backed by Wharton School of Rica connecting the bridge over the Business and BAV Group, “The Top Virilla River to the Sucio River – and Best Countries to Invest In,” Costa Rica near the Braulio Carrillo National earned the third spot – affirming the Park – got the green light to begin feacountry’s virtues, economic and political sibility studies, according to Costa Rica stability, human talent and sustainable authorities. The project valued at $643 development, according to Dyala Jiménez, million will be funded by tolls over the Minister of Foreign Commerce. next 30 years.

Photo by @argentinayelmundo [IG]

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On Land

BELIZE WELCOMES RECORD-BREAKING GROWTH & FCCA SITE VISIT Belize registered an unprecedented 503,177 overnight visitors in 2019 – 2.8% over 2018 – due to strategic marketing of Belize, enhanced collaboration with local and international partners, more international direct flights to Belize and the development of tourism resources and destinations across the country.

Those efforts may continue to rise following a February FCCA Operations Committee visit to Belize, with a delegation led by FCCA President Michele Paige and featuring cruise executives including Carlos Estrada, director of commercial home port operations at Carnival Cruise Line, and Andre Pousada, associate vice president of government relations for Latin America and Caribbean at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The group met with destination officials such as Minister of Tourism Hon. Jose Manuel Heredia, Jr., and engaged with numerous entrepreneurs, business operators and the public, while holding a Town Hall Meeting and exploring some of the current destination offerings along with opportunities to increase the benefits of cruise tourism for all throughout Belize.

Photo by @chrisgarnersx [IG]

JAMAICA GIVING AN AUTHENTIC TASTE TO CRUISE GUESTS While Jamaica launched its ‘Heartbeat of the World’ campaign, there is a new pulse of life for cruise tourism throughout the des52 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

tination, complete with an authentic taste of the destination and focus on local products.

Monday, January 20 marked a historic occasion for the historic town of Port Royal, which welcomed its first ever cruise ship, Marella Discovery II. Prime Minister Andrew Holness was on hand to celebrate what he called a “momentous occasion” and meet some of the 2,000 guests that could discover the city once ruled by the notorious pirate, Captain Henry Morgan, and famous the world over for its booze and pirates.

Separately, passengers on Norwegian Bliss’ inaugural visit in Ocho Rios received a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain ( JBM) coffee on arrival – a gesture marking the start of a new initiative announced by the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, to have the coffee offered to all cruise passengers disembarking at Jamaica’s main ports in order to increase brand awareness and sale of the locally grown product to international markets.

PANAMA SIGNS MULTIDESTINATION ARRANGEMENT Panama has signed a multi-destination arrangement with Jamaica as part of efforts to strengthen tourism relations between both countries. Under the arrangement, Panama will become a hub for long-haul flights – with Emirates and Air China among the targeted carriers.

The arrangement also covers how to better leverage the Jamaican Diaspora, which has contributed to the cultural enrichment of Panama, while further building toward resilience in the region through plans including a satellite Global Resilience and Crisis Management Centre at a university in Panama.

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES COMMENCES WORK ON CHATEUABELIAR WHARF The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, through the World Bank, has commenced repair work on the Chateuabeliar wharf on the island’s northwest. The works valued at around $5 million will see the construction of a new tender jetty, a low-landing platform and accommodation for yachties.

NICARAGUA FOCUSED ON CRUISE PLATFORM Nicaragua is focused on the development of specialized cruise terminals and their destinations. This approach will allow a larger scale of ships and a better positioning of the country in the cruise industry. In general terms the delegation made a positive assessment of the approach to its cruise platform.

PUERTO VALLARTA PORT AUTHORITY INAUGURATES WELCOME & SHOPPING CENTERS Puerto Vallarta’s Cruise Port Authority (API PUERTO VALLARTA) is celebrating the completion of construction on its new cruise passenger welcome center, “Los Alambiques,” and themed shopping center “Hacienda Tequilera” – the second phase Authority at Puerto Mágico, following the 2018 installation of the local tourist boats and motor lobby. Opening is planned for May.

PORT TAMPA BAY AGAIN SURPASSES MILLION MARK Port Tampa Bay welcomed more of 1,043,329 passengers to reach a than 1 million cruise ship passengers total of 1,149,289 in fiscal year 2019, for the second year in a row. Port a 10% increase in cruise passenger Tampa Bay surpassed 2018’s mark throughput.

JAXPORT TERMINAL UPGRADES The Jacksonville Port Authority’s ( JAXPORT’s) newly renovated cruise terminal offers year-round homeport and port-of-call opportunities for cruise vessels. The port’s 393-meter-long berth and recently renovated cruise terminal are conveniently located near beaches and attractions in North Florida and South Georgia. For more information contact Alberto.Cabrera@jaxport.com.

PORT EVERGLADES TO DEEPEN & WIDEN HARBOR, BUILD NEW PARKING GARAGE Broward County’s Port Everglades was one of two seaports nationwide to receive a construction “New Start” designation in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) FY 2020 Work Plan, which funded $29.1 million to build a new facility for the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

Station Fort Lauderdale further east so the Intracoastal Waterway can be widened by 250 feet at a chokepoint where large Neo-Panamax cargo ships currently have operating restrictions that affect their ability to transit past docked cruise ships.

The project will open the Port to larger, more efficient cargo and cruise ships, and improve the ability of larger ships to navigate through the Port, ensuring that tourist and commercial vessels can enter and exit the Port more quickly and safely.

Additionally, the Port is building a new parking garage to serve Cruise Terminals 2 and 4 securely. The new 1,888-space garage is currently under construction, with a Fall 2020 completion date. It will feature an air-conditioned bridge with moving walkways to deliver guests to Terminal 2, Princess Cruises’ prototype Ocean Medallion terminal.

PORT OF PROGRESO, YUCATÁN TO WELCOME 20% GROWTH Governor Mauricio Vila announced that with MSC Cruises’ arrival for its 2020-21 season to Port of Progreso, a total of 41 cruises and an estimated of 96,000 passengers are expected – representing a 20% increase in the next two years. With the arrival of larger ships and more cruise lines, Yucatán is standing out.

CRUISE BUSINESS ON THE UPSWING AT PORT OF LOS ANGELES Cruise passengers at Port of Los Angles increased by more than 25% in 2019 compared to the previous year. There were FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE 53

On Land 650,000 passengers on 124 cruise ships in 2019 compared to 519,000 passengers on 111 cruise ships the previous year. With more growth expected, the Port is beginning plans to build a new cruise terminal that could accommodate larger ships that carry more than 5,000 passengers.

PORT CANAVERAL CONSIDERED WORLD’S BEST World’s Best Cruise Port according to Global Traveler Magazine and Best Cruise Homeport in the U.S says Cruise Hive, Port Canaveral continues to design for the future of cruise. In November, Carnival Mardi Gras arrives at her beautiful new $163 million Cruise Terminal 3.

BAHAMAS PARADISE CRUISE LINE HONORED FOR HURRICANE DORIAN EFFORTS Representatives from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) honored Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line for its 54 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

quick and innovative action following Hurricane Dorian. CBP Director of Field Operations Diane Sabatino presented Oneil Khosa, CEO of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, with a certificate recognizing the cruise line’s efforts, during a ceremony at the Port of Palm Beach in January.

Photo by Visit Cayman Islands

MSC LAUNCHES INITIATIVE FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURS, CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT CORAL REEFS Demonstrating a continued dedication to the environment, MSC Cruises unveiled not only a series of carefully selected shore excursions specifically designed to help protect and preserve Earth’s natural beauty, but also set specific objectives for local tour operator partners to become internationally certified under the Global Sustainable Tourism Council certification program. These unique excursions are an integral part of MSC Cruises’ mission to offer guests an environmentally conscious holiday. The new PROTECTOURS program offers MSC Cruises’ guests a chance to discover destinations like never before, while making a positive contribution to the planet through activities aimed to help protect

and preserve through a growing list of 25+ tours (at the time of launch).

PROTECTOURS gives guests the chance to enjoy original insights into the natural world while at the same time preserving its beauty and helping to ensure a greener future, from the ultimate forest hike with rescued dogs in Jamaica in the Caribbean to meeting urban honey bees in Corfu or helping to keep Croatia’s beautiful bays and beaches clean during a snorkeling experience. What sets these tours apart is the exceptional service and element of onshore adventure that guests are accustomed to receiving on MSC Cruises excursions, with added close contact with nature in a variety of environments around the world.

Separately, MSC Foundation launched Super Coral Play, a campaign to raise awareness of the need to take action to protect and preserve coral reefs – diverse ecosystems providing a home to a quarter of all marine life and supplying food to millions of people, providing economies with income from fishing and tourism, protecting the mainland from storm surge and offering a source for new medicines – through the teamwork of MSC Cruises, the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee and 54 NFL players and influencers, such as Larry Fitzgerald, Jarvis Landry and Mark Sanchez.

DISNEY LAUNCHES SITE FOR NEW ELEUTHERA EXPERIENCE Disney Cruise Line has launched a website for Lighthouse Point, its new experience in Eleuthera that will complement Castaway Cay and “create sustainable economic opportunities for Bahamians, protect and sustain the natural beauty of the site, celebrate culture, and help strengthen the community in Eleuthera,” according to the site, www.lighthousepointbahamas.com.

On Land

Port Canaveral, Orlando’s Closest Port

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ffering up to 14-day sailings to exotic destinations in Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean and the Bahamas, Port Canaveral is a world-class gateway located directly east of Orlando and home to Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean International and (coming in 2021) Marella Cruises’ first ship homeported in the U.S. In November, Port Canaveral is pleased to welcome the first LNG-capable ship homeported in North America, Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras. To accommodate Mardi Gras, Port Canaveral has built the two-story, 188,000-squarefoot-Cruise Terminal 3 (CT3), with adjacent linked parking garage. CT3, affectionately called The Launch Pad, with design elements reminiscent of the booming space launch enterprise on Florida’s Space Coast where rockets soar into orbit at frequent intervals. Visitors to the Port may be lucky enough to catch a launch from Jetty Park Beach or the observation deck of the seven-story Exploration Tower. In Port Canaveral, travelers discover restaurants offering, of course, locally caught seafood. Several overlook the chan-

nel where fishing boats and cruise ships pass close by.

Very soon, Port Canaveral will begin upgrades to CT8 and CT10, in anticipation of two new Disney Cruise Line ships to be homeported here (two of three currently being built).

Port Canaveral’s location means easy access to ocean beaches, fishing expeditions, Kennedy Space Center (with Space Shuttle Atlantis® exhibit, the Shuttle Launch Experience® plus frequent astronaut encounters) and all the world-class theme park attractions in Orlando (Walt Disney World® Resort (with the new Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge adventure and Pandora—The World of Avatar), Universal Orlando Resort™ (with Universal’s Volcano Bay™ and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™), and SeaWorld® Orlando, all just an hour or so away and a straight shot

from Port Canaveral on the Beachline Express. Additionally, four international airports are within an hour’s drive: Orlando International, Orlando Melbourne International, Orlando Sanford International and Daytona Beach International Airport.

Uncongested Port Canaveral is known for its ease of use and great traveler experiences, including in the embarkation and debarkation process. A new wayfinding system helps ensure arrival without a worry. At Port Canaveral, there is a continued dedication to the highest level of customer safety and service, which is part of the reason why it was recently voted the ‘Best Cruise Homeport in the U.S.’ by the readers of Cruise Hive.

Discover even more by visiting our web site at www.portcanaveral.com.

And…Come Sail Away.

In Port Canaveral: • Minutes to the Cove Dining District • Minutes to Exploration Tower • Minutes to Jetty Park and the Beach • Parking Garages Adjacent to Ships From Port Canaveral: • 20 mins. to Kennedy Space Center • 40 mins. to Orlando Int’l Airport • 1 hr. to Orlando Theme Parks For additional details, download the official 2020 Cruise Guide at: PortCanaveral.com/CruiseGuide

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YOUR PORT CRUISE SHIPS ROCKET SHIPS THEME PARKS BEACHES

n the U.S. by Cruise Hive i t r o p e Voted the Best Cruise Hom AR K E T ACCE S S . F U N CLOS E BY. E-M RIV U N C O N G E S T E D . E XC E L L E N T D

Near fast-growing Orlando — the theme park capital of the world — and next door to Kennedy Space Center, with four international airports within an hour’s drive, Port Canaveral is well located to support future cruise passenger growth.

GROWING IN 2020: Nearing completion is CT3—the new $163+ million Cruise Terminal called the Launch Pad—specially built for MARDI GRAS, Carnival Cruise Line’s largest and most innovative ship ever. In Nov. 2020, the MARDI GRAS will become the first clean technology LNG-powered ship to be homeported in North America—at Port Canaveral.

Explore the business opportunities and secure your future cruise ship berth at Port Canaveral.

NEW Terminal

Get onBoa Board

CONNECT to our Business Development Team 321.783.7831, Ext 251 www.PortCanaveral.com

Members & Travel Agents

Selling Experiences

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ruise lines are increasingly focusing on delivering the best possible cruise experience, asking ‘what will our guests love?’ to create trips that offer extraordinary experiences both on board and on land.

Conversations are now moving away from the physical narrative of a cruise, like crossing the Atlantic, and more toward those experiences – so what does this mean for travel advisors?

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When listening to today’s customers talk about cruises, you’re more likely to first hear incredible experiential references first, such as visits to private Caribbean islands, bars staffed by robots, food cooked in the restaurant of a celebrity chef, visiting relatively unknown and exotic locales and a slew of adrenaline-filled activities such as ziplining—all non-traditional cruise expectations and all largely experiences unlikely to be part of a land-based visit.

In order to reach yet-to-cruise travelers, we should change our language to focus on these experiences, rather than focusing too much on ‘maritime language,’ such as how many decks a ship has and the size of the cabins. Putting innovation at the heart of efforts to entice more people to cruise for the first time is crucial, as its innovation in both the onboard experience and the land-based excursions available, which will draw newcomers in.

Members & Travel Agents

Carnival Cruise Line Says ‘Welcome Aboard’ to Travel Advisors in 2020 with the Most-Ever Ship Tours and Seminars at Sea

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ravel advisors should get their sea legs ready because they’ll have more chances to spend time onboard Carnival ships in 2020. Carnival Cruise Line has increased the number of ship tours by 25% to 200 — covering all 27 ships in the fleet — and nearly doubled seminar at sea sailings to 17.

With the introduction of the totally renovated Carnival Radiance this summer, Carnival will wrap up a decadelong $2 billion fleet-enhancement program that has touched every Carnival ship and transformed the shipboard product. While tours will be focused on the newest products —

With 25% more tours and nearly double the seminars, advisors have an incredible number of opportunities to experience the Carnival product.

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Carnival Panorama in early 2020, Carnival Radiance in the summer and Mardi Gras in the fall — visits will be hosted on every ship.

“The best way to sell Carnival is to see Carnival, which is why we are committed to getting more travel advisors onboard our ships this year,” said Adolfo Perez, Carnival’s senior vice president of global sales and trade marketing. “If you’ve never been on one of our ships or haven’t been on one lately, this is the best way to see the latest Carnival innovations.

A seminar at sea will immerse you in every aspect of the Carnival vacation experience which is a tremendous selling tool.”

Ship tours are offered free of charge and include lunch on board. They are hosted by a Carnival business development manager or director who conducts a guided tour of staterooms, public rooms and deck areas. Specially priced seminars at sea provide agents an opportunity to cruise and attend onboard training sessions while sailing as a guest and experiencing shipboard activities, facilities and amenities.

Advisors interested in taking a tour or seminar should register at GoCCL.com or contact their Carnival business development manager.

Cruise Capital of the World

Your Cruise Awaits

PortMiami.biz

Members & Travel Agents

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Partners with Revelex Corporation, Targeting U.S. & Canadian Markets

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ahamas Paradise Cruise Line has joined Revelex Corporation’s PowerAgent5 system, the travel industry’s leading desktop booking application for travel advisors. The cruise line’s exclusive offers are now available across all Revelex booking platforms with full API integration, providing attractive post-booking capabilities to the travel advisor community, such as invoice generation and lead management.

“We’re pleased to officially announce our partnership with Revelex. Through this integration, our unique product is now available to more travel advisors and clients across the U.S. and Canada than 62 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

ever before,” said Francis Riley, senior vice president, sales and marketing, of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. “Travel advisors play an integral role in our success and are instrumental partners who we want to continue finding innovative ways to service. We believe this is a powerful new relationship bringing our content to agents in new ways, and we look forward to welcoming and working with new travel partners across North America.”

As the only cruise line with daily departures from West Palm Beach, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line lets travelers cruise to either Grand Bahama Island or Nassau while sailing aboard Grand Celebration or

Grand Classica. Travelers have access to al fresco dining; full-service spas; interactive kids’ programs; a variety of entertainment options; and the popular Par-a-Dice Casino.

Each ship features unique dining venues – all of which exemplify the line’s comfortable luxury appeal – including The Rock Grill, an interactive experience where guests can cook their own meats and veggies on a lava rock and Admiral’s Steak & Seafood, with featured items such as Angus Beef Carpaccio and Peruvian Sea Bass.

For information on Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, visit www.BahamasParadiseCruise.com. For information on Revelex’s PowerAgent5 system or to register, visit www.Revelex.com.

Members & Travel Agents

Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence Growing with Global Trainers & New Programs

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quila’s Center for Cruise Excellence continues to experience remarkable growth, and it is now growing a team of global trainers and new training programs for cruise destinations.

In 2019 alone, Aquila provided training for frontlines and consulted on-site with industry stakeholders in more than 35 cruise destinations worldwide, while at the same time developing training programs to meet demand. New training programs that have recently launched include: • Upgrade and iteration of our online Tour Guide Excellence International Certification • FCCA Frontline Service Excellence 2.0 • Creating a Culture of Respect for Frontlines • Storytelling Workshop for Tour Guides Aquila also developed a program to expand its reach by establishing a network of Global Trainers and we have been building that team. These industry experts share Aquila’s passions for the cruise industry and service excellence, and they are eager to assist Aquila with training around the world.

Ambra Attus is based in the Dominican Republic and has extensive knowledge and experience in tourism, training, and the cruise industry. Her previous roles have included Executive Director of the Tourism Association of the north coast of the DR, Training Facilitator with the Dominican Republic

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National Institute of Technical Training, and for 3 years, Caribbean Development Lead designing unique, purposeful and sustainable shore experiences with Fathom Travel, Carnival Corporation. Fluent in English and Spanish, Ambra excels at inspiring curiosity, connection, exploration and growth, which is a focus of Aquila’s training programs.

Cinthya Pavan was born and raised in Brazil from an Italian family, and her entire career has been dedicated to the tourism industry, from hotels to cruise ships, from operations to product development to training. She spent almost 20 years recruiting, training and working on board and ashore for Silversea, Crystal Cruises, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas and Viking Cruises. Today Cinthya is based in Italy, and divides her time between consulting, training, and leading land tours worldwide for global tour operators.

Fluent in English, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, Cinthya brings a rich perspective to Aquila’s training programs from her experiences in the cruise industry and as a frontline tour leader.

Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence is the official training partner of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and provides training programs for Tour Guides, Tour Operators, Frontlines and Destination Stakeholders, all designed to help the key players in cruise destinations around the world achieve excellence.

For fly-in convenience, culture, non-stop entertainment, or simply relaxing in the warm Southern California sunshine, nothing beats a cruise vacation out of the Port of Los Angeles. Our world-renowned home-ported cruise lines offer exceptional accommodations and itineraries to suit any passenger preference.

And when your clients are back on land, there’s no limit to the fun they can have in greater LA – one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations. So book them on a one-of-a-kind experience that they’ll truly love.

Follow us on

For more information, visit www.portoflosangeles.org or www.lawaterfront.org

Members & Travel Agents

H.H.V WHITCHURCH & CO. LTD ALIGNS WITH VISIONS OF A GREEN-BLUE ECONOMY Keeping with the evolving idea of sustainability, Whitchurch has aligned its policies as port agents and tour providers to help in the minimization of ecosystem degradation and to place focus on Dominica’s coastal and marine resources. Protecting the environment is prioritized for the benefit of locals and visitors alike.

CHUKKA LAUNCHES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Chukka added another exciting Caribbean destination to their portfolio by officially launching operations in the Dominican Republic on December 10, 2019. Coconut Cove is located in Puerto Plata and only a short drive from the Amber Cove Cruise Port. Chukka now operates in Jamaica, Grand Turk, Belize and the Dominican Republic.

COSTAMED PERSONALIZING SERVICES FOR CREW Costamed, the strongest medical web in the Mexican Caribbean, is always improving for crew members. We are approved examiners for almost all cruise lines, providing professional attention for every PEME, REME or dental services for all crew members. For more info send us a message at crewmember.specialst@costamed.com.mx 66 FIRST QUARTER 2020 | TRAVEL & CRUISE

AMERIMED CONTINUES SERVICES FOR CREW AND GUESTS Amerimed continues to service crew members and guests in our Medical Fitness Examinations Center in Cozumel.

Conveniently located across from Puerta Maya International Cruise Terminal, our services include primary care medicine, vaccines, PEMEs/REMEs, dental services and, whenever appropriate, hospital referrals. Please visit www.amerimedhospitals.com for more information.

SHOP MARTINIQUE’S AOCDESIGNATED RHUM AGRICOLE AT HOUSE OF RHUMS House of Rhums, a store specializing in rums from Martinique, is now open in Fort-de-France. Conveniently located next to Pointe Simon cruise terminal, the store is showcasing exceptional rums and vintages. A wide selection of rums can be sampled on site, and the store also hosts workshops for the public and for private groups. Learn more at www.facebook. com/HOUSEOFRHUMS.

BONAIRE: AN IDEAL ECOADVENTURE DESTINATION All the treasures aren’t just underwater.

Discover and experience Bonaire on its surface. Beyond diving, Bonaire offers even more adventures. Water, wind, sand, sun and a lot of adrenaline makes Bonaire an ideal eco-adventure destination.

MAZATLAN: FROM PARADISIACAL BEACHES TO ARCHITECTURAL RICHNESS With its paradisiacal beaches and the architectural richness of its historic center with neoclassical and baroque details, touring the Plaza Machado will allow you to enjoy its gardens and its kiosk, the richness of the weather, people, gastronomy, culture, activities.

SAN DIEGO: THE PERFECT CRUISE DESTINATION The Port of San Diego’s cruise ship terminals are ideally situated on picturesque San Diego Bay with museums, restaurants, shops, parks and attractions all within walking distance. Combined with beautiful weather, and San Diego International Airport and the downtown train station nearby, San Diego is the perfect cruise destination!

SAVE THE DATE!

For many cruise executives, destinations, suppliers and tour operators, the annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show is the premier industry event of the year to meet with key industry players, analyze trends and discuss current issues. It is because of the unique forum provided by the Conference that nearly 1,000 cruise industry partners, including approximately 100 cruise executives, attend each year. For more information please visit: www.f-cca.com FCCA MEMBER LINES

Tikal is the true heart of the Mayan world being one of the most important cities of such amazing civilization, give yourself a chance to be in this magic place full of knowledge of life, nature and cience.

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La Antigua

Lake Atitlรกn

FOUR PORTS - SAIL TODAY TO A WORLD-CLASS DESTINATION. You’ve just docked at the right port. The U.S. Virgin Islands awaits you with four ports and seven berths, where ships and crews can find a complete structure, while passengers can find a culture full of heart, great shopping, culinary attractions, and of course, breathtaking beaches surrounded by a beautiful turquoise sea.

For more information visit www.viport.com and www.wico-vi.com.

©2019 U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism