CRUISING 2000: Year-End Review - notable events and services in travel industry

Cruise Travel, Jan, 2001 by Theodore W. Scull

New ships seize the day, as old ships make way, while passengers have less to pay

The year 2000 has proved to be a bonanza for cruise travelers. Never have rates been lower, taking into consideration inflation and the value of the almighty dollar, and never have passengers had a wider choice of ships, from the tiny new 49-passenger American Eagle to the gargantuan and multiplying offspring in the Voyager of the Seas, Carnival Destiny, and Grand Princess classes, all exceeding 100,000 gross register tons. A record seven million passengers are expected to have sailed in the past year.

The cruise lines' hope--that capacity drives demand--fell a bit short even in the present robust economy, so consumers are having a heyday. Under such circumstances, bargain hunters can easily get used to low fares that begin at $499 and $599 for a seven-day cruise, and it may take some doing to get them to pay much more. Happily, many others want value for money, not necessarily just the cheapest ticket, and they will pay higher tariffs for roomier, outside, balcony cabins.

Cruising has earned its reputation of being close to an all-inclusive vacation compared to a land resort, after the cruise fare, port charges, and transportation to and from the ship have been paid. Once aboard, it's another story. The not-so-careful and the care-free can easily spend as much as the cost of the cruise and more in spa treatments, gambling, drinks, shopping aboard and ashore, excursions, photographs, Internet access, and gratuities. The cruise lines encourage you to spend onboard to make up for the low fares.

Continuing the trend to consolidate and increase market share, Carnival Corporation went after a half-interest in Norwegian Cruise Line, the weakest of the big four players, but in the end pulled out of the negotiations and let Malaysian-based Star Cruises have the spoils to itself. Star Cruises, whose markets are mainly East Asian, has attracted a relatively small European market, and now wants to become global, as have Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean International, and P&O/Princess.

Next year Norwegian Cruise Line will get one of Star's large new ships now under construction in Germany, and also take delivery of the Norwegian Sun. NCL broke into what is billed as "Free-Style Cruising," where Norwegian Sky passengers may now dine "when they want, where they want," informally at open seatings throughout the ship, a concept that comes straight from parent company Star Cruises. NCL hired 90 extra crew-members for the Norwegian Sky to implement the plan. (Princess has since followed with "Personal Choice Dining," first on the Grand Princess, next to be introduced on the Golden Princess when she debuts in May, and then fleetwide by the end of 2001. On the Grand Princess, two of the three main restaurants will go to open seating, with or without reservations, while the third dining room will retain the two-seating, fixed-seating arrangement.) Meanwhile, NCL's joint venture in Australia, Norwegian Capricorn Line, failed and this past autumn the Norwegian Star went to the East Asian market.

Not to be stopped, or lose face, Carnival took the other 50 percent of Costa Crociere from Airtours UK, so Carnival Corp. now fully controls the largest European cruise operator and its fleet of seven medium-size to large ships. Costa's North American market in Europe is but 10 percent, while on this side of the Atlantic, it's almost the reverse. Costa took delivery of the 84,000-grt CostaAtlantica this past summer--the first Costa ship to have Carnival's Joe Farcus as interior designer. Then in early October, an $800-million contract was signed with the Italian yard Fincantieri to build a pair of 105,000-grt/2,720-passenger ships for delivery in late 2003 and 2004.

Carnival Cruise Lines itself suffered many more mechanical problems than its competition, with cruises being aborted, shortened, or canceled altogether for the Carnival Destiny, Paradise, and Elation. The latter two use a newish Azipod propulsion system that eliminates separate rudders and the long shaft connections to the engines. The ships were removed from service to have the problems rectified.

Royal Caribbean's Celebrity Cruises division introduced the 1,950-passenger Millennium to rave reviews, though the ship's external profile did not receive the same high marks. However, the vessel soon experienced vibration problems, returned briefly to the French shipyard where she was built, then was removed from service in November to refashion the hull at the stern.

Royal Caribbean's own Voyager of the Seas got lots of press for her innovative interior Royal Promenade and the gimmicky rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, in-line skating track, and 1950s-style diner. During her New Year's cruise, she carried a peacetime record of 3,537 passengers, a figure that was 423 above the double occupancy capacity. Then on June 9, the ship sailed from Miami with 3,608 passengers, including 380 honeymooners. While the double berth capacity is 3,114, the total berth capacity is 3,838, so there is room on the 142,000-grt vessel to set more records. Sister-ship Explorer of the Seas entered service late in the year, and more of this class and the line's new Radiance Class are on the way.