2015 1st Qtr Cruising Magazine

Anexperiencelike nowhere else.

Atlantis holds a lifetime of spectacular memories. Only at Dolphin Cay can you get up close to playful dolphins and interact with friendly sea lions. Snorkel the Ruins or glide alongside sleek stingrays. At Aquaventure, one of the world’s largest and most amazing water parks, every day is fi lled with non-stop fun, thrills and adventure. Continue the rush at Atlantis Casino. Place your bets at the Caribbean’s grandest gaming destination.

To learn more about these exciting programs, please visit our cruise partners’ websites: Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Lines, MSC Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines or Royal Caribbean International. Or to begin off ering these Atlantis Excursions through your cruise line, please contact [email protected].

Atlantis. There’s no such thing as too much amazing.

Download our FREE app at atlantis.com/app.

5:09 PM

traveler reviewa

CCOBBLESTONEDOBBLESTONEDCULTURE ANDCULTURE ANDCONTENTMENTCONTENTMENTkatie528, Massachusetts

Old San Juan

Old San Juan is a feast for the eyes. And if you want a feast before or after walking the cobblestoned streets, look no further than the local eateries tucked away on many of the side streets.

A MUST SEE ON ANY PUERTO RICO TRIP ITINERARY!

SEEPUERTORICO.COM

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A GREAT CRUISE STARTS WITH A GREAT PORT.OR FOUR.Head toward a cruise destination both you and your passengers will appreciate. The four ports of the U.S. Virgin Islands o� er well-established cruise destinations with newly renovated and fully appointed facilities. Plus, our white sand beaches, turquoise waters and picturesque towns o� er all the island experiences your passengers are looking for. For more information on the ports of the U.S. Virgin Islands, visit www.viport.com and www.wico-vi.com.

“

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©2015 U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism800.372.USVI

FREDERIKSTEDST. CROIX

GALLOWS BAY DOCKST. CROIX

WEST INDIAN COMPANYST. THOMAS

CROWN BAYST. THOMAS

First Quarter 2015 • Cruising Magazine 7

Micky ArisonFCCA Chairman,ChairmanCarnival Corporation

Karl L. HolzPresidentDisney Cruise Line

Richard E. SassoPresident & CEOMSC Cruises (USA) Inc.

Adam GoldsteinPresident & COORoyal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Omari BreakenridgeDirector, Communications & Design

Terri CanniciVice President, Operations

Adam CeseranoSenior Vice President

Carlos SantamarinaDirector, Membership Events & Programs

Jessica LalamaExecutive Assistant

Raquel NalesAdministrative Assistant

Justin PaigeManager, Communications, Research & Marketing

Michele M. PaigePresident

38 FCCA Plus Cruise Shipping Miami Equals Opportunities for Success

40 St. Maarten Drives Success at Largest-Ever FCCA Conference & Trade Show

42 Cruise Line Executives and Platinum Members Gather for Meetings, Business

Opportunities and Family Fun on 2015 FCCA PAMAC Cruise Summit

50 Martinique Cruising to Success with FCCA

52 How to Work with the Cruise Industry: The ABCs of the FCCA

54 El Salvador to Display Its and Central America’s Cruise Tourism Opportunities

during FCCA Central America Cruise Summit

58 What Are Your Tour Guides Really Doing on Tour?

25 The Cruise Industry’s Global Reach and Its Impact on the Caribbean Market

29 How Destinations Can Realize Growth by Working Proactively with the Cruise IndustryBy David Candib, Vice President, Development & Operations, Carnival Corporation

34 Cruise Industry’s Changing of the Guard: New and Known Faces Take the Helm of Cruise Brands and Operators

46 Cozumel to Display Mexico’s CruiseTourism Resurgence as Host of the 22ndAnnual FCCA Conference & Trade Show

56 U.S. Virgin Islands Offers Something for Every CruiserBy Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Commissioner of Tourism, United States Virgin Islands

Cover photo:Cozumel, Mexico

9 President’s Letter

12 Cruise Industry News & Platinum Highlights

62 Faces in the Industry

64 Meetings with the FCCA

CRUISINGTHE FLORIDA-CARIBBEAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE

First Quarter 2015

Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)11200 Pines Blvd., Suite 201, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026Phone: (954) 441-8881 • Fax: (954) 441-3171Website: www.f-cca.com • E-mail: [email protected] Magazine © 2015 ~ All Rights Reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part, in any form, electronic or otherwise, without written permission of the FCCA is prohibited.

To subscribe or change your address, please send requeststo [email protected]

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

FCCA Member LinesAIDA Cruises • Azamara Club Cruises • Carnival Cruise Line • Celebrity Cruises

Costa Cruises • Croisières de France • Cunard Line • Disney Cruise Line • Holland America LineMSC Cruises (USA) Inc. • Norwegian Cruise Line • Oceania Cruises • P&O Cruises • Princess Cruises

Pullmantur Cruises • Regent Seven Seas Cruises • Royal Caribbean International • Seabourn • TUI Cruises

FCCA Staff

Departments

Features

SpotlightCover ImageExecutive Committee

FLORIDA-CARIBBEANCRUISEASSOCIATION

"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely tosee." –Winston Churchill

We often start a new year by thinking how to renew or change ourselves.The fresh calendar’s blank slate sometimes forces us to focus on past faultsand errors as we consider resolutions, or perhaps ripping up old calendarsand only looking forward. But we must use our past as a foundation andbuild onto it.

Surely, preparation for the future is important, but even this requires atleast a glance at the past. We look to our experience and knowledge whenprogressing or expanding, and we use our current relationships and con-tacts to form new ones or assist with future ventures.

This is exactly what the FCCA aids through all of its functions, especiallythe membership programs and plentiful events, some of which this issue ofCruising highlights. The PAMAC Cruise Summit article recaps one of ourprivate annual events that gather Platinum Members with cruise executives

to discuss business in an engaging environment; a spotlight on the FCCA’s affiliation with UBM Live and offeringsat Cruise Shipping Miami showcases opportunities available to anyone reading this magazine on the trade showfloor; José Napoleon Duarte Durán, El Salvador’s minister of tourism, explains what the FCCA Central AmericaCruise Summit means for El Salvador, attendees and the region; Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence discusses thebenefits of their tour guide training program developed in partnership with the FCCA; and other articles explain howthe FCCA can positively impact your cruise industry business by putting you on a direct line to the most importantdecision makers in the industry.

And some of those decision makers are featured, including David Candib, vice president of development and oper-ations for Carnival Corporation, who informs of the cruise industry’s growth opportunities and how destinations canactualize them.

FCCA Platinum Members’ continued advancement are also displayed, giving successful examples of their prepara-tions for the future and constant movement in this dynamic industry, such as Martinique discussing their establish-ment as a prominent cruise destination; Beverly Nicholson, commissioner of tourism for the U.S. Virgin Islands,highlighting their offerings for every cruiser; and a focus on Mexico’s cruise tourism resurgence and Cozumel’s roleas host for our 22nd annual FCCA Conference & Trade Show, taking place October 6-9, 2015.

The future of the Caribbean and the cruise industry are also studied through my own piece about the potential inter-play between the Caribbean and global cruising markets, along with an article breaking down the wave of new pres-idents, CEOs and chairmen for cruise brands and operators.

This edition of Cruising will hopefully provide inspiration for your own future, and I urge you to find ways to startdriving forward with the rear-view mirror set. Of course, the FCCA offers vehicles for this progression, and you cansee them in motion and learn how we can travel together during any of our events.

May your year ahead sail smoothly.

Respectfully yours,

Michele M. PaigePresidentFCCA


Michele with Fredy Marrufo Martín,

Mayor of Cozumel, Mexico and Carlos

Torres de Navarra, Vice President,

Commercial Port Operations for

Carnival Cruise Line

President’s Letter

Port Canaveral’s New “Smart”

Terminal One

Port Canaveral has utilized technology’s

life-enhancing connectivity to develop a

“smart” terminal that can move cruise

passengers from their vehicles to their

ships in eight minutes, a timeframe

made possible by automated parking

and baggage processing, along with pre-

check-in. Not solely focused on speed,

the terminal was also designed to make

the guest experience pleasant, with a

modern, airy, light-filled interior with

numerous porthole-like windows and

relaxing ocean colors. Plus over 200

video monitors support video signage

and an entertainment system.

Princess Cruises and Houston

Texans Team Up for First-Ever Jr.

Training Camp@Sea

Princess Cruises and the Houston

Texans recently hosted a group of local

Boys & Girls Club youth for a first-ever

“Junior Training Camp at Sea” aboard

the Emerald Princess at the Port of

Houston Authority’s Bayport Cruise

Terminal. The event gave 20 kids the

experience of being aboard a cruise

ship, as well as the opportunity to meet

and get autographs from Houston

Texans two-time Pro Bowl player Chris

Myers. The kids, ages 10-14, submitted

essays describing where they would like

to visit on a cruise, and answers ranged

from the Taj Mahal to the Eiffel Tower.

Carnival’s Largest and Most

Innovative Ship to Operate Year-

round Caribbean Cruises from

Miami

PortMiami will be the year-round

homeport for Carnival Cruise Line’s

largest and most innovative ship to

date—the 133,500-ton Carnival Vista

with groundbreaking features like a

suspended open-air cycling experience

and the first onboard IMAX Theatre—

beginning in December 2016. Carnival

Vista’s PortMiami schedule includes

year-round six- and eight-day cruises,

along with specialty sailings. Six-day

cruises feature Ocho Rios, Grand

Cayman and Cozumel; a mix of eight-

day itineraries include Aruba, Curacao,

Bonaire, Grand Turk, San Juan, St.

Kitts, St. Maarten and La Romana; and

a combination of one-time voyages call

Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Belize, San

Juan, St. Thomas and Cozumel.

Carnival Triumph Makes Inaugural

Call to Dominica

Carnival Triumph made its inaugural

call to Dominica in February. To com-

memorate the occasion, government

officials and tourism stakeholders

exchanged plaques with the ship’s cap-

tain aboard the ship, and a local steel

pan ensemble provided shore side enter-

tainment during the festivities. “We are

excited to welcome Carnival Triumph,

its passengers and crew,” said Colin

Piper, Dominica’s director of tourism.

“The relationship between Carnival

Cruise Lines and Dominica began in

1989, and we are pleased to build on

this long-standing partnership.”

Cruise visitors to Dominica can register

for the Return & Win program at the

Tourism Information Office. For addi-

tional information, log on to

www.DiscoverDominica.com/Returnan

dWin or call 1-866-522-4057.

Record-breaking Numbers for Belize

in 2014

Belize saw record-breaking tourist

arrivals in 2014. By October 2014,

Belize handled over one million visi-

tors, including overnight and cruise pas-

senger arrivals. At the end of the year,

the number of overnight visitors

exceeded 300,000, and cruise passenger

arrivals surpassed 900,000 for the first

time in the nation’s history. Belize’s

nine percent increase in overnight

arrivals bettered the Caribbean region’s

five percent increase, and cruise passen-

ger arrivals represented a staggering 43

percent increase.

Puerto Plata Prepares for Cruise

Tourism

Amber Cove Cruise Terminal is getting

ready to receive its first cruise arrivals

this fall. For this purpose, the Chamber

12 Cruising Magazine • First Quarter 2015

Cruise Industry News & Platinum Highlights


of Commerce and the tourist cluster are

working hand-in-hand with the local

authorities to educate the service

providers so they meet the require-

ments for service excellence. As such,

the Tourist Bureau of Security recently

provided a workshop for tour guides of

Puerto Plata’s historical sites, with 50

members of the Tour Guide Association

participating. Through these and other

efforts, the destination will be prepared

to meet and exceed guest satisfaction.

A 4-D Immersion into Francis

Drake’s Invasion of Santo Domingo

Cruisers docking at Sans Souci in Santo

Domingo, Dominican Republic can

dive into a 4-D retelling of the capital’s

history. The Colonial Gate 4-D Cinema

will bring you back to 1586 and put you

in the middle of Francis Drake’s inva-

sion of the “Walled City,” dodging can-

non balls, avoiding sword strikes and

feeling the heat while the city burns.

Participants can listen in their own lan-

guage, with simultaneous translations

in Spanish, English, French, German,

Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin

and Japanese. The theater will be locat-

ed in the heart of Santo Domingo, in the

corner of Isabel La Catolica and Padre

Billini streets. Bookings will be exclu-

sively through Sans Soucí Ports.

Costa Maya: The Last Frontier

In Costa Maya, cruisers venture to the

gateway of an unknown world—the

service station in the middle of

nowhere, with a couple locals under the

shade of eaves of an austere building

with the patina of passing time, protect-

ing themselves from the midday sun

and blaring a radio with tropical

rhythms. This surrealist picture turns

into an oasis in the midst of solitude

and adventure in Costa Maya.

Explora Caribe Tours: Doorway to

Mexican Culture

Explora Caribe Tours has opened

Mexico's culture to the world. On the

Living History Tour, guests visit a

Mayan Village and see traditional,

thatched-roof Mayan houses, medicinal

gardens, cooking techniques and cere-

monies while learning about the myths,

histories and beliefs of the Mayan

world. Guests also visit a tequila estate,

where they learn the history of tequila

and process, as well as sampling differ-

ent flavors.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville

Cozumel: A Complete Experience

On the island of Cozumel, over the

turquoise, crystal-clear Caribbean

waters, you will find probably Jimmy

Buffett´s best location yet, offering a

stunning view, great food, amazing

cocktails and free snorkeling. Part of

the international phenomenon started

by the famous US singer-songwriter, it

features a large dining area, an excel-

lent variety of live sports broadcasting

and plenty to see and do, including

swimming and snorkeling.

Margaritaville is only a 10-minute ride

from any cruise pier and walking dis-

tance from Punta Langosta Pier.

API Sonora Receives Positive Results

for Cruise Industry Development

API Sonora received the results of EB

Turismo’s in-depth study and research

about the homeport project in Puerto

Peñasco. The study covers law and reg-

ulations relevant to the cruise industry,

such as navigation, ports, customs,

health, migration, and environment

protection and ecology, and analyzes

permits and authorizations required for

the homeport to operate. The study con-

cludes that there is a compatibility

between those and cruise industry

development in the area. A copy of the

complete study can be obtained from

the Minister of Tourism of Sonora,

Javier Tapia Camou.

An Attractive Season for the

Guadeloupe Archipelago

Guadeloupe is an archipelago made of

five islands: Basse-Terre, Grande-




Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes and

La Désirade. Each is different and

offers a range of activities, from hiking

trails and waterfalls to beaches and

water sports. Throughout the recent

years, the destinations have undergone

improvement projects to further satisfy

visitors and cruise companies.

Guadeloupe’s 2014-2015 cruise season

proved these efforts successful, as the

140 stops—with 71 double and three

triple stops—doubled the previous sea-

son. Guadeloupe Tourism Island Board

and other partners are working to make

this season even better.

Cox & Company Limited Awarded

by Princess Cruises

On January 22, 2015, Princess Cruises

awarded Cox and Company Limited

with the High Volume Tour of the 2013-

2014 season for “Sulphur Springs, the

Pitons and Scenic Cruise & Lunch.”

Cox and Company Limited has consis-

tently won this award over the last six

years by continuing to ensure the high

quality, customer service, safety and

enjoyment for passengers.

Costa Rica Tosses Life Preserver to

Overworked Americans

Costa Rica is determined to give

Americans—who leave over 500 mil-

lion vacation days unused, according to

2013 Expedia.com Vacation Deprivation

Study—a reprieve from vacation depri-

vation. Their message: You NEED some

time away; take a cruise to Costa Rica.

Bordered on the east by the Caribbean

Sea and the west by the Pacific Ocean,

Costa Rica’s ports of calls distinguish

themselves for the wide variety of excur-

sions available that highlight the coun-

try’s wildlife and conservation efforts.

Learn more about the campaign at

www.savetheamericans.org.

Cartagena de Indias Cruise Ship

Terminal at Cruise Shipping Miami

Cartagena de Indias Cruise Ship terminal

is participating in Cruise Shipping

Miami through an alliance with

ProColombia to target the 11,000 atten-

dees and promote the terminal’s services,

upcoming projects, and new facilities.

One of these, an additional berthing posi-

tion, will expand the current capacity.

Visit our booth, #1095, and discover

what the port and city have to offer.

Exciting Water-based Activities in

Grenada

The many water-based activities in

Grenada offer something for every

water-lover. Within a few hours, you

can sail to nearby islets while soaking

up the sun and sampling local cuisine.

Many dive sites are just a few minutes

from the shore, making it convenient

and hassle-free to view the colorful

reefs, scour vast shipwrecks and marvel

at the world’s first underwater sculpture

park in Moliniere Bay. Whale watching

and sportfishing also have to be on the

to-do list for your time in Grenada.

Two British Virgin Islands Tour

Operators Awarded International

Tour Guide Certification

Dorcas D. Fahie and Darrel M. Fahie,

two tour operators in the British Virgin

Islands, joined the ranks of

Internationally Certified Tour Guides

(ICTG) after successful completion of

Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence

training program on Tuesday, February

2, 2015. Aquila Tour Guides learn the

necessary skills to lead excellent shore

excursions. Hon. Mark Vanterpool,

minister of communications and works,

presented Dorcas and Darrel with their

International Tour Guide Certification.

Stericycle’s Sustainable Maritime

Solutions Celebrates a Successful

2014

2014 was a very busy year for

Stericycle’s Sustainable Maritime

Solutions Team as they drive maritime

sustainability efforts. With NAMEPA

and OMI recognition in October and

the recent Lloyd’s Environmental

Innovation Award, this service offering

is truly a SAVE OUR SEAS effort. Our

expertise in maritime waste segregation

meets customers’ needs. Sustainable

Maritime Solutions is recognized as a


global solution in managing maritime

waste and assuring its accomplishment

in a compliant sustainable manner.

Balmoral Island: Paradise on Earth

Balmoral Island will make you experi-

ence paradise on earth. Come visit us at

www.balmoralisland.com

Tropical Shipping: Serving The

Bahamas and Caribbean

Tropical Shipping’s relationship with

its Caribbean neighbors is deep and

lasting, built on leadership, trust,

responsiveness and good corporate citi-

zenship. For over 50 years, Tropical has

provided the fastest, most reliable

transportation and logistics services to

The Bahamas and Caribbean. Our cus-

tomers transport everything imagin-

able, and we handle it all, from small

packages to millions of tons of grocery

products and building materials. From

Canada to Guyana, Tropical Shipping

meets customers’ freight-shipping

needs with full service cargo logistics,

including refrigerated cargo transport,

less-than-container-load warehousing,

cargo consolidation and state-of-the-art

facilities in select seaside ports.

Aruba Ports Authority Looks Back

at Positive 2014

Not only did 2014 mark the start of

Aruba Ports Authority’s $62 million

dollar project for the Multi-Cargo Sea

Terminal at Barcadera, but it also

showed changes in the cruise industry.

The port saw a sharp increase during

the off-season months—May, July,

August, and September—and experi-

enced a 27 percent rise during the

“summer season”—May-September—

from 2013 to 2014. The monthly aver-

age rose to 29,746 passengers, driven

by higher occupancy levels on

Pullmantur’s Monarch and additional

calls from larger ships from Carnival

Cruise Line. The port also experienced

development in new markets, with

approximately 22 percent of passengers

originating from South America.

Cruise Ship Excursions Inc. Receives

Carnival Cruise Line’s First Annual

2014 Tour Operator Award

In recognition of outstanding service,

Carnival Cruise Line has awarded St.

Thomas-based CRUISE SHIP

EXCURSIONS INC. their first annual

“Caribbean’s Leading Tour Operator”

award for 2014. This award—based on

the company’s overall performance,

first-class customer service, most inno-

vative tours and best ratings and quali-

ty—recognizes Cruise Ship

Excursions’ position as the leading

provider of exceptional shore excur-

sions in the Caribbean.

“We’re honored to receive this mar-

velous recognition from Carnival Cruise

Line, and thank them for acknowledg-

ing our company’s day-to-day efforts on

behalf of all of their tour guests,” said

John, Judy and Adam Reeve, owners of

Cruise Ship Excursions.

Chukka’s Recognition Assures

Quality and Satisfaction

Chukka continues to be recognized for its

outstanding service, top-notch tour quali-

ty, and overall excellence. Four times in

the last five years, Chukka has received

the Porthole Cruise Magazine Editor-in-

Chief Award for Best Caribbean Tour

Operator, and the Belizean team has also

received awards from Princess Cruises as

the best in Belize. Why does that matter?

Because working with a recognized lead-

er in the industry assures quality control

and satisfaction for your client.

Chukka now operates over 70 tours in

Jamaica, Belize, and Turks & Caicos.

To learn more about Chukka, visit

chukka.com

Bonaire Celebrates Inaugural Visit

of Carnival Cruise Line

This year, Bonaire welcomed the

Carnival Liberty to port Kralendijk, offi-

cially marking the cruise line’s first visit

of Bonaire. Passengers and crew were

treated to a taste of Bonaire at a ceremo-

ny hosted by Tourism Corporation

Bonaire. Governor Mr. Edison Rijna and

an official delegation presented plaques,

Ambassador Medals and the Bonairen

flag to the captain and his officers to

commemorate the occasion. The event


highlighted Bonairean culture, from

entertainment to arts and crafts, display-

ing the warmth and genuine hospitality

that Bonaire shares with all its visitors.

“Once a visitor, always a friend.”

Dolphin Cove Adds New and

Exciting Activities

Dolphin Cove continues to enhance

their world-class product with the addi-

tion of new and exciting activities.

Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios has recent-

ly added a 200ft water slide to their

attractions, scheduled to open by mid-

March, 2015. This follows in the wake

of Dolphin Cove’s successful opening

of the only dolphin night show in a nat-

ural lagoon in the Caribbean Sea and a

hilarious shark show performed by

Dolphin Cove’s pirates. Guests enjoy

cocktails and hor’sdeuvres while

watching dolphins, sharks and pirates

under the stars and continue the fun at a

boardwalk after-party.

Cruises and Grey Goose VX: A

Perfect Blend

Many will say that cruise vacations and a

classic vodka martini make perfect part-

ners. For the ultimate luxury twist, order

yours with new GREY GOOSE VX, a

‘vodka exceptionelle’ created by the mar-

riage of GREY GOOSE vodka with

drops of precious Cognac using grapes

drawn exclusively from the Grande

Champagne cru in France. GREY

GOOSE VX captures the aromatic notes

of a precious cognac, bringing its deli-

cate essence of orchard fruits, plum, apri-

cot and mild flavors of wild honey to the

remarkable character of GREY

GOOSE vodka. Available now onboard

Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian

Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises.

From CBC Radio Canada

"The unstoppable rise of the cruise ship

industry” was one thing helping the Port

of Halifax weather the recession. In

2013, the most recent year studied, the

Port of Halifax was generating $1.66 bil-

lion to the Nova Scotia economy. That's

5% ahead of where it was in 2007 before

the downturn. Cruise ship traffic was a

small part of overall revenues, but it is

one of the most dramatic changes during

that time, up nearly 50% in steady year-

over-year increases.

"It doesn't seem to matter what you throw

at the cruise industry, it just keeps on

going," said Dennis Campbell, CEO of

Ambassatours and Murphy's Cable Wharf.

"Our proximity to New York, in partic-

ular, is very much to our advantage,"

Campbell said. Some passengers have

told him it can be more cost effective to

cruise to Canada for a week in the heat

of summer than to stay home."

Bermello Ajamil & Partners Delivers

Two New Cruise Terminals in 2014

Bermello Ajamil & Partners’ Ports and

Maritime Division is the world’s pre-

mier maritime design practice, reinvent-

ing cruise terminals and ports world-

wide. In 2014, B&A delivered two new

terminals currently generating addition-

al cruise traffic to the Caribbean: Royal

Caribbean International’s Cape Liberty

Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, NJ built to

accommodate Quantum of the Seas and

Terminal 4 in Fort Lauderdale, the latest

addition at Port Everglades that will

handle larger cruise vessels once the slip

extension is completed in late

2015. These state-of-the-art facilities

boast not only sustainable design, but

also modernized systems that signifi-

cantly reduce shore-to-ship processing

times. Bermello Ajamil & Partners is

working to efficiently move more cruise

passengers worldwide.

PPI Group Awarded Contract for

Holland America Line’s Mariner

Magazine

PPI Group has been awarded the con-

tract to publish Holland America Line’s

Mariner magazine, a publication for

members of the line’s rewards program,

the Mariner Society. The magazine

joins PPI Group’s roster of titles, which

includes Compass, Holland America

Line’s in-stateroom publication.

Mariner will feature editorial and pho-

tography geared to the interests of the

line’s experienced travelers and its

global itineraries, along with company

news and information, opportunities for

guest interaction, and advertising

geared to the line’s sophisticated demo-

graphic. It will be mailed to the line’s

top-tier Mariner Society members in

the United States and Canada.

Subsequent issues will add Australia,

The Netherlands, and UK distribution.



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Geoffrey Chaucer once pointed out that

everything sees an end—an observation

that morphed into the common proverb

that all good things come to an end.

Popular and appropriate throughout the

ages, this saying becomes increasingly

applicable after Kevin Sheehan’s step

down as president and CEO of

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

and chairman of the Florida-Caribbean

Cruise Association (FCCA).

He provided a number of good things

for both. After joining Norwegian as

CFO in 2007 and becoming CEO in late

2008, he steered the company to a

financial turnaround, posting a profit in

2009—its first in four years. In addition

to successfully taking the company

public in 2013, he oversaw the launch

of a new class of ships, turning

Norwegian into the third-largest cruise

brand boasting a name synonymous

with Freestyle Cruising, known for its

numerous offerings of restaurants and

onboard activities.

He also spearheaded the acquisition of

Prestige Cruises International, Inc.—

along with its brands of Oceania

Cruises and Regent Seven Seas

Cruises—and turned Norwegian into

the world’s third-largest cruise operator

with a portfolio of brands spanning all

of the cruise industry’s markets.

All of that surely kept Sheehan busy,

but he still made time to improve and

grow the FCCA. Under his direction

and unwavering dedication, the associ-

ation increased its Platinum

Membership program 30 percent;

added four new Member Lines; and fur-

ther developed relationships and opera-

tions in FCCA’s partner destinations.

“Kevin helped put the FCCA and its

partners on track for growth,” said

Michele Paige, president of the FCCA.

“I cannot thank him enough for his con-

stant support, input, participation and

information.”

An end to a good thing, indeed, but

another popular proverb tells that every

end leads to a new beginning. In this

case, that beginning has proven tried

and true, as Micky Arison again takes

the helm. Arison, who served as FCCA

Chairman for a decade before Sheehan

took the reins, previously benefitted the

Association’s operations through his

experience in and knowledge of the

industry and the FCCA’s region—the

Caribbean and Latin America.

“Micky served as chairman for 10 years

and knows the importance of keeping a

constant dialogue between the cruise

lines and destinations to achieve mutual-

ly beneficial arrangements,” said Paige.

“His wealth of knowledge about the

industry and destinations will lead the

way to successful operations for both.”

Arison’s experience and knowledge

comes from growing up in the cruise

business and spending nearly two

decades learning it from the ground up.

He followed his education with a two-

year stint in Carnival Cruise Lines’ sales

department; became reservations manag-

er in 1974; and assumed the post of vice

president of passenger traffic in 1976.

After his appointment as president of

Carnival in 1979 and more than a

decade of successful operations, the

Carnival Corporation & plc board of

directors named him chairman and

CEO in 1990. That role split last year,

with Arison continuing as chairman and

Arnold Donald, longtime board mem-

ber, named CEO.

His understanding of all facets of the

industry, along with leading Carnival

Corporation to become the world’s

largest travel and leisure company with

its world-leading capacity and industry-

leading market share in the FCCA’s

region, are crucial to supporting the

FCCA’s efforts of helping destinations’

private and public sectors to maximize

cruise tourism’s impact and compete in

the industry’s global market.

“My past tenure showed the signifi-

cance of the FCCA uniting key players

from its Member Lines to discuss oper-

ations within the Caribbean and Latin

America, and I look forward to contin-

uing this role, which has become even

more important as cruise lines continue

to expand their capacities and markets,”

told Arison.

Arison will lead these discussions dur-

ing FCCA meetings and events, where

he will be on-hand to offer his input and

interact with the FCCA’s members and

destination partners.

In all, his efforts will further advance

the FCCA’s purposes: discussing cruise

industry issues; building bilateral rela-

tionships with FCCA’s partner destina-

tions’ private and public sectors; maxi-

mizing cruise passenger, cruise line and

cruise line employee spending; and

enhancing the destination experience

and amount of cruise passengers return-

ing as stay-over visitors.



Micky Arison Named Chairman of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association

The FCCA recently announced the

appointment of its new FCCA

Operations Committee Chairman—

Russell Daya, director, global port

operations & developments and

itinerary planning, Disney Cruise Line.

“I am very excited to assume the role of

chairman of the FCCA Operations

Committee and am looking forward to

continuing to build upon the successes

the group has already achieved,” said

Daya. “In the coming year, we will be

focused on becoming even more effi-

cient and nimble as an association,

building on our strong relationships

with destination ports and our FCCA

members, and representing the industry

in a manner that keeps the organization

effective and relevant.”

“I’m honored to pass the torch to

Russell,” told Colin Murphy, senior

vice president, destination & port oper-

ations, Norwegian Cruise Line, and

past-chairman of the FCCA Operations

Committee. “Serving as chairman the

last two years awarded numerous

opportunities to collaborate with the

Committee and cruise tourism stake-

holders in order to improve synergy

between the cruise industry and FCCA

destination partners. Russell’s input

shows he can effectively lead the

Committee, and I look forward to con-

tinue working with him and the

Committee to fulfill our goals.”

Daya constantly proves his unwavering

dedication to the Committee and FCCA’s

Platinum Members and partner destina-

tions through his invaluable interaction,

participation, information and assistance at

FCCA meetings and events. These efforts

exhibit his commitment to the

Committee’s functions: discussing cruise

industry issues, such as tourism develop-

ment, ports, safety and security; fostering

an understanding of the industry and its

practices; building bilateral relationships

with FCCA’s partner destinations’ private

and public sectors; maximizing cruise pas-

senger, cruise line and cruise line employ-

ee spending; and enhancing the destination

experience and amount of cruise passen-

gers returning as stay-over visitors.

His wealth of experience and knowl-

edge applies to all of these goals. In

both his Disney Cruise Line and FCCA

Operations Committee roles, he pro-

vides direction and support for port and

security operations; maintains and

develops government and port relation-

ships; and works with port develop-

ments and itinerary planning.

Daya joined Disney Cruise Line in

1998 as the manager of marine opera-

tions. From 2002 to 2003, he served as

staff captain onboard Disney Magic and

Disney Wonder and recently spent five

years in the DCL, UK office as part of

the executive team.

Prior to Disney Cruise Line, he served

for seven years as a captain for Stena

Line Cruise Ferries on various

European continental routes as part of

his 37 years of maritime experience.

A member of the Nautical Institute, a

group dedicated to promoting and coor-

dinating nautical studies and safety

worldwide, he continually shows his

commitment to optimizing the indus-

try’s operations.



FCCA Operations Committee Appoints RussellDaya as Chairman


recently announced that its Board of

Directors has named Frank Del Rio as

President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Del Rio succeeds Kevin Sheehan,

who has decided to leave the Company.

Mr. Del Rio is the Chief Executive Officer

of Prestige Cruises International, Inc.

("Prestige"), which was acquired by

Norwegian in November 2014. Mr. Del

Rio, a co-founder of Oceania Cruises, Inc.,

a subsidiary of Prestige, has more than 20

years of experience in the cruise industry.

"Frank Del Rio has established himself

as a leader and innovator in our indus-

try," said Steve Martinez, member of

Norwegian's Board of Directors.

"Norwegian is poised for continued

growth and we are delighted to have

Frank lead our team during the next

phase of the company's evolution. We

also thank Kevin Sheehan for his ser-

vice to the company. Kevin has built

Norwegian into the highly successful

company it is today - a company that

has reported 25 consecutive quarters of

growth in trailing twelve month

Adjusted EBITDA coupled with consis-

tent margin improvement. Most recent-

ly, Kevin was integral to the Prestige

acquisition, assembling a diversified

portfolio of brands that spans all market

segments in the cruise industry, which

we believe puts the company in a strong

position for the future."

"It has been a privilege to lead

Norwegian over the last seven years. I

am proud of what we have accom-

plished, and take comfort in the knowl-

edge that I am leaving the company

much healthier and stronger than when

I joined. With the company set for suc-

cess, I hand the baton off to Frank, a

proven leader in the cruise industry,"

said Mr. Sheehan.

"I am excited to begin this new chapter in

my long career in the cruise industry,"

said Mr. Del Rio. "I am blessed with a

great team at Norwegian, and I am confi-

dent that together we can help our com-

pany continue to realize great things."

Frank Del Rio has served as Chief

Executive Officer of Prestige or its pre-

decessor since April 2007. Prestige, a

subsidiary of Norwegian, is a global

cruise line operator in the upscale

cruise segment. Prestige operates two

upscale cruise brands, Oceania Cruises

and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which

operate in over 300 ports around the

globe. Mr. Del Rio holds a B.S. in

Accounting from the University of

Florida and is a Certified Public

Accountant (inactive license).



Board of Directors of Norwegian Cruise Line HoldingsAppoints Frank Del Rio as President and CEO

Last month, Carnival Corporation

named Marie McKenzie as vice presi-

dent of global destinations service and

sourcing, a new role and function for the

world’s largest cruise company, with a

focus on continuing to provide great

shore excursion and port experiences for

guests sailing on its nine global brands.

As part of this new function, McKenzie

will lead a team of brand experts who

will assume responsibility for geo-

graphical regions on behalf of all nine

brands, while also maintaining their

reporting lines into the leadership struc-

ture of their respective brand. Together,

they will coordinate and manage pro-

cesses and relationships with tour oper-

ators and port services officials around

the globe to deliver the best possible

tour excursion and port experiences for

the nearly 11 million guests who sail

every year on the company’s 100 ships

visiting ports across the globe.

“We are excited to have Marie take on

this new role, and with her proven track

record in her past 19 years at Carnival,

we know she will lead this team to great

success,” said Alan Buckelew, chief

operations officer for Carnival

Corporation. “Having had global

responsibilities in her previous role and

partnering with the global strategy

team, we know she will bring to this

Marie McKenzie Takes On Newly Created GlobalDestinations Service and Sourcing Role for CarnivalCorporation


“Being from Jamaica, it is especially rewarding…to

work with so many great communities in the Caribbean

and Latin America to help them share their proud

heritages and amazing experiences with our guests.”

new role extensive knowledge of our

operating companies and a deep under-

standing of our overall vision to work

together across our nine brands to con-

sistently exceed guest expectations.”

Working closely together, McKenzie

and the team of experts from the com-

pany’s brands will focus on leveraging

Carnival Corporation’s collective scale

and expertise to continue providing

unique and exciting shore excursions

and port experiences as part of the com-

pany’s goal to consistently exceed

guest expectations.

This role will be especially important

in the Caribbean—the world’s largest

cruising market, representing more

than 35 percent of the global cruise

business—because it will provide pas-

sengers sailing in the region with

increasingly exciting and diverse

options while in port. More than 60

percent of cruisers are repeat passen-

gers, and providing robust port offer-

ings and great excursion opportunities

helps keep the experience fresh and

engaging for them.

“Every year millions of guests go on a

cruise on a ship operated by our nine

global brands, and we work hard to

make sure they enjoy the shore excur-

sions and ports along their journey

and ultimately have a great vacation

experience,” said McKenzie. “I’m

excited to take on this new role and

continue to build on the deep local

expertise of our tour and port facility

partners, both large and small, who

offer a wide range of options and

overall experience for our guests

across the more than 700 ports we

visit worldwide.”

Commenting on the critical role played

by the Caribbean and Latin America in

the global cruise industry, McKenzie

added: “Being from Jamaica, it is espe-

cially rewarding for me to get the

chance to work with so many great

communities in the Caribbean and

Latin America to help them share their

proud heritages and amazing experi-

ences with our guests. There is so

much to see and do in that part of the

world, and so much rich history to

explore, so we want to continue build-

ing excitement around all the amazing

port and shore opportunities for our

guests in the cruise industry’s most vis-

ited region.”

McKenzie will report to Josh

Leibowitz, chief strategy officer for

Carnival Corporation.

“Our brands already work with local

tour operators and port facility offi-

cials to make sure we provide a posi-

tive experience and great portfolio of

popular shore excursions that consis-

tently earn high satisfaction marks

from our guests,” said Leibowitz.

“With our new process our tour oper-

ators and port facility partners will

now have an opportunity to partici-

pate in offering services for all nine

of our brands. Most importantly, by

leveraging the collective expertise of

our brands, tour operators and port

facility partners, we can continue to

offer our guests popular and unique

shore excursions and safe and posi-

tive port experiences. And in some

cases, we will use our collective cre-

ativity to develop exciting new excur-

sions, or new twists to already popu-

lar excursions.”

McKenzie previously served as vice

president of financial planning and

analysis, where she played an inte-

gral part in interpreting and engaging

all nine brands to prepare the compa-

ny’s executive team for the quarterly

earnings guidance and position the

overall strategy and financial direc-

tion of the company. She also led the

process of capturing, consolidating

and analyzing data from the nine

brands, as well as the corporation’s

annual planning process that was key

to the execution of the company’s

overall long-term strategy.

McKenzie, who started her career with

Carnival Corporation in 1996, has held

a number of roles of increasing respon-

sibility. This included her time with and

various leadership roles for the Carnival

Cruise Line brand, including vice presi-

dent of fleet accounting, where she led a

team of nearly 200 people working

closely with the shipboard operations

team to support the overall onboard

guest experience.

McKenzie started her career with

Arthur Andersen LLP in Washington,

D.C., in 1992. Originally from

Jamaica, West Indies, she is a gradu-

ate of Howard University, where she

earned her bachelor’s degree in

accounting. She also attended

Florida International University and

earned a master’s degree in interna-

tional business.

McKenzie serves on the board of

directors of the Make-A-Wish

Foundation of Southern Florida and

Honey Shine Inc.


One of the cruise industry’s

greatest benefits has always

been the movability of its

assets. This has let it maximize the

most profitable and passenger-satisfy-

ing destinations, as well as avoid dan-

ger like hurricanes and civic unrest.

Lately, many of these profitable and

passenger-satisfying destinations are

located around the globe, with new and

emerging markets seeing high yields,

demand and ticket pricing, leading to

rapid capacity growth like Asia’s

expected 36 percent increase and the

Mediterranean’s record year for 2015.

What does this mean for a market that

has historically dominated the indus-

try—the Caribbean? As Adam

Goldstein, president and COO of Royal

Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., addressed dur-

ing the 2014 FCCA Conference and

Trade Show, cruise tourism stakehold-

ers now experience worldwide compe-

tition, and markets like Asia are rapidly

developing products to garner cruise

tourism.

However, we at the FCCA focus on cre-

ating win/win scenarios. The industry’s

growth is a positive development for all

cruise tourism stakeholders.

Penetrating new markets leads to new

cruisers and increased capacity. This

bodes well for all cruising markets.

After all, cruisers are historically loyal;

they begin to sample different cruise

products, such as luxury liners, along

with multiple destinations. Just as many

North American cruisers first sail the

Caribbean before taking a

Mediterranean cruise, the Caribbean

can attract passengers from across the

seas. The cruise industry’s global reach

offers a chance for destinations to

embrace part of the FCCA’s mission

statement—to develop productive,

bilateral partnerships.

Of course, this requires constant work.

The cruise industry shows that having a

successful business model—such as the

Caribbean’s sun, beach and sand—is

never simply enough; innovation and

differentiation are necessary.

Passengers want constantly new prod-

ucts, and cruise lines continuously

develop new features that coincide with

their brands—from Royal Caribbean

International’s skydiving simulator to


The Cruise Industry’s Global Reach and Its Impact on the Caribbean MarketBy Michele M. Paige, President, Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association

Holland America Line’s onboard show

kitchen that features celebrity chefs.

We work with the Caribbean to do the

same, to create and renew products that

become synonymous with a destina-

tion’s brand. St. Maarten’s bustling

cityscape is different than St. Lucia’s

lush landscape, and destinations must

showcase their uniqueness and history

in order to give passengers a reason to

not just visit the Caribbean, but to sam-

ple specific destinations.

Cruise Tourism Organization’s Future

Caribbean Cruise Travel Survey con-

firmed this importance in its findings

that cruise passengers are more inter-

ested in destinations than ships, partic-

ularly valuing cultural heritage and

culinary experiences.

It also noted that “[the] Caribbean’s

ability to stimulate the required

demand will be directly dependent

upon its capacity to refresh and rein-

vent its tourism economies by effec-

tively adapting to the ever-changing

global environment, pushing the

envelope, taking risks and launching

innovations, which consistently

deliver on changing consumer expec-

tations.” And cruise lines call wher-

ever there is demand.

The Caribbean certainly has its share of

past and current success and demand,

with the leading share—nearly 36 per-

cent—of 2015’s global deployment

capacity market share.

Plus cruise lines show their dedication

to the Caribbean by numerous invest-

ments in infrastructure, including

Norwegian Cruise Line’s recent port

development in Belize; Royal

Caribbean International’s investments

in Falmouth, Jamaica and Roatan,

Honduras; and Carnival Corporation’s

port in Puerto Plata, Dominican

Republic and announcement to develop

a cruise destination in Haiti.

Yet the Caribbean’s share of global

deployment capacity market share

decreased almost two percent from last

year, correlating with Asia’s increase of

more than two percent. So this may

seem like a direct give and take, but

how this ebb and flow affects a market

like the Caribbean depends solely on

the destinations’ actions.

If Caribbean destinations employ the

cruise lines’ business model built on

constant innovation and differentiation,

their opportunities will grow exponen-

tially. They will continue to drive heavy

traffic, both new and past passengers,

from the industry’s predominant North

American market, along with sourcing

freshly converted cruisers from the

global markets.

They will also continue to benefit from

the cruise lines’ constant drive to build

bigger and better ships—with six

ocean-going vessels slated for delivery

in 2015—that are often placed in the

tried and tested Caribbean.

As always, the FCCA remains focused

on this synergy and seeks to help desti-

nations actualize the potential benefits

from a stronger cruise industry. We do

this by providing the knowledge and

contacts to support the necessary devel-

opment and innovation.

For example, our 22nd annual Cruise

Conference & Trade Show will gather

over 100 of our Member Line execu-

tives, presidents and CEOs to meet with

about 1,000 tourism stakeholders during

a four-day agenda of one-on-one meet-

ings, workshops and social functions.

Taking place in Cozumel, Mexico from

October 6-9, 2015, this event encapsu-

lates the FCCA’s mission, presenting a

chance for cruise tourism stakeholders

to target cruise line decision makers,

while also learning important informa-

tion about the industry and how to max-

imize its impact, such as creating and

sustaining successful shore excursions,

as well as working with cruise lines to

develop a cruise destination.

We invite anyone looking to establish

or increase their cruise tourism busi-

ness to join us in Cozumel or Cruise

Shipping Miami booth #695 to see how

we can help.


f. 514.284.9152 e

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If anyone is wondering about the potential of major

growth opportunities for the cruise industry and destina-

tions, they only need to look at the global cruise indus-

try’s order book.

The global cruise industry has 30 ships on order for delivery

between February 2015 and October 2020 across all the com-

panies, with an estimated total investment of nearly $24 bil-

lion, averaging about $800 million per ship. The industry’s

investment in its fleets has elevated the cruise industry to be

the fastest-growing category of the travel and leisure market

– a category equivalent to about 7.2 percent of the leisure

market annually since 1980.

These ship orders alone communicate the cruise industry’s con-

fidence in the growth of cruising as a successful business. Since

fewer than four percent of North Americans go on a cruise each

year, much of our industry focuses on attracting new cruisers.

After all, nearly 60 percent of cruisers today are repeat cus-

tomers, meaning that if we can get travelers on a ship and

exceed their expectations, there’s a very good chance they’ll

go on another cruise.

If you consider that only 20 percent of North Americans have

ever taken a cruise (and we’ve been around for over 40

years!) and that the penetration rate is dramatically less in

Europe, Australia and Asia, you recognize why the industry

is positive about its opportunity for growth.

Hopefully you saw the Super Bowl commercial from

Carnival Corporation, “Come Back To The Sea,” that signi-

fies our commitment to change the perceptions of those who

don’t believe cruising may be for them, while also enticing

past guests to cruise again. As an industry, we continue to

reach out to the media through various channels to keep

them informed of our new ships, products and destinations


By David Candib, Vice President, Development & Operations, Carnival Corporation

How Destinations Can Realize Growth byWorking Proactively with the Cruise Industry

Carnival Corporation used drones in monitoring the various stages of the port's con-struction progress an innovative development that is being used for the first time as partof the company's port development process. (Photo courtesy of Carnival Corporation)

to stay in the minds and conversations of people making

vacation plans.

With cruising only representing about one percent of the

vacation capacity compared to hotel rooms, you can under-

stand we’ve only begun to uncover the opportunities.

As a destination, you may ask yourself how to tap into the

cruise industry’s success and growth opportunities. It is

important to have governments, local community and busi-

ness groups, entrepreneurs and visionaries willing to work

proactively with those of us in the cruise industry. You can

also optimize offerings and communicate them to ensure you

are a top choice when cruise lines are planning upcoming

itineraries. You will find that top destinations have several

keys to success:

• Knowing the top priority is the continued safety of all

who visit and live there

• Looking for ways to constantly improve the guest and

crew experience ashore

• Reinvesting in the marine and shoreside infrastructure

• Offering competitive pricing

• Providing the ability to fit within existing itineraries

So how would a destination either enter into or grow existing

business to be considered a more strategic partner?

One way is to continue to meet with the key industry decision

makers and personnel. Rest assured, there are many avenues

to do so. The annual trade shows, including Cruise Shipping

Miami, and association meetings, such as those offered by

FCCA and CLIA, allow for direct dialogue and exchange of

ideas while allowing destinations to keep their finger on the

industry’s pulse.

Cruise lines are constantly looking at ways to optimize

itineraries (whether for destination sequencing or fuel effi-

ciency) and to refresh and engage the guest experience. Yet

there may well be times when we are not aware of planned

or already implemented changes and improvements in a

destination that might make it a viable option for inclusion

in itineraries. Because of this, it is critically important to

keep cruise lines informed of any news and updates from

the destination.

I recently participated in a panel discussion where Nancy

Houley of the Quebec Port Authority provided great insight

into the behind-the-scenes work that went into planning for a

day when they were scheduled to receive six ships. The

preparation and work that went into making the day a success

was quite insightful and shows the port’s dedication to work-

ing with all constituents as far out as needed, which in this

case was close to a year ahead of the planned day.

Also on the panel that day was Cathy Kusuma of Cruise

Planners, a leading travel agency. It was refreshing to hear of

some research she did that noted that the destinations them-

selves are still a key factor when consumers are considering

purchasing a cruise.

We also believe this to be true, which is one of the driving

factors for us continuing to invest in new port destinations,

such as Amber Cove, our newest Caribbean port on the north

coast of the Dominican Republic, scheduled to open in

October 2015. The media reaction has been positive for this

new port, and we are optimistic that Amber Cover will

become highly popular for our guests.

As an article published in the Charleston Post and Courier

noted, Amber Cove gives cruisers a new, exciting destination

and port to experience. This speaks to the importance of both

renewing destination products and cruise lines and destina-

tions collaborating to benefit all parties.

As no two developments or agreements are alike in the realm

of port and destination development, there is an opportunity

for proactive governments and stakeholders to be creative in

evaluating options and finding solutions. Our company’s

strategy (which I’m sure may have similar elements as others

in the industry) focuses on building upon the momentum of

market penetration and entering new markets while building

new and exciting ships – allowing our fleet to grow while we

also reinvest in existing ships. This commitment allows us to

focus on the guest experience and the high level of satisfac-

tion vacationers desire during their valued vacation time.

While many cruise lines, including two of our own, have

developed and continue to operate private island experiences

that are very well received by guests, it is new and existing

destination development that gives repeat cruise customers a

reason to continue cruising, while simultaneously attracting

new cruisers.

Existing destinations can refresh and enhance their offerings

by working alongside the various shore excursion experts

who can provide insight into what guests are seeking. This

can range from creation or expansion of town centers (exam-

ples include Old San Juan and St. Maarten) to development


of iconic shore excursions (e.g. St. Kitts Railway or Mystic

Mountain in Ocho Rios) to implementation of engaging and

unique cultural experiences that present guests with some-

thing they can only find in that destination (such as local fla-

vors and traditions or historical sites and forts).

In today’s environment, guests want to be engaged and often

are in constant communication with some form of e-mail

and/or social media, so there are limitless photo and experi-

ence sharing opportunities that can either lift a destination or

harm its image if the experience was not enjoyable.

A note of caution should be raised when destinations plan or

consider investments in their infrastructure or changes in

asset management, including third parties. While we are a

very large industry by any measure, the top five cruise com-

panies (Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd,

Norwegian Cruise Holdings, MSC Cruises and Disney

Cruise Line) represent the lion’s share of the industry. As a

result, connecting with key decision makers is not a daunting

task, and a project like this should ensure that top cruise lines

or companies remain engaged. It would not benefit either the

destination or the cruise lines if a project actually would

diminish the experience or cause a loss of calls in the long

run. The old saying, “know your customer,” certainly applies

to situations like this.

Without our industry reinvesting heavily in the creation of new

ships and continuous improvements in existing ones or our

partner destinations improving the experience ashore, we risk

the incredible growth and momentum achieved to date. There

is no doubt smooth sailing lies ahead for those that seize the

opportunity, and there are many of us in the industry who stand

ready to assist you. After all, we are all in this together.


Explore More Business at Florida’sFastest Growing Cruise Port

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Water that stagnates leads to

algae, but the cruise industry

keeps water moving by

embracing the only constant—change.

It continually innovates and builds onto

its sturdy foundation, one built by pro-

viding unique products and services,

along with the ability to sample multi-

ple destinations. Survey after survey

shows this model’s success, but cruise

lines refuse to rest on their laurels.

They continue to develop new ships

and products that align with their line’s

brand and demographic. This is seen in

the current cruise ship order book; the

slated 28 new vessels from FCCA

Member Lines represent not just 95,000

additional berths and an estimated

investment of over $22 billion, but also

innovations that transmit the brand’s

message and capture its markets and

demographics.

Royal Caribbean features firsts-at-sea

of skydiving simulators and robotic

bartenders, along with woks for cook-

ing during Asian itineraries; Regent

Seven Seas Cruises will unveil the

“most luxurious ship to sail the seven

seas,” complete with designer suites

and a Canyon Ranch SpaClub; and

Carnival Vista will certainly be a Fun

Ship with its family- and kid-friendly

spaces like a families-only lounge and

the first-ever IMAX at sea, while con-

tinuing Carnival Cruise Line’s model of

easily accessible drive-to ports when

homeporting in Miami.

Cruising as a whole has proven suc-

cessful as the fastest-growing leisure

travel market, with demand that out-

strips supply with occupancy rates con-

sistently over 100 percent and cruisers

growing with capacity (a record 23 mil-

lion global passengers forecast for

2015, aided by six new ocean-going

vessels scheduled to launch throughout

the year).

However, cruise lines’ innovations and

brand identities differentiate them,

offering a product and itinerary to suit

anyone and any market, while creating

interest in specific lines and offerings,

not simply cruising.

Cruise lines have focused on this brand

and market optimization, but a ship is

only as good as its captain. And many

new hands recently took the helms of

cruise operators and brands, including

new presidents, CEOs and/or COOs for

Royal Caribbean International,

Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise

Line Holdings Ltd., Norwegian Cruise

Line, Prestige Cruise Holdings,

Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Crociere,

Costa Asia, Cunard Line and Holland

America Line.

That long list has a common feature;

each appointment keeps these cruise

lines moving through algae-free water

by further aligning with brand-specific

goals and markets. Running through

this list will show how these new cap-

tains are ready, willing and able to steer

their lines.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. jumped

into its pool of internal talent for new

heads of its largest two brands, Royal

Caribbean International and Celebrity

Cruises, appointing senior company

executives whose understanding and

experience had powered past success

and proven them ready to navigate the

waters ahead.

Michael Bayley took his crucial role in

Royal Caribbean’s international expan-

sion, along with building Celebrity’s

position in the modern luxury market in

his recent role as president and CEO of

Celebrity Cruises, back to Royal

Caribbean International as president

and CEO.

His success in launching company oper-

ations in markets around the world and


Cruise Industry’s Changing of the Guard: New and Known Faces Take the Helm of Cruise Brands and Operators

Photo

: PortM

iam

i

building a brand in a specific market will

prove crucial to continue growing the

Royal Caribbean brand in markets like

the Asia Pacific, Australia and China.

As Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said, the

Royal Caribbean brand is “synonymous

with cruising in China,” and though the

demand is “simply extraordinary,”

cruising in China is “still embryonic.

Most people don’t know about it.”

To introduce them, Royal Caribbean

plans quite an orientation for 2015,

increasing its Chinese capacity 66 percent

(after a 45 percent jump last year) and

sailing its latest, most technologically

advanced ship—Quantum of the Seas—

there year-round. Yet more than simply

supplying the capacity, Bayley will help

Royal Caribbean establish its brand.

“In China, brand is very important, so

we’re investing heavily in the brand

and hardware,” Fain continued.

Celebrity Cruises also has an Asian

influence, with Celebrity Century and

Celebrity Millenium already sailing

there, but Lisa Lutoff-Perlo has a dif-

ferent specialty that will serve the brand

in her position as president and CEO.

She made her mark as a specialist at

bringing new ships to market, playing a

key role in the launch of Royal

Caribbean’s Quantum, Voyager and

Radiance classes, along with

Celebrity’s Solstice class.

This experience will benefit the

announced pair of 117,000-GRT, 2,900-

passenger Edge-class vessels that will

“set the standard for premium world trav-

el and deliver the next generation of mod-

ern luxury experiences that our guests

know and love,” according to Bayley.

“Celebrity Cruises has done a remark-

able job differentiating itself in a crowded

and competitive premium marketplace,

and with its newly announced Edge-

class ships, the brand has the opportuni-

ty to push its leadership position even

farther,” told Lutoff-Perlo.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings had a

shakeup throughout all of its brands

shortly after becoming the third-largest

cruise operator with a portfolio span-

ning the industry’s markets—from con-

temporary to luxury—with the acquisi-

tion of Prestige Cruise International

and its brands, Oceania Cruises and

Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

First came the step down of Kevin

Sheehan, who led the merger after turn-

ing around Norwegian Cruise Line’s

financials, leading it to its first profit in

four years, successfully taking it public

and overseeing a new class of ships and

renovations that made the Norwegian

brand synonymous with Freestyle

Cruising and its numerous restaurants

and activities.

“I am proud of what we have accom-

plished, and take comfort in the knowl-

edge that I am leaving the company

much healthier and stronger than when

I joined,” said Sheehan. “With the com-

pany set for success, I hand the baton

off to Frank [Del Rio], a proven leader

in the cruise industry.”

Big shoes to fill for Del Rio, but he has

worn plenty of pairs throughout his

more than 20 years of industry experi-

ence, including co-founding Oceania in

2003 and his previous role as CEO of

Prestige since April 2007.

“He understands the business like few

others,” noted Mike Driscoll, editor of

Cruise Week.

He also understands the upscale cruise

market, in which Prestige focused. “I

come from the upscale brand, so if any-

thing we’re going to be looking to

always improve upon all our products,

and perhaps Norwegian will benefit

most from a new perspective in how to

deliver an upscale product to its con-

sumers,” told Del Rio.

“Oceania and Regent customers…can

be confident that the product that they

have learned to love over the years will

stay intact. And on the Norwegian side,

there’s the promise and prospect that

that product will improve tremendously

to new levels.”

“Each brand will continue to deliver the

guest experiences they are known for,”

he informed. “Any changes that likely

will be adopted as best practices will be

invisible to our guests. … Three dis-

tinct brands and one exceptional orga-

nization is my mantra.”

These best practices, along with syner-

gies throughout the organization, will

lead to savings by consolidating office

operations, insurance costs, port fees and

shore excursion concessioner contracts.

“Revenue synergies of $15 million will

lead to a first-year synergy of at least

$40 million in 2015, which will equate

to $50 million in 2016,” told Del Rio.

Del Rio’s promise of Oceania’s and

Regent’s continuation was also seen in

the brands’ leadership shift, with Jason

Montague becoming president and

COO following the resignation of

Kunal S. Kamlani. Widely regarded as

co-founder of Oceania and instrumental

in developing Prestige’s brands,

Montague brings this knowledge along

with his financial background and

experience in purchasing, financing and

delivering vessels, along with acquiring

and integrating cruise brands.

Most recently, he assisted with the

Prestige acquisition as executive vice

president and chief integration officer

for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings

Ltd. During his 12-year tenure at

Prestige, including roles as CFO and

executive vice president, Montague

helped launch Oceania Cruises; pur-

chase Oceania’s initial three R-class

vessels; finance and deliver Oceania’s

Marina and Riviera new builds; and

acquire and integrate Regent Seven

Seas Cruises.


Norwegian Cruise Line will continue

its forward progress with Andy Stuart

behind the wheel as president and

COO. Stuart certainly knows

Norwegian well, holding various lead-

ership positions since joining in 1988,

most recently executive vice president

of sales, and being a crucial part in

building the Norwegian brand—espe-

cially in the establishment, delivery and

marketing of Freestyle Cruising—and

strengthening relationships with travel

partners by introducing Partners First.

“Andy and Norwegian are virtually syn-

onymous,” told Del Rio after mention-

ing the significance of the merged orga-

nization utilizing Stuart’s company and

industry knowledge, along with his rela-

tionships with travel partners. “He is

very well known and respected by our

guests, travel partners, officers, crew

and team members. I am extremely con-

fident that he is the perfect leader for the

next phase of Norwegian’s growth.”

“Having seen Norwegian Cruise Line

grow significantly during the course of

my career, I am thrilled and proud to

lead this incredible company as we con-

tinue to enhance and build the brand,”

said Stuart. “The future is extremely

bright, and I am looking forward to

continuing to work with our travel part-

ners through our expanded sales team,

delivering an exceptional product to

our guests in conjunction with our

hard-working officers and crew, and

ensuring that our team members are

motivated and engaged, all the while

building value for our shareholders.”

Carnival Corporation & plc found new

captains to steer its world’s largest port-

folio of brands. Carnival Cruise Line,

the largest of the nine brands, tapped

Christine Duffy as president. Duffy has

more than 30 years of experience in the

travel industry, with a vast understand-

ing of travel agents and guests’ desires,

and recently led the globalization of

cruise industry associations around the

world, engaging cruise lines and stake-

holders to expand into new and emerg-

ing markets.

Duffy’s knowledge of cruise passen-

gers’ expectations from the travel agent

perspective will help Carnival constant-

ly exceed them. “She brings a wealth of

experience to Carnival Cruise Line that

will help the cruise line continue to

deliver unmatched vacation experi-

ences to millions of guests each year,"

told Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival

Corporation.

Plus Duffy’s role in CLIA’s globaliza-

tion coincides with Carnival

Corporation’s global expansion.

Despite Carnival Cruise Line’s main

focus on its North American drive-to

market, it has already established itself

in Australia and expressed interest in

finding other markets that align with its

brand identity.

Of course, Carnival Corporation is

more focused on the global market,

seen by opening new sales offices in

Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea

and five in China, as well as the new

appointments for other brands.

Costa Group appointed Buhdy Sin Bok

as president of Costa Asia. Costa—the

market leader in China, with three out of

the four Carnival Corporation vessels

currently deployed in China—leads the

way in this rapidly growing market, and

Sin Bok reflects its importance.

Neil Palomba was simultaneously

named president of Costa Crociere,

Genoa. Past senior vice president of

hotel operations and development, he

will utilize his expertise to manage the

Costa brand, sales, customer care, and

products’ structure and design for

Europe’s leading cruise company.

“These appointments will help us

strengthen our Costa and Costa Asia

brands and support the development of

our global activities, especially in

Europe and Asia," told Michael

Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group.

“I…look forward to working with them

intensively on the further expansion of

our company.”

Holland America Line also made a

move to advance its global efforts.

Though the line already spans all

seven continents with its fleet of 15

premium vessels, it brought in

Orlando Ashford to serve as president

and oversee Holland America Line’s

sales and marketing, revenue manage-

ment, deployment and itinerary plan-

ning, public relations, hotel operations

and strategy.

“We are fortunate to have Orlando join

our team, bringing with him a career's

worth of global experience leading

high-performance teams that helped

innovate some of the most respected

and well-known companies in the

world,” shared Stein Kruse, CEO of

Holland America Group.

Most recently, Ashford served as pres-

ident of the talent business segment

for Mercer, the global consulting lead-

er in talent, health, retirement and

investments. He also brings his experi-

ence as group director of human

resources for 90 countries in Eurasia

and Africa for the Coca-Cola

Company, as well as vice president of

global human resources strategy and

organizational development for

Motorola, Inc., where he helped mod-

ernize the human resources function

for the global tech leader.

Ashford’s recently published book,

Talentism, addresses the global discon-

nect between available jobs and exam-

ines how technology and human net-

works can help bridge the skills gap,

improve business performance, and lead

to the betterment of society at large.

“Holland America Line is a remarkable


and highly respected company that

delivers exceptional experiences and

indelible memories of joy and adven-

ture to their guests,” shared Ashford,

newly appointed president of Holland

America Line. “It’s a noble mission,

and I am eager to get to work with this

talented group of service-minded

employees to unleash new ideas while

building on the success of this thriving

global business.”

Finally, Cunard Line tapped internal

Carnival Corporation talent for presi-

dent of Cunard Line – North America,

adding that to Richard Meadows’s role

as president of Seabourn.

“With Rick having worked at so many

brands within the Carnival Corporation

portfolio, we are eager to leverage his

knowledge, experience and skills to

advance the Cunard brand in North

America,” said David Noyes, CEO of

Carnival UK. “His background in lead-

ing Seabourn is particularly valuable, as

he understands well the nuances of

delivering superior service and enrich-

ing onboard experiences – the things that

directly appeal to Cunard passengers.”

As President of Cunard – North

America and Seabourn, Meadows will

focus on generating brand awareness,

growing revenues and yields, advanc-

ing exceptional product innovation and

providing unmatched guest experiences

for the two celebrated luxury brands.

“I am excited…to enhance how we

deliver luxury on a grand scale to dis-

cerning travelers in this region of the

world,” told Meadows.

Indeed, numerous cruise lines, brands

and operators recently handed over their

captains’ wheels. Each of these

metaphorical ships has scheduled differ-

ent destinations for its itinerary charting

the future, and each new captain knows

the route well and can help sail through

the industry’s constantly flowing waters.


Christine DuffyPresident,

Carnival Cruise Line

Richard MeadowsPresident,

Cunard – North America & Seabourn

Andrew StuartPresident & COO,

Norwegian Cruise Line

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo President & CEO,

Celebrity Cruises

Orlando Ashford President,

Holland America Line

Michael Bayley President & CEO,

Royal Caribbean International

Neil Palomba President,

Costa Crociere

Jason MontaguePresident & COO,

Prestige Cruise Holdings, Inc.

Buhdy Sin Bok President, Costa Asia

Frank Del Rio President & CEO,



Cruise Shipping Miami (CSM) is an exciting time for the

Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), synony-

mous with renewing and creating business partnerships,

discussing ideas and tackling industry issues with the attending

cruise line representatives and global stakeholders. Of course,

these opportunities are vast during the event’s standard pro-

gramming, but the FCCA maximizes these chances for its

Platinum Members.

After all, UBM Live—the organizers of CSM—and the FCCA

have developed a strong, synergistic relationship, working

together for nearly a quarter-century. The collaboration began

back in the early 1990s, with the FCCA actively participating in

the planning and organization of the Cruise Shipping Miami

show (originally Seatrade) and UBM supporting the FCCA’s

Caribbean-based annual conference, fundraising events and

charitable activities.

As UBM grew its global portfolio of Cruise Shipping events—

including maritime events Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific,

Seatrade Med, Marintec China, Naval Shore and Sea Japan, plus

an array of digital products like webinars and Cruise Shipping

Virtual online shows—the FCCA continued to be a supporter

wherever the collaboration took it.

“FCCA is an essential partner in our growing group of cruise-

and maritime-related events,” said Daniel Read, director of

UBM’s Cruise Shipping Portfolio. “As we go forward, we will

continue to count on FCCA’s ongoing support.”

That support now comes for FCCA members participating in

2015 CSM. As with everything in which the FCCA participates,

one of its main goals is to positively impact the working rela-

tionship between its members and 19 Member Cruise Lines.

It does this by providing multiple events and opportunities to put

members on a first-name basis with FCCA Member Line execu-

tives, presidents and CEOs—interactions that spawn relation-

ships and put a foot in the door. This is a key component of the

FCCA Platinum Membership program and a vital resource for

any entity doing or desiring business with the cruise industry.

“FCCA events always give me an opportunity to meet valuable

industry stakeholders,” shared Adam Goldstein, president and

COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “These are the people

who have ideas and projects I want, and need, to know about.”

To foster these engagements during CSM and actualize its

resources and attendees, the FCCA programmed a block of func-

tions coinciding with the event to ensure that Platinum Members

have a direct line to the FCCA Member Line executives.

The FCCA booth itself (#695) serves as the site for many of these

during 2015 CSM. Besides being a one-stop shop for all atten-

dees to learn more about the FCCA and what it offers, the booth

also hosts cocktail receptions to promote destinations and com-

panies while bringing together Platinum Members and cruise

executives in a private atmosphere. Plus many of the same exec-

utives and members cycle in and out of the booth for meetings

arranged by the FCCA.

Of course, there are also the annual FCCA events that have

become a traditional part of CSM for many cruise executives and

Platinum Members. An annual pre-event welcoming party offers

members and cruise executives an intimate affair so they can

reacquaint and prepare for the long days ahead.

The FCCA Gala Dinner and Entertainment Extravaganza gives a

chance for any participant to spend the evening with a cruise

executive hosting tables for an unforgettable evening and cause.

In its 21st year, the 2015 FCCA Gala will be held Wednesday,

March 18 at the Miami Beach Convention Center and include a

90-minute cocktail reception, silent art auction and sit-down din-

ner, with a side of networking, with more than 60 cruise line

executives, presidents and CEOs.

The FCCA Official Cruise Shipping Miami Party closes CSM

with a bang. Taking place at LIV—the hottest nightclub in

Miami—for a fourth consecutive year, this highly anticipated

event provides a chance for the tired, sore and overworked atten-

dees to loosen their ties, let down their hair and put on their danc-

ing shoes for a fun night with some of the cruise industry’s most

important decision makers.

Indeed, 2015 CSM will benefit participants with its success-

proven formula combined with many new features by UBM, but

the FCCA offers backstage passes to visit the real rock stars—

key decision makers from Member Lines.

Or, as Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc

and the FCCA, said, “The FCCA opens the door to the cruise

industry and puts you in the middle of the action.”

More information about the FCCA is available at CSM booth

#695.

FCCA Plus Cruise Shipping Miami Equals Opportunities for Success

HOUSTON: WHERE YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS… Embark on your next Caribbean cruise from a World Class City where there is no shortage of things to do, places to go or events to experience. Whether dining at one of our fine restaurants, shopping at unique stores, visiting the NASA Space Center or enjoying the attractions at the Kemah Boardwalk and the Bay Area, you will find Houston outstanding in culture, ambience, sophistication, and non-stop entertainment all year round.

The Bayport Cruise Terminal, located in the city of Pasadena, Texas, just 30 minutes from downtown Houston, offers a one-of-a-kind experience with efficient and exceptional services including a stress-free embarkation process and easy access to two airports — George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby (HOU). Visit portofhouston.com/cruise for information on the cruise services and visitbayareahouston.com and visithouston.com for information on the region and local attractions.

Port of Houston AuthorityBayport Cruise Terminal | Pasadena, Texas

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Sometimes looking in the rear-view mirror becomes as

important as watching the road ahead. There is plenty

to look forward to with preparations underway for the

2015 FCCA Conference & Trade Show, but glancing back at

the last—and most successful—Conference in its 21-year

history provides ample lessons of how St. Maarten drove its

way to victory.

The entire destination worked together to ensure that the

record 1,550 attendees were comfortable and the largest-ever

event ran smoothly. One of the first major steps was partner-

ing with Eventstar to build a structure, setting the trend that

Cozumel, Mexico has followed for the 2015 event.

This structure granted enough space and traffic flow so all

Conference attendees could conveniently access business

functions while also networking and observing the biggest

FCCA Trade Show, with the most-ever booths and exhibitors.

The structure also allowed the Trade Show to be situated in

the middle of the action, guaranteeing exposure from the

Conference attendees and Member Line executives, presi-

dents and CEOs.

Coordination between the hotels, transportation services,

venues and event coordinators eased the efforts and worries

of attendees, letting them appreciate the all of the functions,

as well as the incredible destination sites, tastes and sounds.

And how could they not enjoy all that? Everything at the

functions spearheaded by St. Maarten—from the food and

entertainment to the venues and local fare—displayed not

just St. Maarten’s delectable culture and heritage, but also the

ability to go above and beyond while catering to a large,

multinational audience.

This showcased St. Maarten’s destination products and effi-

ciency in handling tourists, showing some cruise executives

visiting for the first time why it serviced about 1.7 million

cruise passengers in 2014.

The executives also saw that the destination constantly

improves. “We have to reinvent ourselves, and we must start

today,” said Mark Mingo, CEO of St. Maarten Harbour

Group of Companies. “We have done well after 50 years as a

cruise destination, and we will continue on the foundation

that has been built."

Of course, it was important to exhibit these features to an

audience of cruise tourism stakeholders and cruise line exec-

utives who decide where ships call, what sells onboard and

how to invest in destination infrastructure. The FCCA

Conference & Trade Show has a track record of success for

growing the host destination’s cruise tourism. In fact, St.

Maarten first hosted the event in 2003 and saw a 70 percent

increase in passenger arrivals from 2001 to 2005.

Plus the event proved St. Maarten’s ability to host conference

and convention tourism. Mark Mingo, CEO of Port St.

Maarten, noted this goal before the event. “Conference and

convention tourism is a niche market that should be explored

and developed,” said Mingo. "We have an opportunity in the

FCCA post-conference period to work towards establishing

St. Maarten as a dynamic business events destination.”

Michele Paige, president of the FCCA, certainly believed

that St. Maarten successfully established itself as an events

destination. “St. Maarten once again proved its ability to con-

stantly adapt to fulfill any needs,” she told. “Though I

already knew that from [the destination’s] continued cruise

tourism innovations, this event proved that St. Maarten can

apply this to any trade. It certainly has a bright future ahead

for convention tourism, and I can provide my ringing

endorsement.”

In all St. Maarten undertook while hosting the FCCA

Conference & Trade Show, it showed how it caters to tourism

of all kinds—from nearly 2 million cruise passengers to

events tourism with a group of nearly 2,000—and continual-

ly innovates and improves, which puts the destination on

course for more future victory laps.


St. Maarten Drives Success at Largest-Ever FCCA Conference & Trade Show

GROUP OF COMPA-NIES

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Acloud of people accumulated

onboard Norwegian Sky on

January 23rd. The group of

nearly 350—comprised of FCCA

Platinum Members, Member Line exec-

utives and their families—embarked for

a three-day schedule packed with meet-

ings and functions catering to opera-

tional discussion, product promotion

and relationship building.

As per usual, the annual FCCA

PAMAC Cruise Summit offered a

healthy balance of business sessions,

networking opportunities and family

fun. After all, linking some of the pre-

mier players of the destinations’ private

and public sectors with the executives

offers valuable collaboration, but mak-

ing them comfortable together leads to

invaluable partnerships.

Activities began almost as soon as

Norwegian Sky sailed from PortMiami,

when the crowd congregated for the

Business Card Exchange and Reception.

Here, members and executives

exchanged cards and words, discussing

recent trends and developments—from a

new tour product to a new child.

Dinner followed, where members and

executives joined to continue their dis-

cussions or start a new one by sitting

with someone different. Tables set-aside

for the group allowed a choice of dinner

and conversation partners. This arrange-

ment helped establish free-flowing dis-

cussion and guaranteed members the

ability to interact with executives, even

while eating with their families.

The next day started with a two-hour

session of one-on-one meetings, where

members privately met with pre-select-

ed executives. Often these executives

filled a required need for discussing and

presenting new business, as they decide

where ships call, what tours and prod-

ucts sell onboard, and how to invest in

infrastructure. Additionally, they have

the knowledge to offer their input and

cruise line’s perspective to make a more

viable business model and tailor offer-

ings for the line and industry.

“The one-on-one meetings allow for us

to address the specific concerns or learn

about new products from Platinum

Members,” shared Federico Gonzalez-

Denton, associate vice president, gov-

ernment relations, Caribbean & Latin

America, Royal Caribbean Cruises

Limited. “This is an important tool for

both the members and the cruise indus-

try. 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 mem-

bers, it gives them a real vantage point

in knowing what the lines are looking

for and how to appeal to them.”

An action-packed day at Atlantis,

Paradise Island followed the meetings,

with provided tours ranging from

swimming with dolphins to relaxing at

cabanas. The tour offerings 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

from and to the cruise ship and tour

guide interaction. They also led to a dif-

ferent form of networking, with tour

groups and participants often forming a

deeper connection through shared

experiences.

An exclusive reception hosted by

Cruise Line Executives and Platinum Members Gatherfor Meetings, Business Opportunities and Family Fun on

2015 FCCA PAMAC Cruise Summit


Atlantis capped the day, where the

group gathered at the foot of the lazy

river to network and sample an array of

local cuisine.

Alarm clocks announced the following

day, with the group again rising early

for one of the Summit’s most important

proceedings, the PAMAC Meeting. A

fixture of PAMAC events, the Meeting

allowed members to present and dis-

cuss their latest developments and

issues with an expert panel of execu-

tives.

“[The PAMAC Meeting] is an impor-

tant feature for relaying all of the latest

information to the members while also

giving a chance to know how to best

learn from it and implement what they

need to fully take advantage of this

knowledge—from an individual opera-

tional level to steps they must take to

improve their regions,” told Matthew

Sams, vice president of Caribbean rela-

tions, Holland America Line.

Platinum Members first gave presenta-

tions to update the panel and attendees.

Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence

updated the group on recent training

and new programs; Blue Planet Tours

discussed a successful FCCA

Foundation project that supplied com-

puters to children and schools in need;

Sans Souci Ports showcased their

newest attraction, 4D Francis Drake

Battle Experience, along with their

efforts to form a complete cruise desti-

nation product; the Dominican

Republic showed their development of

Puerto Plata as a cruise city, which the

group will witness first-hand during the

PAMAC Conference from June 24-26;

and Eventstar displayed their process

from design to completion, which is

currently underway to form the struc-

ture for the 2015 FCCA Conference &

Trade Show in Cozumel, Mexico from

October 6-9.

The floor then opened for questions,

with the panel discussing topics such as

port operations and cruise lines work-

ing to establish a standard, encompass-

ing everything from customs to ground

transportation.

Plus updates were welcomed from

members. Most notably, Mrs. Tracy

Davidson-Celestine, deputy chief sec-

retary of the Tobago House of

Assembly and secretary of tourism and

transportation, shared Tobago’s rocket-

ing cruise tourism. They expect a sea-

son-over-season growth of more than

225 percent, with 62,000 passenger

arrivals during the 2014-2015 cruise

season. And they project further

progress for the following season, top-

ping 80,000 passengers.

Secretary Davidson credited this rise to

their FCCA Platinum Membership and

events like the Summit, which “afford

us the possibility to interact with the

cruise lines and their decision makers,

as well as other Platinum Members

who can provide services to Tobago.”

After also praising the education and

training offered by the FCCA, she told,

“Put all that together, and you have a

powerful partnership that provides a

competitive edge.”

She closed by noting that Tobago is

committed to cruise tourism; focused

on improving all sectors, from destina-

tion products to transportation, assisted

by the FCCA through input and site vis-

its; and dedicated to building year-

round cruise traffic.

After a day of tours at Great Stirrup

Cay, a farewell reception helped with

the difficulty of saying goodbye. This

also ensured that members had the

opportunity to talk with whomever

they needed and left no ends untied.

The sense of urgency encouraged them

to wrap up (or begin) ongoing discus-

sions or business proposals, but this did

not stop many from simply enjoying

their company, hor d’oeuvres and

ocean-view.

In all, the FCCA PAMAC Cruise pro-

vided another successful example of

what FCCA’s Platinum Member events

seek for its members and executives: to

provide the knowledge and opportuni-

ties to develop products and destina-

tions for—as well as appeal and pro-

mote them to—cruise lines, all while

having some laid-back fun in comfort-

able settings that lead to real connec-

tions and relationship building.

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Discover a place where tourists become travelers. And schedules are optional. Here, destinations can be located by map, but only found with the soul. The true Belize is discovered when you leave expectations behind, and simply be.

As one of the most heavily traf-

ficked cruise destinations,

Cozumel, Mexico seems like an

obvious choice for the FCCA Conference

& Trade Show. However, its selection as

host destination represents not just

Cozumel’s cruise tourism success and

commitment, but all of Mexico’s.

The recent history began when Roberto

Borge Angulo, governor of Quintana

Roo (home of Cancun, Costa Maya,

Cozumel and Playa del Carmen,

among other areas and municipalities),

held a meeting between all Mexican

governors, the FCCA and Member

Line executives.

Taking place in Mazatlan, which had just

lost its cruise calls, the meeting was sym-

bolic. It showed Mazatlan’s safety—and

the undertaken security efforts—first-

hand, but it also transmitted a message

that Mexico wanted to regain the lost

ships by any means necessary.

Mexico then engaged a positive, proac-

tive, countrywide approach, regularly

bringing in various departments

(including tourism, immigration, trans-

portation, etc.) to ensure constant, open

communication with the cruise indus-

try. It also established this communica-

tion with every port.

Yet the most important part was mov-

ing past the talk and into action. Many

Mexican states utilized the information

communicated to them, constantly

developing and improving destination

products to custom-fit the cruise lines’

needs and requests.

These results were seen almost imme-

diately, with FCCA Member Lines

sending more than one million addi-

tional passengers to Mexico—a 25 per-

cent increase—between 2013 and 2014.

States and/or ports that fully committed

to action by becoming Platinum

Members headlined this growth. In fact,

they accounted for more than 960,000

of the passenger arrival difference.

Plus destinations like Mazatlan, La Paz

and Loreto went from zero passenger

calls in 2012 to expecting nearly

250,000 combined for 2015. Other

highlights include Ensenada’s high of


Cozumel to Display Mexico’s CruiseTourism Resurgence as Host of the 22ndAnnual FCCA Conference & Trade Show

600,00 passengers in 2014—an

increase of more than 110,000 and 20

percent—and Puerto Vallarta rebound-

ing from a low just above 150,000 pas-

sengers in 2013 to expecting more than

360,000 passengers in 2015.

Cozumel was no slouch, either, break-

ing the three-million-passenger mark

with a vengeance, receiving over 3.2

million FCCA Member Line passen-

gers and an increase of nearly 600,000

and 23 percent between 2013 and 2014.

And Cozumel intends to stay above the

three-million mark, with 2015 projec-

tions again topping it.

Of course, hosting the Conference &

Trade Show demonstrates another

result of these efforts. The success story

will be told to about 1,000 cruise

tourism stakeholders and 100 cruise

executives, presidents and CEOs from

the 19 FCCA Member Lines, which

operate over 100 ships in Caribbean

and Latin American waters.

Taking place October 6 – 9, the event will

offer a four-day agenda chock-full of

business sessions, networking opportuni-

ties and chances to maximize cruise

tourism’s impact, along with the attention

and knowledge of cruise line personnel

who decide where cruise ships call, what

to sell onboard and if they should invest

in destination infrastructure.

“The [FCCA Conference & Trade

Show] gives you direct contact with

some of the most influential decision

makers in the cruise industry,” said

Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival

Corporation & plc and the FCCA.

The focus will be on developing busi-

ness, relationships and knowledge. The

Conference’s business sessions offer

this through one-on-one meetings. Each

meeting allots 15 minutes for attendees

to privately discuss with and receive

personalized input from a cruise execu-

tive that can positively impact their

business in many ways—from selling a

product or shore excursion onboard or

increasing cruise ship calls to tailor-

making an excursion/product or devel-

oping infrastructure that the cruise lines

and destinations need.

A schedule of workshops will also

share the executives’, presidents’,

CEOs’ and stakeholders’ insight to help

attendees learn about topics such as the

cruise lines’ latest happenings and route

for the future; creating and maintaining

a successful tour product; developing a

port in partnership with the FCCA,

cruise lines and the private/public sec-

tors; and increasing cruise tourism

through a unified vision, collaboration

between the private and public sectors,

and continual product development and

innovation.

The continued involvement and

invaluable insight of some these key

decision makers, along with a ratio of

about one cruise executive per 10

attendees, make the Conference &

Trade Show one of the best ways to

directly target the cruise industry and

maximize its benefits.

Plus the Trade Show allows exhibitors

to target the influential audience look-

ing to source new business and expand

existing business.

“FCCA events always give me an

opportunity to meet valuable industry

stakeholders,” shares Adam Goldstein,

president and COO of Royal Caribbean

Cruises Ltd. “These are the people who

have ideas and projects I want, and

need, to know about.”

Any Trade Show booth spotlights a

product, company or destination, and

specialized pavilions showcase a large

company or destination as a team, with

a roster including destination min-

istries, port authorities, tour operators

and vendors.

Social functions planned by Cozumel

will further spur interaction between

Conference delegates, Trade Show

exhibitors and cruise line decision mak-

ers. And Cozumel certainly plans to

engage the attendees, as it has partnered

with the government and local business-

es to display its exciting setting, activi-

ties and WOW factor through some of

the same experiences and venues that

cruise passengers see and do.

In all, the FCCA Conference & Trade

Show will create the perfect forum for

exchanging information, sharing

ideas, forging relationships and learn-

ing how to increase cruise tourism

from the knowledge and relationships,

along with the lessons from Mexico’s

success story.


What makes a successful cruise desti-

nation?

There is, of course, no one right answer

to this question. Surely, though, the

product must be top-notch, with attrac-

tions and excursions appealing to a

broad spectrum of travelers.

Thrill-seeking adventures, cultural

immersion tours, unique shopping

and dining experiences, pure relax-

ation, and everything in-between – you

can be sure that passengers seeking all

this and more can be found on any and

all cruise ships these days. The best

cruise destinations must deliver it all.

Then there are the docking facilities –

the most successful cruise destinations

must be able to accommodate the

largest and most modern ships.

What about ground transportation in

port? Are taxis, shuttle buses, and local

ferries readily available, affordable, and

easy to navigate?

And, perhaps most importantly, how

closely are the cruise lines aligned with

the various tour operators, shops,

restaurants, attractions, and transporta-

tion providers in port? Is the guest expe-

rience seamless or at a comparable

level from ship to shore and back again?

In all of these areas, Martinique has

been making great strides in recent

years.

Widespread improvements in the island’s

overall cruise product, highlighted by

capital improvements at the cruise ports

in Fort-de-France and new and enhanced

attractions, have combined with redou-

bled efforts by Martinique Tourism

Authority to foster expanded partner-

ships within key trade groups like the

Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association

(FCCA) to spell success.

“I am excited that in just a few years, our

partnership [with the FCCA] has helped

our cruise business increase by over 500

percent, but I realize that our work is just

beginning to make sure we deliver the

type of experience that FCCA Member

Cruise Lines and their guests expect,”

said Karine Roy-Camille, Martinique’s

commissioner of tourism.

Centrally located in the Eastern

Caribbean between St. Lucia to the

south and Dominica, Martinique remains

today every bit the little slice of France

in the Caribbean that earned its former

capital city, Saint-Pierre, the

moniker “The Paris of the West Indies” in

the late-1800s. In its style, cuisine, trendy

boutiques, seaside beauty and joie de

vivre, no destination in the Caribbean bet-

ter espouses French Riviera chic. At the

same time, Martinique’s deeply rooted

authentic Creole, African and Indian

influences offer rich cultural discoveries

not found anywhere else.

That such a marvelously diverse and

enticing destination appeals to today’s

modern cruise traveler should come as

no surprise, but awareness of and

demand for Martinique’s charms would

not have reached their current levels

without the Martinique Tourism

Authority’s partnership with the FCCA.

“The support and guidance of the


Martinique Cruising to Success with FCCA

FCCA has been absolutely crucial in

our development,” Commissioner Roy-

Camille added.

That support and guidance has paid par-

ticular dividends for Martinique

in terms of attracting new cruise lines to

feature Martinique in their itineraries.

“Just a few short years ago, passengers

would have to search long and hard to

find Martinique in the major cruise

itineraries,” said Roy-Camille. “Even

the small handful of cruise lines that

stopped here only did so infrequently.

Partnering with the FCCA changed all

that in a big way.”

During the 2014-2015 cruise season, all

of the major U.S. and European cruise

lines will call Fort-de-France, including

four visits by Royal Caribbean

International’s celebrated Quantum of

the Seas in her inaugural season

and nine calls by Jewel of the Seas.

Notably, Carnival Splendor and

Norwegian Pearl are also making their

first-ever stops in Martinique this win-

ter. Holland America Line, Norwegian

Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival

Cruise Line and the German operators

TUI and AIDA will also visit Fort-de-

France this season.

The growing strength in Martinique’s

cruise sector isn’t solely confined to

port calls, however. The island is emerg-

ing as an excellent homeport option

for major cruise lines, as well. Already

Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises, Croisière

de France, Club Med Cruises, and le

Ponant are taking advantage of the

newly modernized cruise terminals

in Fort-de-France, along with the recent

expansion in nonstop air service to

the island from the U.S. mainland,

Canada, and Europe to anchor attrac-

tive itineraries in Martinique.

“In all, covering port calls and home-

porting for the 2014-2015 season,

we’re projecting more than 300,000

cruise passengers among the 176

port calls, so the upward trend we’ve

enjoyed since 2010 is continuing,” said

Roy-Camille.

The increase in cruise passengers, up

more than 45 percent over the previous

year, and port calls, up nearly 30 per-

cent, haven’t gone unnoticed on the

local level either. The trickledown

effect has been profound, yielding sub-

tle, yet meaningful, improvements to

the overall visitor experience for pas-

sengers while in port.

“As more and more U.S. cruise lines

have committed to Martinique, more

of our local merchants have started

accepting U.S. dollars. Along the same

lines, more than 200 staff from local

stores enrolled in English classes over

the summer months last year. In short,

Martinique is rolling out the red carpet

for American cruise passengers like

never before.”

That red carpet includes several new

innovations developed expressly

with cruise passengers in mind. A

Cruise Village providing a vibrant

and colorful welcome to “The Isle of

Flowers,” for instance, was initially

launched for the 2013-2014 cruising

season. In it, cruise passengers are met

with English-speaking vendors accept-

ing U.S. dollars for all types of local

arts, crafts, jewelry, skin care products,

perfumes, designer accessories and

souvenirs. Helpful and informative

guides are also on hand offering tips on

what to see, do, taste, and experience

during port calls in Fort-de-France.

For entertainment, The Cruise Village

features live music with Creole dance

performances at regular intervals.

Tastings of Martinique’s legendary rhum

agricole brands, the only rums in the

world that carry the prestigious A.O.C.

seal of exceptional quality, are also

available.

The Cruise Village is located right at

the entrance to the Pointe Simon Cruise

Terminal, making it impossible to miss

for passengers disembarking there.

“Much of the thinking that went into

developing the Cruise Village, new inter-

active walking guides of Fort-de-France,

and other recent product improvements

came from our interaction with the

FCCA,” said Roy-Camille. “In

every way, they’ve proven to be a truly

indispensible asset in our business devel-

opment, one that we intend to tap into as

we continue to strive for success in the

cruise sector.”

For more information, visit www.mar-

tinique.org.


Columbus sailed the ocean blue,

but not all by himself. He need-

ed vendors, suppliers and crew.

The 21st-century cruise industry needs

partners, too—and finds them at the


(FCCA).

“Establishing relationships among

Member Lines and partner destina-

tions’ public and private sectors was,

after all, the goal behind the 1994

founding of the FCCA Conference,”

says Michele M. Paige, president of the

association.

In the dynamic cruise industry, the

game’s rules constantly change—and

you’re not the only one longing for a

chance to get on the playing field.

Plenty providers vie for the competition

to get on the roster of a winning team,

and the cruise industry is the fastest

growing leisure travel sector, consis-

tently posting over 100 percent occu-

pancy and year-over-year growth.

Its significance can also be seen in its

direct economic impact on cruise desti-

nations. According to a study per-

formed by Business Research &

Economic Advisors (BREA), 21 partic-

ipating destinations saw cruise tourism

economic contributions of $1.99 bil-

lion, including 45,225 jobs.

Who would pass up playing time on a

team with that record?

Join the Team

To get in the game, you have to know

the players. But how? If you were hav-

ing a problem with your electric bill,

you probably wouldn’t call the presi-

dent of the power company; you would

likely talk to an automated machine and

spend time on hold before finally reach-

ing a customer service representative.

But what if you and the electric compa-

ny president had a mutual friend who

introduced the two of you at a dinner,

cocktail reception or even on a

Caribbean cruise?

The FCCA is your friend. The associa-

tion serves as a liaison between

providers and destination partners like

you and the cruise industry’s movers

and shakers who decide where ships go,

what to sell onboard and how to invest

in infrastructure.

“The most important reason to join the

FCCA is the immediate and direct con-

tact a company will have with the deci-

sion makers in the cruise industry,”

informs Micky Arison, chairman of

Carnival Corporation & plc and the

FCCA.

And those Member Line decision mak-

ers carry a lot of weight and influence

throughout the industry and world.

Though the FCCA focuses on the

Caribbean and Latin America, its 19

Member Lines circle the globe: AIDA

Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises,

Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises,

Costa Cruise Lines, Croiseres de France,

Cunard Line, Disney Cruise Line,

Holland America Line, MSC Cruises

(USA) Inc., Norwegian Cruise Line,

Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Princess

Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises, Regent

Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean

International, Seabourn, TUI Cruises.

Game On

You’ll find the names in the FCCA

Membership Directory, Highlight Issue

and quarterly Cruising Magazine. And

you’ll see the faces at Platinum Member

events, meetings, the annual FCCA

Conference & Trade Show and even

now—congregating in the FCCA booth

(#695) at Cruise Shipping Miami.

But you won’t have to worry how to

catch their attention. The FCCA offers

many ways to get on the minds of these

decision makers and the FCCA’s numer-

ous destination and service partners.

One is through a number of marketing

options, all offering unique, tailored

approaches to spotlight you in FCCA

events and publications. Event sponsor-

ships prominently display your logo,

brand, message and partnership with

the cruise industry where these crucial

stakeholders gather.

Looking around the FCCA booth will

show some of these examples. The


How to Work with the Cruise Industry: The ABCs of the FCCA

Gala Dinner Extraganza, also taking

place during Cruise Shipping Miami,

presents more of these ways. It allows

anyone to purchase a ticket to sit with a

cruise executive of their choice for an

unforgettable night complete with a

cocktail reception, art auction and a sit-

down dinner hosted by FCCA Member

Line executives, presidents and CEOs.

Traditional print advertising is available

in FCCA publications that are distribut-

ed to, read by and participated in by over

300 FCCA Member Line executives.

And over 13,000 travel agents and

5,000-plus industry partners represent-

ing all sectors of the cruise industry—

such as retailers, attractions, port agents,

suppliers, hoteliers, tour operators, ship-

builders, purchasing, food and beverage

operations, entertainment personnel,

finance and administration departments,

marketing and PR representatives and

international press and media correspon-

dents— receive FCCA publications.

Other marketing opportunities include

direct mailing to over 18,000 contacts,

mailing inserts, advertising on the

FCCA website and in FCCA staff’s e-

mail signature, along with participating

in a weekly newsletter to deliver your

brand, news or PR message to over

10,000 travel professionals.

Plus chances, prospects and advantages

abound in the FCCA’s membership pro-

gram. FCCA membership, like mem-

bership in most organizations, provides

you with some basic benefits, such as

discounts and savings on advertising

and event registration fees; collateral

support; and access to cruise executive

meetings and the most up-to-date

industry research and trends.

One of these membership discounts is

for the FCCA Cruise Conference and

Trade show, which will gather about

100 cruise executives and 1,000 indus-

try stakeholders in Cozumel, Mexico

from October 6-9, 2015 for a four-day

agenda of one-on-one meetings, work-

shops, social functions and networking

opportunities.

“More can be accomplished in the four

days at the FCCA Conference than dur-

ing the other 361 days of the year,” tells

Adam Goldstein, president & COO of

Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited.

“Everybody who’s anybody in the

cruise industry attends this event.

Decision makers are quite open to hear-

ing about new products, services, desti-

nations, shore excursions and ideas.”

However, the real prize is through

Platinum Membership, which gives you

a direct line to these decision makers.

Besides granting special privileges and

complimentary registrations at FCCA

events like the Conference and Gala,

numerous private Platinum Member

events build relationships between

Platinum Members and cruise execu-

tives, such as the Platinum Associate

Member Advisory Council (PAMAC)

Cruise Summit, inaugural cruises and

exclusive Cruise Shipping events.

Another, the PAMAC Conference,

brings Platinum Members and cruise

executives together in a partner destina-

tion for more of what all FCCA events

seek—a healthy mix of business and

pleasure. PAMAC members have seen

this balance while closing deals at

onboard parties or getting an inside

look at industry projects and enjoying

an unforgettable shore excursion.

“I can’t tell you how many productive

people I’ve had a chance to get to know

while attending the PAMAC

Conference,” tells Giora Israel, senior

vice president of port & destination

development for Carnival Corporation.

“These are the people who have ideas

and projects I want to know about—

and need to know about.”

Scoring Points

A good coach knows that team members

who work together to reach a common

goal develop unbreakable bonds. FCCA

members—destination ministries, port

agents, tour operators, product and ser-

vice providers and more—come to

appreciate each other’s talents as they

form teams to tackle a wide range of

projects that not only boost the regional

cruise industry, but also give back to the

destinations that welcome FCCA

Member Line cruise ships.

Imagine how it feels to know you and

your colleagues provided smiles, gifts

and holiday festivities for needy chil-

dren throughout the Caribbean and

Latin America. This heartwarming

experience is delivered every year

through the FCCA Foundation’s

Holiday Gift Project.

“Working with the FCCA Foundation,

the association’s charitable arm, has

been one of the most enriching experi-

ences of my life,” shares Federico

Gonzalez-Denton, associate vice presi-

dent of government relations in Latin

America and the Caribbean for Royal

Caribbean Cruises Limited. “The

added benefit is that I meet great peo-

ple through the Foundation, and we

end up doing great things together in

the cruise industry.”

Final Score

The FCCA can put you in the middle of

the action, but it is much more than a

door to the cruise industry. Members

make business contacts, but also form

significant relationships. Consider the

FCCA your keystone for success—a

coach that links players and motivates

them to operate as a team.

“Never has it been more important for

cruise and travel partners to come

together and share ideas,” as Paige tells.

“That’s what the FCCA is all about.”

Go for the win. If you want to bring the

lines to your destination; get your prod-

uct onboard the ships; target the audi-

ence doing the above at FCCA events;

advertise in numerous publications

with the same audience, along with an

extensive database; or collaborate to

find a specific opportunity for you, the

FCCA is your source. Become an

FCCA Associate or Platinum Member,

and advertise where your message will

be seen by discerning eyes that can

make a difference. The team wants—

and needs—what you have to offer.


By José Napoleon Duarte Durán, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador


promote and develop cruising as a pri-

ority tourism sector.

El Salvador’s tourism attractions and

cruise tourism efforts will be on display

during the event, and our industry

workers, valued travel partners and

friendly people look forward to wel-

coming all attendees and creating a

timeless memory.

San Salvador is the place to be from

May 13-15, 2015.

are more concentrated and easier to

reach, offering the possibility to enjoy

a wide array of activities all in the

same day and only a few hours away

from the coast.

El Salvador has two cruise ship ports,

located in the towns of Acajutla and La

Unión. The port of Acajutla, one of the

most modern facilities in all of Central

America, receives cruise ships periodi-

cally. In addition to the existing infras-

tructure, new cruise terminal facilities

are planned for Acajutla, along with

other investments to build a strong and

sustainable cruise shipping industry

within El Salvador.

Cruise ship visits have experienced a

growth in El Salvador over the last

years, benefitting its tourism destina-

tions’ economies. At the present time,

several public institutions—including

the Ministry of Tourism, the Maritime

Port Authority and El Salvador’s

Autonomous Executive Port

Commission (CEPA)—are working

with local private tourism companies to

El Salvador can confidently say it

is on course for its cruise tourism

voyage. One sign of this—host-

ing the 2015 FCCA Central America

Cruise Summit—will take place May

13-15 in our capital city, San Salvador.

The event will gather key players in

Central America’s cruise industry,

generating a dynamic platform for

promoting and deepening the relations

between our region and cruise lines. It

also provides chances for both the

cruise industry representatives and

tourism stakeholders to explore

opportunities arising in the region’s

emerging markets.

El Salvador is ready and waiting to

receive visitors for this event, who will

discover the destination’s majestic vol-

canoes, charming colonial towns, his-

torical sites, archeological parks and

museums, world-class surfing and

friendly and welcoming people.

Being the smallest country in Central

America, attractions in El Salvador

El Salvador to Display Its and Central America’s Cruise TourismOpportunities during FCCA Central America Cruise Summit

U.S. Virgin Islands Offers Something for Every CruiserBy Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Commissioner of Tourism, United States Virgin Islands


Whether it’s the renowned Trunk Bay

in St. John, Magens Bay in St. Thomas

or Sandy Point in St. Croix, or one of

the secluded smaller bays around the

islands, our beaches beckon visitors to

experience true relaxation.

For those who can’t get enough of the

crystal clear, azure waters, take a relax-

ing catamaran sail and enjoy a day

snorkeling and swimming around the

remote islands and cays. The bales of

sea turtles commonly spotted on Buck

Island, just off St. Croix, are always a

treat for snorkelers and locals alike.

Our pristine beaches framed by lush

coastal vegetation also invite visitors to

venture inland where a diverse offering

of attractions are scattered across St.

Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.

The U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Thomas, in

particular – is known as a world-class

shopping mecca, and with good reason.

From elegant boutiques to small shops

and everything in between, there is

something for every budget and taste.

Shoppers can choose from fine jewelry,

haute couture, local art, antiques, keep-

sakes and souvenirs.

No visit to St. Croix would be complete

without indulging in one of the island’s

most memorable souvenirs, the famous

Crucian Hook Bracelet. This beautiful

handcrafted piece is an iconic fashion

statement from the island.

Of course, in this paradise, there is no

shortage of some of the world’s best

beaches and water activities.

Sailing into the alluring ports of

the U.S. Virgin Islands is a spe-

cial experience for cruise passen-

gers. Once docked, passengers are

greeted by warm Virgin Islands hospi-

tality, a vast range of duty-free shop-

ping options, and local offerings.

Cruise ships of all sizes can dock in the

U.S. Virgin Islands. Our three deep

water ports, which feature seven berths,

can accommodate the largest cruise

vessels in the world, while smaller ves-

sels can anchor in charming Cruz Bay,

St. John, or Gallows Bay, St. Croix.

Whether it’s bustling Charlotte Amalie

in St. Thomas, or historic Frederiksted

in St. Croix, the ports of the Virgin

Islands are a perfect gateway to all that

the territory has to offer.


immersion in this important sector of

the tourism industry.

With a shared commitment to provide

world-class experiences, the territory

looks forward to its continued engage-

ment with the FCCA and to enhancing

its attractiveness not only to cruise lines

but also to the global traveling public.


and the U.S. Virgin Islands enhances

interaction with cruise executives at

their annual conference, platinum

events or simply as a point of informa-

tion on the cruise industry.

Through the work of the FCCA, the

U.S. Virgin Islands maintains a vital

Getting off the beaten path rewards vis-

itors with glorious vistas on Buck

Island, Francis Bay or Smith Bay Park.

If visitors are looking for more active

adventures, then sea trekking, kayak-

ing, bike tours or hiking in the

National Park are just a few of the var-

ious activities to experience in the

U.S. Virgin Islands.

If your idea of paradise is simply taking

in the spectacular views, Mountain Top,

Paradise Point and Point Udall are all

must-see sights.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is blessed with

a rich history spanning the centuries of

colonial rivalry and maneuvering of the

beautiful islands.

Estate Whim Museum on St. Croix is a

rich repository of history and culture

in the Virgin Islands, with one of the

most comprehensive archives of

ancestry data.

Plans include bringing the collections

to life as a living museum, allowing

visitors to travel back in time to see

how our ancestors cooked, entertained

and lived.

The U.S. Virgin Islands continues to

enjoy growth in the cruise industry and

were delighted recently to welcome

Quantum of the Seas on its inaugural

visit to St. Thomas.

Approximately 1.9 million cruise visi-

tors arrive in the territory each year,

spending approximately US $140 each

and making a significant contribution

to the economy.

More than 20 percent of visitors indi-

cated they visited the Virgin Islands on

a cruise. We enjoy saying, “If you

enjoyed your six hour visit, see what

we can show you in six days. Visit one

or, better yet, all three!”

The smart partnership between the

Tour guides are trained when they start the job, but it

should not stop there. Most would agree that any type

of training is an ongoing learning process, and this

process is crucial for tour guides. Ongoing training keeps

guides fresh, invigorated and aware of the importance of their

job and performance. It keeps them from getting stale, from

the tour becoming routine, or from doing or saying things

they shouldn't!

Last August we trained 100 experienced guides in Cartagena,

Colombia, which employed this continual process, raised the

level of excellence in the destination, and added a final

assessment video for English proficiency, all of which

became invaluable for local tour operators.

Junior Porras from Aviatur Colombia reported, “From my

point of view after the training, the tour guides are more con-

scientious about the passengers and their role on this job…we

are getting better day by day.”

Training elevates a destination’s service excellence, whether

in a group classroom setting like Cartagena or individually,

like this recently Aquila-certified guide from Aruba who did

training online:

“I really loved the course. It taught me a whole lot and made

me a much better tour guide. I feel a big difference in my

tours...This program is exactly what I needed. I thank you so

very much for the opportunity…I know there is much more I

have to do, but at least now I know what exactly.”

How do we make this training and service excellence sus-

tainable and long lasting? Ensuring continued quality

assurance with processes for evaluation and national stan-

dards need to coincide with the training. Once tour guides

learn to do things a certain way, tour operators need to

work with them to reiterate what was taught and give con-

structive feedback on their performance. This gives the

training the best chance for sustainability. Everyone gains

if all parties are working with the same messaging and

level of service excellence.

Beth Kelly Hatt is the president of Aquila’s Center for

Cruise Excellence, the FCCA’s official training partner. You

can learn more about their training programs at

www.CruiseExcellence.com


By Beth Kelly Hatt, President, Aquila’s Center for Cruise Excellence

What Are Your Tour Guides Really Doing on Tour?

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Calvin Smith – Chef de Partie, Disney Cruise Line

Originally from Ocho Rios, Jamaica, I worked at the Ritz Carlton in Jamaica before joining the cruise

industry. I was looking for something more exciting. I wanted the chance to travel and see different places.

I chose Disney Cruise Line because the Walt Disney Company is recognized around the world. Disney

has high standards and is a fun environment where team members treat each other with kindness and

respect. I have many friends that work for a variety of cruise lines, and the ones that work for Disney

Cruise Line say it is the best.

I started with DCL in 2008 as a cook 2. I then was promoted to a cook 1 and to a chef de partie. I am

also preparing to advance to a junior sous chef and have the opportunity to cover that role when there is

a gap on the ship.

In my current position as chef de partie, I report to the chef de cuisine and assist him by ensuring that the production of all menu items

is of high quality and served promptly. Because we are the production team, all other galleys on the ship depend on us. I currently

supervise six cooks in the area and make sure they follow the recipes, portion control and industry standards.

I love meeting different people from around the world. I also love Disney because I learn something new all the time. Learning new

things allows me to keep my skills and experience up-to-date. The other thing I really love about Disney is having the opportunity to

advance in my career. The opportunities are endless if you are willing to work hard.

I would recommend becoming a cruise ship crew member because of the career opportunities within the company and the shipboard

way of life. It is also pretty cool to meet different crew members from other countries.

Faces In The Industry

Edwin Otoniel Martinez Bahr – Senior Floor Care Specialist, Carnival Cruise Line

I’m Edwin Otoniel Martinez Bahr, and I was born in Tela Atlantida, Honduras. Spanish is my native

language, and I also speak English.

Before coming to work for Carnival, I was employed by Villas Telamar Hotel and Resort in Telamar,

Honduras as a hotel attendant for two years, where I learned about the hospitality business.

As senior floor care specialist, I’m responsible for the supervision of all floor care specialists and the

program and training related to carpet care, hard floor restoration, wooden floor restoration, linoleum

maintenance, carpet installation, upholstery maintenance, housekeeping equipment inventory and care

of all Carnival Cruise Line vessels.

I joined the cruise industry because it was a something that at my young age that intrigued me, and it

seemed like a new opportunity at a new life. My family recommended Carnival because of the company’s

good reputation. They also talked so much about the various opportunities the company has to offer, and that made me want to have

an experience in the cruise industry working for Carnival Cruise Line.

I love working at sea onboard cruise ships because it’s a chance to get more experiences in many different duties, and I enjoy the

company of many different nationalities—not only the crew onboard, but our guests as well.

I recommend becoming a crew member onboard one of Carnival’s 24 ships to take advantage of the different opportunities the

company offers. Not only for getting promoted to a different position onboard, but also by having the opportunity to become more

professional in our crew training center by learning different languages and management skills.

My favorite destination so far is the port of Hilo in Hawaii. This destination provided me a pleasant stay and comfort. I enjoyed the

volcanic scenery, the food, culture and the friendliness of the Hawaiian natives. But what mesmerized me the most were the beaches

that gave me a great feeling of natural relaxation.

Jamaica

Honduras


FCCA Operations Committee meets with Panama delegation in Miami.

FCCA meeting with partners in Puerto Plata for the PAMAC site inspection.

SEE YOU AT THE BROWARD COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER FOR CRUISE SHIPPING 2016.

There are so many reasons to choose Port Everglades. Our modern, efficiently operated terminals make transit a breeze. We’re just two miles from FLL international airport, and minutes from world-famous beaches. Plus, we’re fully scalable. We can accommodate any size ship or passenger volume, moving passengers from curb to ship in just 15 minutes. Year-round berthing available. Discover how Port Everglades propels your business forward in powerful new ways. Visit porteverglades.net or call 800-421-0188.

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2015 1st Qtr Cruising Magazine