Cruise Shipping Miami has announced new updates to its 2015 conference program, which will take place March 16-19 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Organized by UBM Connect and Seatrade, main topics include The Geography of Cruise Tourism, Safety and Ship Operations, Market Segments and Cruise Product Development.
Here's a look at the schedule:
Tuesday, March 173 to 4:30 p.m. (afternoon concurrent sessions)
The State of the Cruise Industry
North and South America market trends, the health of source markets from Canada and the U.S. to Latin America, infrastructure developments, opportunities and challenges will be discussed. Cruise line leaders will consider key regions, from Canada/New England, down the U.S. East Coast to the Gulf Coast, Mexico, Central America and the Panama Canal. Alaska, the U.S./Canada Pacific coast, Hawaii and South America, from the Amazon to Antarctica, Brazil and the long Chilean shore are up for discussion as well.
Speakers: Orlando Ashford, president, Holland America Line; Roberto Fusaro, managing director, South America, MSC Cruises, and chairman, CLIA–ABREMAR; Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO, Celebrity Cruises; and Jan Swartz, president, Princess Cruises
The State of the Cruise Industry: Europe
The fact that Europe has been able to boost demand for cruises by a hefty 43 percent since the global recession hit when other tourism sectors were flat shows its resilience. In 2013, a record 6.4 million Europeans cruised, and Europe drew 1 million cruisers from overseas. This panel focuses on Europe as a major source market and discusses how the different national markets are shared out. Will improving economies in many of the western European countries produce better yields? Can Europe benefit from the rising tide of Asian passengers looking to cruise overseas? A look at deployment patterns and Europe's potential as a year-round market will also be analyzed.
Keynote address: Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman, MSC Cruises, and chairman, CLIA Europe
Speakers: Kyriakos "Kerry" Anastassiadis, CEO, Louis Cruises; David Dingle, chairman, Carnival UK, and vice chairman, CLIA Europe; Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, chairman, Silversea Cruises; Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises; Dominic Paul, senior vice president, international, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, and managing director, RCL Cruises Ltd; Michael Thamm, CEO, Costa Crociere S.p.A.
Enhancement of Safety Measures at Sea
This panel will discuss safety onboard, at sea and in port, including safety aspects of ship design, the next generation of life-saving devices and the latest developments in port security with views from cruise lines, regulators and suppliers. The panel will give an update on the work conducted by the Cruise Ship Safety Forum and discuss what is next on the agenda.
Moderator: Rob Griffiths, director, technical and regulatory, design and engineering, CLIA
Speakers: William D. Baumgartner, senior vice president, marine operations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Bud Darr, senior vice president, technical and regulatory affairs, CLIA; Philippe Donche-Gay, chairman, IACS, and executive vice president, marine and offshore division, Bureau Verities; Juha Heikinheimo, president, Napa Group; Andrew Winbow, assistant secretary-general and director, maritime safety division, International Maritime Organization
Trends and Challenges in Marketing, Sales and Distribution
What new types of marketing approaches are being used to tap into the multigenerational and Millennial markets? What are the challenges of marketing to an increasingly diverse and international customer base? What will be the key components of an integrated marketing strategy going forward, and what has to happen to make multibrand campaigns successful? Is crowdsourcing a gimmick or effective? Are inclusive pricing models working? How are key distribution channel issues being addressed?
Moderator: Lin Humphrey, Ph.D. candidate and marketing lecturer, Texas Tech University
Speakers: David Crooks, senior vice president, product and operations, World Travel Holdings; Kenneth Jones, vice president, group marketing, Carnival Corporation & plc; Lisa Leet, senior vice president, social strategy and consumer engagement, Fleishman Hillard; Kara Wallace, associate vice president, brand management and media, Royal Caribbean International
Wednesday, March 18 9:30 to 11 a.m. (morning concurrent sessions)
The State of the Cruise Industry: Asia/Australasia – Will China Transform Cruising?
The momentum for cruise tourism in Asia and Australasia continues unabated, with announcements from major cruise lines of significant increases in capacity in 2015 and beyond. With a market penetration rate of just 0.1 percent, many Asians have low awareness of cruise tourism, but a high receptivity toward it. In this session, some of the industry's leading voices will give their views on the scale and nature of Asia's and Australia's potential. Will China transform cruising? Can the remarkable level of cruise penetration in the Australian market be achieved in Asia?
Speakers: Alan B. Buckelew, chief operating officer, Carnival Corporation & plc; Dominic Paul, senior vice president, international, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, and managing director, RCL Ltd.; Ann Sherry, CEO, Carnival Australia, and chairman, CLIA Southeast Asia; Gavin Smith, managing director, Royal Caribbean Cruises Australia, and chairman, CLIA Australasia; Jan Swartz, president, Princess Cruises
The State of the Cruise Industry: The Future of the Caribbean and How it is Being Reshaped
How will infrastructure developments and the emergence of new destinations, combined with the need for fuel efficiency, reshape the Caribbean? How might the opening of Cuba impact deployment? Which areas will emerge in the cruise charts of the future, and which will decline? How is the region adapting to the increase in international source markets and addressing the shortage of multilingual guides? What is being done and what more should happen to create demand in the face of rising international competition?
Speakers: Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International; Christine Duffy, president, Carnival Cruise Line; Drew Madsen, president and COO, Norwegian Cruise Line; Richard E. Sasso, president, MSC Cruises (USA) Inc.
Energy Efficiency Onboard and Ashore
Environmental stewardship is high on the agenda across the industry and energy efficiency is a key component. What are the latest technical advances in energy efficiency onboard and ashore in areas such as fuel economy, waste management, recycling and shoreside reception facilities? What role is class playing in enhancing the energy efficiency of newbuilds and existing tonnage? What is the next generation of energy-saving technology? How are ports and cruise terminals focusing on energy efficiency for cruise ship and passenger handling, and where can improvements be made?
Moderator: Bud Darr, senior vice president, technical and regulatory affairs, CLIA
Speakers: Joel Perez, vice president, integrated waste stream solutions, Stericycle; Rich Pruitt, vice president, safety and environmental stewardship, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Mikael Troberg, director, research and technology programs, Wartsila Ship Power Engines; Michael Vanderbeek, chair, AAPA Cruise Committee, and deputy port director, Massachusetts Port Authority
In the Galley and Behind the Bar: The Latest Trends in Hotel Operations/Food and Beverage
Robot bartenders are shaking up the cruise world and cavernous main dining rooms are going the way of the shuffleboard. This session will serve what's next in hotel operations with a particular focus on food and beverage trends. Panelists will examine what goes into supporting all the dynamic F&B changes at sea, from equipment to human resources, training and scheduling, supply and logistics. How are advance online bookings impacting food service operations and delivery, beverage sales and guest satisfaction? What are the plusses and minuses of applying technology in service areas such as arming waiters and bartenders with tablets? Will more technology lead to lower staffing needs?
Moderator: Dietmar R. Wertanzl, president, DRW Hospitality
Speakers: Brian Abel, vice president, food and beverage operations, Royal Caribbean International; Deborah Golden, vice president, sales and marketing, Interbrands USA; Christian Sauleau, executive vice president, fleet operations, Silversea Cruises
Wednesday, March 18 3 to 4:30 p.m. (afternoon concurrent sessions)
Upscale Cruise Market: What's Next?
With several of the upscale brands building or planning new ships, what is the next generation of upscale cruise vessels going to look like and feature? With the brands all now looking for much higher load factors, what impact will that have on design? What is guest feedback saying about upscale cruisers' requirements, both onboard and ashore?
Moderator: Tony Peisley, director, A.R. Peisley International, and author of the Seatrade research report "End of the Beginning for Cruising"
Speakers: Hans Birkholz, CEO, Windstar Cruises; Sarina Bratton, chairman, Asia-Pacific, Ponant; Richard D. Meadows, president, Seabourn, and president, Cunard North America; Charles A. Robertson, chairman and CEO, Pearl Sea Cruises; Edie Rodriguez, president and COO, Crystal Cruises; Enzo Visone, CEO, Silversea Cruises
Specialty Cruising: Opportunities and Challenges in the Expedition, Coastal, Inland and River Cruise Sectors
Expedition and adventure cruising has spread to every continent. How can cruise lines minimize environmental impact in the remotest corners of the world? What should ports and destinations do to cater to small-ship cruise calls? What's new on the coastal/inland cruising scene? What are the medium- to long-term prospects for the river cruise sector and where is the next frontier for river and coastal/inland cruising?
Moderator: Helge Grammerstorf, managing director, SeaConsult HAM GmbH, national director, CLIA Germany, and managing director, IG RiverCruise
Speakers: Dan Blanchard, CEO, Un-Cruise Adventures; Nicola Iannone, executive vice president USA-Canada, CroisiEurope; Rob McCallum, founding partner, Expedition Voyage Consultants Ltd.
Staying Ahead of Public Health Issues
What proactive work is the industry doing to stay ahead of public health issues? Norovirus, foodborne illnesses and other public health threats such as Ebola will be discussed and best practices shared. What can the cruise industry learn from academic and scientific research into public health issues? What has CLIA's GI Illness (Norovirus) Task Force learned to date?
Moderator: Donnie Brown, director, technical and regulatory affairs, environmental and health, CLIA
Speakers: Captain Jaret Ames, chief, Vessel Sanitation Program, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Art Diskin, medical director, RCL Ltd.; Dr. Rebecca Goulter, associate director scientific affairs, NoroCORE, North Carolina State University; Mel Skipp, manager – health policy / maritime policy, Carnival Corporation & Plc
Get Connected: How Leaps in Broadband Connectivity May Transform Cruising
Big gains, some transformative, are expected from all the recent advances in shipboard Wi-Fi. What implications does faster, more affordable broadband have for various onboard revenue streams? What new entertainment opportunities could arise? Does better connectivity really translate into higher guest satisfaction and greater crew retention? And how will the ability to easily connect with family and friends on board impact the cruise experience? Will the ability to convey cruise activities and offerings in real-time to those ashore help expand the market? What does research tell about the potential to draw consumers who otherwise would never consider cruising?
Speakers: TBA
Thursday, March 199:30 to 11 a.m. (morning concurrent sessions)
Cultivating Millennial & Multigenerational Markets
This session will delve into the myriad ways cruise lines are adapting to tap into the booming multigenerational and Millennial markets. How much of the business do these markets account for now, and what kind of growth is projected? How are these markets impacting ship design, changing the facilities, accommodations and activities on board, and the shoreside experience/excursions? How are marketing and sales efforts transforming to reach these groups?
Moderator: Scott Koepf, vice president sales, Avoya Travel
Speakers: Vicky Garcia, chief operating officer, Cruise Planners; Fredrik Johansson, partner and art director, Tillberg Design; Joni L. Rein, vice president, worldwide sales, Carnival Cruise Line; Nancy Shretter, founder and managing editor, Family Travel Network
Itineraries and Shorex: Thinking Outside the Box
Extended stays and overnights are appearing more regularly in itineraries. How can ports, destinations and lines work together to maximize shorex revenue and the product offering, and how can overland tours fit into the mix? Creating shorex programs for the more active passenger and for families will be discussed, as will planning itineraries and shorex for the rising numbers of repeat passengers. Regions that offer port density can catch the planner's eye, but what is the best way to get the marketing message across?
Moderator: Tony Peisley, director, A.R. Peisley International, and author of the Seatrade research report "End of the Beginning for Cruising"
Speakers: Carla Salvado, marketing and cruise director, Port de Barcelona, and president, MedCruise; Rene Trepanier, executive director, Cruise the St. Lawrence; Laura Vlad, director worldwide product development shorex, Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services
Newbuilding & Refurbishment
With over 30 new cruise ships firmed, valued at more than $23 billion and a forward orderbook through to 2020, this panel will discuss the current and future outlook for cruise ship newbuilding. What does the future hold for Europe's established cruise shipyards and suppliers, and what role will Asia play in the market, both for new ships and refurbs? Is the recent Carnival/CSSC/Fincantieri memorandum of understanding the key to unlocking China's potential for new cruise ship construction? How is technology changing the way people experience new and refurbished ships? Revitalizations and makeovers are becoming more daring, more complex and quicker. A look at cruise line, shipyard and suppliers' strategies in the booming refurbishment sector.
Moderator: Raoul Jack, principal consultant, PFJ-Maritime Consulting Ltd.
Speakers: Brynley Davies, managing director, The Image Group; Jacco van Overbeek, director, global maritime division, Bolidt
Open Decks, Water Parks, Fitness & Spas: What's New in Active, Family and Wellness Areas?
The open decks buzz with activity on today's cruise ships, with interactive water parks, slides, ropes courses, surfing and even skydiving and other novelties. At the same time, quiet adult or serenity areas are all the rage. And fitness centers and spas are bigger, better and increasingly sophisticated. This session will examine the latest trends in active, family and wellness areas; how to make them appeal to all ages and how to increase utilization with better programming. The role of technology in these spaces, and trends toward covered or enclosed all-weather pools and multipurpose sports areas will be addressed, too.
Moderator: Roger Blum, principal, Cruise & Port Advisors Inc.
Speakers: Timothy Dux, vice president, spa operations and fitness programs, The Onboard Spa by Steiner; Andrew Mowatt, executive vice president, sales, White Water West; Jim Urry, vice president, entertainment & port adventures, Disney Cruise Line