By Virginia López Valiente
Managing Director of Cruises News Media Group and Editor of CruisesNews magazine
Editorial from CruisesNews magazine no. 37 – June 2016
The figures being discussed for cruise ship construction in the coming years are staggering. We're not only wondering how it's possible to go from a crisis in the major shipyards to unprecedented saturation, but also whether the market will truly be able to absorb so much capacity.
None of this would be happening if Asian markets weren't involved because, despite appearances, Western markets are growing slowly, and some are only just beginning to recover. But it seems the cruise industry operates on the principle of creating supply and expecting demand to follow, which sounds like something from a not-so-distant past when they later had to backtrack.
Or has the demand already been created?
Just to give you some context, although the full figures can be found in this issue, in 2019 we'll have 51 more ships with a total capacity of around 173,000 passengers to be filled each week, more or less. A lot of people, a lot of business, a lot of industry.
What is certain is the trend towards gigantism; all but the luxury brands, with some exceptions, are building larger ships, innovative in design, innovative in performance, and which makes us wonder what's left to include in a ship? Ferris wheels, gliding, regulation-size football fields with built-in stars, catapults, or jumping from ship to ship?
But while some companies focus on "decorating" the interior, making it more attractive and entertaining, where the sea seems to be a secondary feature, others have designed ships entirely oriented towards the sea, where being on the exterior decks doesn't just mean swimming in the pool. Larger spaces for dining with a sea view, relaxing with a sea view, strolling with a sea view, shopping with a sea view. Something that seems so obvious it's almost ridiculous to have to explain.
We can't deny that the cruise industry has proven to be faster and more innovative than any other tourism industry, and that it has managed in a very short time to go from being a vacation for older people to a vacation for everyone. But there's a wider audience out there; the future looks bright.
In my opinion, all this innovation makes sense if a balance is maintained. This new generation of ships must not lose the essence of cruising: the quality of service, the cuisine, the tranquility (if you desire it), and the focus on the destination. Yes, let's not forget the destination.
I'm very optimistic about the future. I like this sector, and all I can do is insist that if the industry grows, we all grow with it.
