Things to come?

[capnpugwash]

This is an interesting article about how cruise lines, including Carnival/Cunard may develop. http://www.travelzoo.com/uk/from-the-deal-experts/the-evolution-and-future-of-the-cruise-industry/

[Dcoy]

Interesting. Thanks for posting. The part about Vegas still having more visitors than all that cruise. Vegas has a Consumer Electronics show every year and it draws close to 150 thousand people. That alone would fill a few ships.

 

Don

[capnpugwash]

Interesting. Thanks for posting. The part about Vegas still having more visitors than all that cruise. Vegas has a Consumer Electronics show every year and it draws close to 150 thousand people. That alone would fill a few ships.

 

Don

 

Yes, it's usually unreliable to rely on statistics as they're easy to manipulate. Perhaps that is why they're so beloved by politicians.

[Austcruiser84]

This is an interesting article about how cruise lines, including Carnival/Cunard may develop. http://www.travelzoo.com/uk/from-the-deal-experts/the-evolution-and-future-of-the-cruise-industry/

 

I'd say Cunard will stick with her three ships well into the next decade. Many voyages are discounted, especially Transatlantics on QM2. Cunard is a niche market. I don't think it would be viable at this stage to even consider a 4th vessel.

 

That said, discounting days may end in the near future as the global economy recovers.

 

A few challenges the industry faces that werent mentioned in the article:

 

1. Overcrowding in ports. Already the city of Venice is planning to ban cruise vessels from their waterways. Other ports, like Sydney, are considering charging cruise lines exorbitant fees to berth ships. Port access due to inadequate facilities is also a problem.

 

2. Fuel costs. As fuel becomes more expensive (unless supply dramatically increases) so too will the cost of tickets. The same applies to airlines, but that hasn't stopped plans for a predicted 20,000 more planes in the air by mid century.

 

3. Too much choice leading to passengers avoiding cruising. Sometimes choice can be a bad thing, especially when prospective passengers have more ships to select from than they can count.

 

One thing is for sure. The next decade will be an interesting time for cruising enthusiasts. Let's just hope Cunard doesn't ever have to resort installing watersides on the top decks!

[Dancer Bob]

I agree completely about statistics. If you look at that dotted line curve from 2005, it's trending the opposite way, towards saturation. But that's "wordwide" passengers. It's Cunard's niche market that counts.

[DDBINK1]

I'd say Cunard will stick with her three ships well into the next decade. Many voyages are discounted, especially Transatlantics on QM2. Cunard is a niche market. I don't think it would be viable at this stage to even consider a 4th vessel.

 

That said, discounting days may end in the near future as the global economy recovers.

 

A few challenges the industry faces that werent mentioned in the article:

 

1. Overcrowding in ports. Already the city of Venice is planning to ban cruise vessels from their waterways. Other ports, like Sydney, are considering charging cruise lines exorbitant fees to berth ships. Port access due to inadequate facilities is also a problem.

 

2. Fuel costs. As fuel becomes more expensive (unless supply dramatically increases) so too will the cost of tickets. The same applies to airlines, but that hasn't stopped plans for a predicted 20,000 more planes in the air by mid century.

 

3. Too much choice leading to passengers avoiding cruising. Sometimes choice can be a bad thing, especially when prospective passengers have more ships to select from than they can count.

 

One thing is for sure. The next decade will be an interesting time for cruising enthusiasts. Let's just hope Cunard doesn't ever have to resort installing watersides on the top decks!

 

 

I think Cunard could make it with a 4 th ship that stays in the Pacific full time. What do you think? And a trip that went several times a year from Southhampton to India or Australia and back might be a niche to get into??

 

I believe fuel costs are being kept high on purpose due to political agreements. The US has huge reserves that are not tapped. Also refinery capacity needs to be expanded but the environmental folks are in the way at every step.

 

Hey, what is wrong with a water slide?? So long as it ends in the wake of the ship?? :D

[Classiccruiser777]

I think Cunard could make it with a 4 th ship that stays in the Pacific full time. What do you think? And a trip that went several times a year from Southhampton to India or Australia and back might be a niche to get into??

 

I would love to have Cunard home port a ship on the West Coast of the US. Being from Seattle, this would save many of us long flights.

 

I believe fuel costs are being kept high on purpose due to political agreements. The US has huge reserves that are not tapped. Also refinery capacity needs to be expanded but the environmental folks are in the way at every step.

 

The US & Canada have vast supplies of oil, far more than Saudi Arabia. Skeptics may peruse here: http://energy.usgs.gov/OilGas/UnconventionalOilGas/OilShale.aspx

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing the article.

 

Keith

[keithm]

I would love to have Cunard home port a ship on the West Coast of the US. Being from Seattle, this would save many of us long flights.

 

 

 

The US & Canada have vast supplies of oil, far more than Saudi Arabia. Skeptics may peruse here: http://energy.usgs.gov/OilGas/UnconventionalOilGas/OilShale.aspx

It's true about the vast oil reserves locked up in oil shales. Unfortunately it's far more difficult extracted the oil. Fracking doesn't work as well here, as it's really locked tight. You have to pulverise the rock & add extremely hot water to extract the oil. Very expensive. The oil in North Dakota is much easier to remove.

[Classiccruiser777]

It's true about the vast oil reserves locked up in oil shales. Unfortunately it's far more difficult extracted the oil. Fracking doesn't work as well here, as it's really locked tight. You have to pulverise the rock & add extremely hot water to extract the oil. Very expensive. The oil in North Dakota is much easier to remove.

Given time and the "invisible hand" of the dismal science the obstacles will be overcome, (assuming the political will is there).