Cruise News

Cruise lines keep loading their ships with things for passengers to buy — Starbucks latte and a game of laser tag, anyone? With consumers feeling confident, no one seems to mind spending money on extras. But if the economy takes a turn for the worse, will that change?

It's not often these days that a cruise company singles out China as a highlight; the market has been too volatile. But for Royal Caribbean Cruises, China was one of several positive pieces that added up to an unexpectedly good quarter.

It's probably good news that the first move Royal Caribbean made after closing its majority stake in Silversea was announcing improvements to its fleet. We'll be curious to see what those upgrades include — and how the experience changes for passengers.

The cruise industry is still growing fast, and the next leader of Cruise Lines International Association should be prepared to address the side effects of that growth. We'll be interested to see who ends up in the job, especially considering earlier difficulty in filling it.

Norwegian Cruise Line made a significant investment in China when it built a ship specifically for that market. But as executives like to say, ships are easy to move when necessary, and clearly Norwegian sees a brighter future in the U.S.

Cruise lines are confident that people will fill the ships they order, and shipbuilding yards are packed with business for years to come. Will Wall Street shake off its worries that demand won't keep up?

While some cruise lines have had success targeting younger travelers, it is older people who are still the most interested. But so what? There are plenty of wealthy retirees who are happy to while away their days sipping cocktails at sea.

Now that Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corp. have made serious moves in the expedition space, is it still a "niche" sector of the cruise industry? We expect to see more activity in the coming years from players big and small.

Carnival's shares took a beating Monday after the company lowered its forecast for the full year. Executives pointed out the reason was a hit from fuel and currency, not a lack of demand. That said, they (and the rest of the travel industry) could really use a quiet hurricane season this year.

Buying Silversea will certainly improve Royal Caribbean's offering in the luxury and expedition sectors. Will it be happy as a majority shareholder, as it says now, or will it eventually want complete control?