WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.399 Welcome to Cruise News, your daily update on 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:04.980 everything happening at sea. Visit cruisenews 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:07.599 .io to see today's stories and sign up for email 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:10.759 alerts. We've got quite a mix in our deep dive 00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:13.859 today. We're looking at some really big strategic 00:00:13.859 --> 00:00:17.179 moves in the cruise world. Definitely. It feels 00:00:17.179 --> 00:00:19.699 like the industry is looking way ahead, but also 00:00:19.699 --> 00:00:22.399 making some pretty immediate changes too. Exactly. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.980 So first, we'll unpack... The huge challenge 00:00:25.980 --> 00:00:28.820 of getting to net zero emissions. Then something 00:00:28.820 --> 00:00:30.739 completely different, the excitement around a 00:00:30.739 --> 00:00:32.899 brand new Royal Caribbean International ship. 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:35.820 And finally, a really interesting policy shift 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:38.600 from P &O Cruises that affects a couple of their 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:40.820 well -known ships. It's quite the spread. It 00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:42.659 really is. You've got the long -term environmental 00:00:42.659 --> 00:00:46.640 strategy, billions being invested there. Securing 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:48.740 the future, but then also reacting now to what 00:00:48.740 --> 00:00:51.679 travelers want. you know, new ships, different 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:53.500 cruise options. Okay, let's start with that big 00:00:53.500 --> 00:00:55.759 one, decarbonization. It's clear operators are 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:58.119 looking at multiple fuels, not just one fix. 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:01.159 No silver bullet, that's for sure. So for the 00:01:01.159 --> 00:01:03.320 ships being built right now, what's the go -to 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:06.260 practical option that helps meet those near -term 00:01:06.260 --> 00:01:08.459 regulations? Well, the clear front runner is 00:01:08.459 --> 00:01:11.920 liquefied natural gas. Or LNG. That's what most 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.260 new builds are designed for. Okay, LNG. And that 00:01:14.260 --> 00:01:16.700 helps with the immediate goals, the IMO 2030 00:01:16.700 --> 00:01:19.879 targets and such. Exactly. Andreas Ulrich from 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:21.920 RNA, they're a major classification society, 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:24.359 checking ship safety and compliance. He confirmed 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:27.560 this. LNG, especially if you can use drop -in 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:30.280 fuels later, gives that essential interim relief. 00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:33.579 It gets them closer to the 2030 and even 2040 00:01:33.579 --> 00:01:36.040 carbon goals. Right, a bridge fuel. But what 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:38.640 about the next step? I'm thinking methanol. We 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:40.379 heard the new Disney adventure is going to be 00:01:40.379 --> 00:01:42.319 methanol ready. Yeah, methanol is definitely 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:44.459 gaining traction. But isn't that a bit of a gamble? 00:01:44.739 --> 00:01:47.159 Committing to a fuel where the supply chain isn't 00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:49.040 fully there yet? It needs special construction 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:51.180 too, right? It does. It's not compatible with 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:53.299 standard fuel tanks. It needs different coatings, 00:01:53.299 --> 00:01:56.230 sometimes a pilot fuel. It adds complexity, no 00:01:56.230 --> 00:01:58.329 doubt. So why do it now? It's really a forward 00:01:58.329 --> 00:02:02.390 investment. Less a gamble, more. Planning. They're 00:02:02.390 --> 00:02:04.790 building ships, ready for a fuel supply they 00:02:04.790 --> 00:02:07.129 expect to become available. It shows they're 00:02:07.129 --> 00:02:09.069 serious about adapting long term. Okay, that 00:02:09.069 --> 00:02:11.789 makes sense. Planning ahead. Now, speaking of 00:02:11.789 --> 00:02:15.469 supply issues, what about bio -LNG? In theory, 00:02:15.509 --> 00:02:18.069 it sounds perfect for existing LNG ships. Just 00:02:18.069 --> 00:02:21.460 drop it in. It sounds perfect, yes. But the actual 00:02:21.460 --> 00:02:24.300 physical supply is really tight. Why is that? 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:27.219 What's the bottleneck? It boils down to competition 00:02:27.219 --> 00:02:31.080 for the raw materials, the feedstock, the stuff 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.560 needed to make bio -LNG. Power plants also need 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:36.819 it desperately to make green electricity. Ah, 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:39.159 so shipping is competing with energy generation. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.039 Precisely, which limits how much bio -LNG is 00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:44.240 actually available for ships. So how do they 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:46.120 get around that if they want to claim the green 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:47.979 benefits? I heard about something called book 00:02:47.979 --> 00:02:50.460 and claim. That's the workaround. The book and 00:02:50.460 --> 00:02:53.020 claim model. OK, explain that. It sounds a bit 00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:55.419 like creative accounting if the fuel isn't physically 00:02:55.419 --> 00:02:57.400 delivered to the ship. It's not quite accounting. 00:02:57.419 --> 00:03:00.000 It's more of a mechanism to bridge the gap while 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:02.780 supply catches up. Yeah. Basically, the bio LNG 00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:05.400 gets produced somewhere and put into the main 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:09.099 gas grid. OK. Then. The shipowner buys certified 00:03:09.099 --> 00:03:11.099 green certificates that prove that amount of 00:03:11.099 --> 00:03:13.340 green fuel was produced and its emissions were 00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:15.419 reduced. So they buy the attribute of the green 00:03:15.419 --> 00:03:17.740 fuel, not necessarily the fuel itself. Exactly. 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:20.080 They can claim the emissions reduction for regulatory 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:22.599 purposes. It supports the green fuel makers, 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:26.020 but it avoids the impossible logistics of getting 00:03:26.020 --> 00:03:30.139 tiny amounts of physical bio LNG to every single 00:03:30.139 --> 00:03:32.639 port right now. It's crucial for scaling things 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:35.669 up. I see. A clever way to make progress on paper 00:03:35.669 --> 00:03:37.810 and incentivize production, even if the pipes 00:03:37.810 --> 00:03:39.810 aren't connected yet. Pretty much, yeah. All 00:03:39.810 --> 00:03:41.830 right, let's look even further ahead. Hydrogen, 00:03:41.969 --> 00:03:45.169 often called the ultimate clean fuel. Why isn't 00:03:45.169 --> 00:03:48.310 that practical for big cruise ships today? Logistics, 00:03:48.310 --> 00:03:51.569 mainly. Yeah. And energy density. RNA's Ulrich 00:03:51.569 --> 00:03:53.789 pointed this out, too. Hydrogen just takes up 00:03:53.789 --> 00:03:55.870 so much space to store the energy needed for 00:03:55.870 --> 00:03:58.009 a typical cruise. So you'd lose passenger areas 00:03:58.009 --> 00:04:00.969 or just couldn't carry enough fuel? Both. potentially. 00:04:01.150 --> 00:04:03.229 The tanks would have to be enormous, complex, 00:04:03.469 --> 00:04:06.129 heavily insulated. It would drastically change 00:04:06.129 --> 00:04:08.509 the ship design. Plus, you need a whole infrastructure 00:04:08.509 --> 00:04:11.069 for green hydrogen production. It's just not 00:04:11.069 --> 00:04:13.389 there yet for large passenger ships. It's more 00:04:13.389 --> 00:04:16.810 of a distant goal. OK, so if LNG is the bridge, 00:04:17.110 --> 00:04:19.829 methanol is the next step being built for, and 00:04:19.829 --> 00:04:24.149 hydrogen is way off, what can ships do right 00:04:24.149 --> 00:04:27.439 now for immediate impact? While waiting for fuels. 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:29.819 That's where digitalization comes in. It's huge. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:32.779 Maria Garbarini, also from Mariana, really stressed 00:04:32.779 --> 00:04:35.740 this. Data analytics on board. Yes. Smart systems 00:04:35.740 --> 00:04:37.819 managing everything. Thousands of electrical 00:04:37.819 --> 00:04:40.800 components. Optimizing how the engines run. Hole 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:42.920 cleaning schedules. Even route planning based 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:44.980 on whether to save fuel. Real -time adjustments 00:04:44.980 --> 00:04:47.959 for efficiency. Exactly. These measures can cut 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.040 emissions significantly now. They deliver results 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:52.439 today while the big fuel transition happens over 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:55.230 decades. But all this costs money. retrofitting 00:04:55.230 --> 00:04:57.790 engines, installing new tech. There's a risk 00:04:57.790 --> 00:04:59.990 the tech becomes outdated quickly too. That's 00:04:59.990 --> 00:05:02.990 the economic challenge. Ulrich mentioned operators 00:05:02.990 --> 00:05:05.970 are hesitant. They need cost -effective options 00:05:05.970 --> 00:05:08.490 and reliable fuel supply chains before making 00:05:08.490 --> 00:05:10.910 massive investments. So it really needs everyone 00:05:10.910 --> 00:05:12.850 working together. Cruise lines, governments, 00:05:13.170 --> 00:05:15.769 fuel companies. Absolutely critical. Collaboration 00:05:15.769 --> 00:05:18.509 is key. No single company can solve the fuel 00:05:18.509 --> 00:05:21.490 supply and cost issues alone. It's too big, too 00:05:21.490 --> 00:05:24.480 complex. Okay. A huge undertaking on the technical 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:26.860 side. Let's switch gears now to something maybe 00:05:26.860 --> 00:05:30.160 a bit more immediately tangible for cruisers. 00:05:30.300 --> 00:05:33.160 Market excitement time. Yes. Royal Caribbean 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:35.860 International. They've announced details for 00:05:35.860 --> 00:05:38.620 their third icon class ship, Legend of the Seas, 00:05:38.779 --> 00:05:41.939 launching July 2026. And they're moving fast 00:05:41.939 --> 00:05:44.279 on this one. Construction at Meyer Turku Shipyard 00:05:44.279 --> 00:05:46.060 in Finland is actually running ahead of schedule, 00:05:46.180 --> 00:05:48.439 about three weeks ahead. That's impressive. So 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:51.740 July 2026 launch. Where will she be sailing first? 00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:53.980 She'll start in the Mediterranean for her inaugural 00:05:53.980 --> 00:05:56.540 season, sailing seven night cruises out of Barcelona 00:05:56.540 --> 00:06:00.079 and also Sivitavecchia, the port for Rome. Nice 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:02.939 med debut. And after that? Then she heads across 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:05.389 the Atlantic. repositioning to Fort Lauderdale 00:06:05.389 --> 00:06:09.670 in November 2026. Ah, for Caribbean season. What 00:06:09.670 --> 00:06:12.610 kind of itineraries? A mix. Six -night Western 00:06:12.610 --> 00:06:16.009 Caribbean and some longer eight -night Southern 00:06:16.009 --> 00:06:19.589 Caribbean trips. And here's a key point. Every 00:06:19.589 --> 00:06:22.629 single one of those Florida -based cruises includes 00:06:22.629 --> 00:06:25.430 a stop at their private destination. Perfect 00:06:25.430 --> 00:06:28.810 day at Coco Cay. leveraging Coco Cay across the 00:06:28.810 --> 00:06:30.889 fleet, aren't they? Definitely a major draw for 00:06:30.889 --> 00:06:33.709 them. Now, icon class means big thrills, big 00:06:33.709 --> 00:06:36.230 entertainment. What's the headline act debuting 00:06:36.230 --> 00:06:39.569 on Legend? The big Broadway debut is Charlie 00:06:39.569 --> 00:06:41.910 and the Chocolate Factory, first time at sea 00:06:41.910 --> 00:06:44.709 in the Maine Royal Theater. Expect some pretty 00:06:44.709 --> 00:06:46.629 cool special effects for that one. Willy Wonka 00:06:46.629 --> 00:06:48.750 at sea. Okay, what about the adrenaline stuff? 00:06:48.930 --> 00:06:51.149 Category 6 water park, I assume. Oh yeah, Category 00:06:51.149 --> 00:06:53.670 6 is there. And for the real daredevils, the 00:06:53.670 --> 00:06:56.259 Crown's Edge ropes course. That's the one where 00:06:56.259 --> 00:06:58.800 you're dangling 154 feet above the ocean. Wow. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.399 Part skywalk, part ropes course, part zipline. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.399 That sounds intense. It definitely is. Is Icon 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:06.339 class still leaning more heavily on those high 00:07:06.339 --> 00:07:09.399 thrill attractions compared to, say, Oasis class? 00:07:09.579 --> 00:07:12.079 Or is it finding more balance? It's still very 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.259 focused on high impact experiences. That's fair 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:16.720 to say. But they are also really diversifying. 00:07:16.819 --> 00:07:18.920 You've got other big venues like the Aqua Theater 00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:21.899 for water shows, the Absolute Zero Ice Rink for 00:07:21.899 --> 00:07:24.139 ice shows. Right. So spectacle across the board. 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:26.649 Exactly. And then there's the dining. That's 00:07:26.649 --> 00:07:29.129 a huge focus too. 28 different places to eat 00:07:29.129 --> 00:07:32.350 or drink. 28? Okay, tell us about the new concepts. 00:07:32.430 --> 00:07:34.410 There are two really innovative ones, right? 00:07:34.550 --> 00:07:37.850 Yes. Two standouts. First, there's the Hollywoodland 00:07:37.850 --> 00:07:40.629 Supper Club. Sounds glamorous. It's meant to 00:07:40.629 --> 00:07:44.930 be. Think golden age of Hollywood. 1910s to 1950s 00:07:44.930 --> 00:07:48.750 vibe. Gourmet food, cinematic decor, jazz music. 00:07:48.970 --> 00:07:51.949 It's designed as a whole, immersive evening, 00:07:52.089 --> 00:07:54.430 not just a meal. Okay, that sounds like a destination 00:07:54.430 --> 00:07:57.660 venue in itself. And the second one. The second 00:07:57.660 --> 00:08:00.079 is the Royal Railway Dining Experience. On this 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.639 ship, it's called Legend Station. Royal Railway, 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:06.000 like a train theme. Sort of. It's an immersive 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:09.019 five -course meal themed around Marco Polo's 00:08:09.019 --> 00:08:11.639 journey on the Silk Road. So the food takes you 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:13.819 through different regions, China, India, Italy. 00:08:13.980 --> 00:08:16.600 Very specific, very themed. Interesting. And 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:19.259 they mention new casual spots, too. Yep. In the 00:08:19.259 --> 00:08:22.139 Akodo Market area, there will be five new fast 00:08:22.139 --> 00:08:25.790 casual food stands. So lots of variety. clearly 00:08:25.790 --> 00:08:28.910 aiming for scale but also unique quality experiences. 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:33.559 Okay, for our last major piece of news, let's 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:36.940 turn to P &O Cruises, a big change for two ships. 00:08:37.139 --> 00:08:39.460 A really significant change, actually. They're 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:42.120 ending the adults -only policy on Arcadia and 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:44.740 Aurora after about two decades. Wow, that's huge. 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:46.940 So they'll be allowing families on board? Yes, 00:08:46.980 --> 00:08:49.320 for select sailings starting in December 2026. 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:52.500 It reflects that growing demand for multi -generational 00:08:52.500 --> 00:08:54.679 holidays we've seen since the pandemic. So P 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:57.139 &O is adapting its fleet strategy. When do these 00:08:57.139 --> 00:08:59.649 family sailings start exactly? Aurora's first 00:08:59.649 --> 00:09:03.070 all -ages cruise is set for December 11th, 2026. 00:09:03.929 --> 00:09:06.350 Arcadia follows 10 days later, December 21st. 00:09:06.350 --> 00:09:08.129 And bookings open up pretty soon, relatively 00:09:08.129 --> 00:09:10.950 speaking, October 2025. Okay. And what kind of 00:09:10.950 --> 00:09:12.309 trips are we talking about? Are they putting 00:09:12.309 --> 00:09:14.490 families on the shorter runs or the classic longer 00:09:14.490 --> 00:09:16.669 voyages these ships are known for? They seem 00:09:16.669 --> 00:09:19.139 to be integrating them fully. The itineraries 00:09:19.139 --> 00:09:21.720 include Northern Europe, the Med, the Canaries, 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:25.500 even some really long ones. Like Arcadia has 00:09:25.500 --> 00:09:29.559 a 24 -night Eastern Med cruise in August 2027 00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:32.519 that will now be open to families. 24 nights 00:09:32.519 --> 00:09:35.159 with kids on a ship, previously adults only. 00:09:35.580 --> 00:09:37.460 Imagine this is getting some strong reactions 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:39.700 from their loyal passengers. Oh, definitely mixed 00:09:39.700 --> 00:09:41.679 reactions. You've got the longtime cruisers who 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:44.440 loved that guaranteed quiet adults only vibe. 00:09:44.779 --> 00:09:46.919 They're concerned, naturally. Understandable. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:49.980 is also saying they're hearing excitement from 00:09:49.980 --> 00:09:52.620 people who maybe cruised Aurora as kids themselves 00:09:52.620 --> 00:09:55.500 and now want to bring their own families. So 00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:57.679 two sides to it. That's interesting context. 00:09:57.899 --> 00:09:59.840 But what's the practical reality for families? 00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:02.860 Are they adding kids clubs, water slides? What 00:10:02.860 --> 00:10:04.799 changes are being made to the ships? This is 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:07.649 the crucial point. There will be NO dedicated 00:10:07.649 --> 00:10:10.889 kids clubs or babysitting services added to Arcadia 00:10:10.889 --> 00:10:13.490 or Aurora. Ah, okay. So it's not becoming like 00:10:13.490 --> 00:10:16.509 their family -focused ships, Iona or Arvia. Exactly. 00:10:16.690 --> 00:10:18.629 They'll offer things like all -ages entertainment 00:10:18.629 --> 00:10:21.409 options, kids menus in the restaurants, maybe 00:10:21.409 --> 00:10:24.429 some basic amenities like bottle warmers. But 00:10:24.429 --> 00:10:27.330 they're deliberately not retrofitting full -scale 00:10:27.330 --> 00:10:30.250 youth facilities. So families are welcome, but 00:10:30.250 --> 00:10:32.450 the onboard experience will still feel quite 00:10:32.450 --> 00:10:34.309 different from a ship designed for kids from 00:10:34.309 --> 00:10:37.000 the key lab. That seems to be the strategy. It 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:39.519 keeps the ships distinct, perhaps appealing to 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:42.000 families looking for a less kid -centric cruise, 00:10:42.179 --> 00:10:44.860 but it's a really important detail for parents 00:10:44.860 --> 00:10:48.220 to know. Manage expectations. Absolutely critical 00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:50.240 distinction. And what about people who already 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.779 booked these ships because they were adults only, 00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:55.460 maybe booked way in advance? P &O's being proactive 00:10:55.460 --> 00:10:58.240 there. They're offering passengers on affected 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.200 sailings the choice of a full refund, or they 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:03.019 can switch to a different adults -only cruise 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:05.990 without penalty. Good. Is there a deadline for 00:11:05.990 --> 00:11:09.149 that? Yes. Passengers need to let P &O know by 00:11:09.149 --> 00:11:12.669 December 1st, 2025. So they have time to adjust 00:11:12.669 --> 00:11:14.789 their plans. It shows they're aware this is a 00:11:14.789 --> 00:11:17.389 big shift for their loyal base. Right. Trying 00:11:17.389 --> 00:11:20.230 to balance adapting to new markets with respecting 00:11:20.230 --> 00:11:22.950 their existing customers. Okay, quite a range 00:11:22.950 --> 00:11:26.309 today. All right. From future fuels to new thrills 00:11:26.309 --> 00:11:28.750 to changing demographics. It really covers the 00:11:28.750 --> 00:11:30.909 specter, doesn't it? What ties it together, I 00:11:30.909 --> 00:11:33.710 think, is investment. Huge investment in the 00:11:33.710 --> 00:11:37.230 future. The tech for decarbonization. Billions 00:11:37.230 --> 00:11:40.049 there. And also investment in adapting now. New 00:11:40.049 --> 00:11:42.409 hardware like Legend of the Seas to capture excitement. 00:11:42.529 --> 00:11:45.269 And strategic fleet adjustments like P &O's Move. 00:11:45.850 --> 00:11:47.669 Reacting to how people want to travel today. 00:11:47.830 --> 00:11:50.470 It's all about staying relevant and viable long 00:11:50.470 --> 00:11:52.889 term. It definitely highlights that tension between 00:11:52.889 --> 00:11:55.889 the long term green goals and the immediate need 00:11:55.889 --> 00:11:58.450 to attract passengers and manage costs today. 00:11:58.769 --> 00:12:01.129 Exactly. The technology, the market demands, 00:12:01.370 --> 00:12:03.509 the economic pressures, they're all shaping the 00:12:03.509 --> 00:12:05.750 True's experience in real time. It leaves you 00:12:05.750 --> 00:12:07.970 with a thought, doesn't it? Considering how massive 00:12:07.970 --> 00:12:09.809 the challenges are for scaling up things like 00:12:09.809 --> 00:12:13.929 bio -LNG or hydrogen, the cost, the global infrastructure 00:12:13.929 --> 00:12:16.090 needed. Yeah, those are decades -long projects. 00:12:16.590 --> 00:12:18.789 So could it be that the immediate gains from 00:12:18.789 --> 00:12:21.129 digitalization just making ships smarter and 00:12:21.129 --> 00:12:23.470 more efficient right now actually become the 00:12:23.470 --> 00:12:25.610 most critical competitive advantage for cruise 00:12:25.610 --> 00:12:28.730 lines over, say, the next five years? Something 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:30.370 for you to think about. Thanks for listening 00:12:30.370 --> 00:12:33.049 to Cruise News. Visit cruisenews .io to catch 00:12:33.049 --> 00:12:34.870 up on the latest updates and sign up for free 00:12:34.870 --> 00:12:35.649 email alerts.