1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,200 Welcome to Cruise News, your daily 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:03,899 update on everything happening at 3 00:00:03,899 --> 00:00:06,080 sea. Visit CruiseNews .io to see 4 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:07,540 today's stories and sign up for 5 00:00:07,540 --> 00:00:10,060 email alerts. And there is definitely 6 00:00:10,060 --> 00:00:11,859 a lot happening at sea right now 7 00:00:11,859 --> 00:00:13,220 to talk about. There really is. 8 00:00:13,359 --> 00:00:15,539 I mean, imagine spending a billion 9 00:00:15,539 --> 00:00:18,660 dollars to build a brand new shiny 10 00:00:18,660 --> 00:00:20,739 megaship, right? Right. Which is, 11 00:00:20,739 --> 00:00:21,879 you know, the standard playbook 12 00:00:21,879 --> 00:00:23,440 for a lot of these lines. Exactly. 13 00:00:23,660 --> 00:00:25,140 But then you realize that your fiercest 14 00:00:25,140 --> 00:00:27,250 competition. isn't another new build 15 00:00:27,250 --> 00:00:28,969 at all. Yeah, it's something else 16 00:00:28,969 --> 00:00:30,870 entirely. Right. Instead, your biggest 17 00:00:30,870 --> 00:00:33,170 threat might just be a completely 18 00:00:33,170 --> 00:00:35,590 invisible cleaning protocol. Maybe 19 00:00:35,590 --> 00:00:37,750 a cleverly retrofitted 18 -year 20 00:00:37,750 --> 00:00:39,530 -old hull. Or even a 90 -year -old 21 00:00:39,530 --> 00:00:41,710 floating museum. Exactly. So for 22 00:00:41,710 --> 00:00:43,130 today's cruising snapshot, we're 23 00:00:43,130 --> 00:00:44,710 giving you a look at a major ship 24 00:00:44,710 --> 00:00:46,490 refresh, what perfect cleanliness 25 00:00:46,490 --> 00:00:47,689 scores really tell you about an 26 00:00:47,689 --> 00:00:49,689 operation, and a rare once -in -a 27 00:00:49,689 --> 00:00:52,049 -generation ocean liner. Which, 28 00:00:52,270 --> 00:00:53,950 you know, all points to this really 29 00:00:53,950 --> 00:00:55,609 fascinating structural force shaping 30 00:00:55,609 --> 00:00:57,560 the industry right now. Well, cruise 31 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:58,899 lines are no longer just racing 32 00:00:58,899 --> 00:01:00,500 to build the biggest new vessels. 33 00:01:00,820 --> 00:01:02,920 They're figuring out how to maximize 34 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:04,959 the value of their existing assets 35 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,319 just to stand out in this relentlessly 36 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:09,859 crowded market. Right, because building 37 00:01:09,859 --> 00:01:11,680 new is incredibly expensive. Exactly. 38 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,099 So we're seeing lines heavily rely 39 00:01:14,099 --> 00:01:16,480 on massive architectural overhauls 40 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,959 of legacy ships, or they're implementing 41 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:20,939 incredibly rigorous operational 42 00:01:20,939 --> 00:01:23,000 discipline or just leaning into 43 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,439 pure brand heritage. They're finding 44 00:01:25,439 --> 00:01:27,579 massive compa - without laying a 45 00:01:27,579 --> 00:01:29,439 single new keel in a shipyard. That's 46 00:01:29,439 --> 00:01:31,120 exactly it. And our first story 47 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:32,879 today is basically the ultimate 48 00:01:32,879 --> 00:01:34,560 case study in that strategy. We 49 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:36,319 are looking at the celebrity solstice. 50 00:01:36,540 --> 00:01:38,599 Ah, yeah, the solstice. Right. So 51 00:01:38,599 --> 00:01:41,219 on March 2nd, 2026, the ship returned 52 00:01:41,219 --> 00:01:42,980 to service, launching a 12 -night 53 00:01:42,980 --> 00:01:44,700 sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong. 54 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:46,560 Which is a big deal for them. Huge. 55 00:01:47,099 --> 00:01:48,359 This officially marks the completion 56 00:01:48,359 --> 00:01:50,640 of a massive dry dock refit in Singapore. 57 00:01:50,859 --> 00:01:53,099 And it kicks off a $250 million 58 00:01:53,099 --> 00:01:55,719 modernization program across all 59 00:01:55,719 --> 00:01:57,420 five of Celebrity Solstice -class 60 00:01:57,420 --> 00:01:59,019 ships. And to put that in perspective 61 00:01:59,019 --> 00:02:00,920 for you, the Solstice was launched 62 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,280 back in 2008. Which is pretty old, 63 00:02:03,379 --> 00:02:04,840 right? Yeah. I mean, in maritime 64 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:06,680 years, an 18 -year -old vessel is 65 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,199 distinctly mid -life. Usually this 66 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:10,620 is the age where ships might get 67 00:02:10,620 --> 00:02:12,280 downgraded to, you know, shorter, 68 00:02:12,620 --> 00:02:14,199 cheaper itineraries. But Celebrity 69 00:02:14,199 --> 00:02:15,439 is doing the exact opposite here. 70 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,400 They really are. They are aggressively 71 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,180 porting over the most successful 72 00:02:19,180 --> 00:02:21,659 premium concepts from their much 73 00:02:21,659 --> 00:02:23,960 newer Edge series ships. And they're 74 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:25,319 installing them directly onto this 75 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:27,080 older tonnage. And they did a lot 76 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:28,560 more than just update the upholstery. 77 00:02:28,740 --> 00:02:31,039 I mean, we are talking about 54... 78 00:02:31,719 --> 00:02:33,740 brand new staterooms, physically 79 00:02:33,740 --> 00:02:35,979 added to the ship. Wow. Yeah, bringing 80 00:02:35,979 --> 00:02:38,699 the total capacity up to 1 ,479 81 00:02:38,699 --> 00:02:40,740 rooms. Plus, they constructed a 82 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:42,620 completely new top -deck area called 83 00:02:42,620 --> 00:02:44,539 Sunset Park. Right, which sounds 84 00:02:44,539 --> 00:02:47,060 amazing. It does. Picture an open 85 00:02:47,060 --> 00:02:48,460 -air venue where you can, you know, 86 00:02:48,460 --> 00:02:50,840 do morning yoga, play lawn games, 87 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:52,939 listen to live music. And rent private 88 00:02:52,939 --> 00:02:55,199 cabanas, right? Yes, with dedicated 89 00:02:55,199 --> 00:02:57,419 attendance. All while eating charcuterie 90 00:02:57,419 --> 00:02:59,419 from the new Sunset Park cafe. That's 91 00:02:59,419 --> 00:03:00,900 quite the upgrade. And it doesn't 92 00:03:00,900 --> 00:03:02,759 stop there. They also added trattoria 93 00:03:02,759 --> 00:03:04,719 rasa for house made Italian and 94 00:03:04,719 --> 00:03:06,199 the fine cut steakhouse serving 95 00:03:06,199 --> 00:03:08,860 30 day dry aged steaks. So they're 96 00:03:08,860 --> 00:03:11,180 essentially turning a midlife cruise 97 00:03:11,180 --> 00:03:13,819 ship into a highly modern floating 98 00:03:13,819 --> 00:03:16,659 luxury resort. Exactly. I look at 99 00:03:16,659 --> 00:03:18,919 this like like flipping a classic 100 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:20,280 home instead of buying a new build. 101 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:22,379 You keep the good bones of the house, 102 00:03:22,379 --> 00:03:24,300 but you knock down the walls to 103 00:03:24,300 --> 00:03:26,659 add that modern open concept living 104 00:03:26,659 --> 00:03:28,580 space that buyers actually want 105 00:03:28,580 --> 00:03:30,300 today. That's a great way to think 106 00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:31,599 about it. But here's the part I 107 00:03:31,599 --> 00:03:32,759 am having trouble wrapping my head 108 00:03:32,759 --> 00:03:34,340 around. OK, well, what's that? They 109 00:03:34,340 --> 00:03:36,800 added four new stateroom categories. 110 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,680 And one of them is this panoramic 111 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,960 infinite veranda suite that actually 112 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:43,680 reconfigures the forward -facing 113 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,560 window system. Right. How do you 114 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,000 physically add 54 rooms to an 18 115 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,200 -year -old steel hull without completely 116 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,060 disrupting the buoyancy or the center 117 00:03:53,060 --> 00:03:55,080 of gravity or just the general onboard 118 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,699 ecosystem. Well, the sheer marine 119 00:03:56,699 --> 00:03:58,479 engineering required for a refit 120 00:03:58,479 --> 00:04:00,280 like this is staggering. I mean, 121 00:04:00,419 --> 00:04:02,960 you cannot simply bolt 54 heavy 122 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:04,740 steel cabins onto the top deck of 123 00:04:04,740 --> 00:04:06,180 a ship because it gets top heavy. 124 00:04:06,439 --> 00:04:08,300 Exactly. If you do that, you raise 125 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:10,120 the vessel center of gravity. That 126 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:11,960 makes the ship dangerously prone 127 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,979 to rolling in the ocean. That sounds 128 00:04:13,979 --> 00:04:16,720 terrifying. It would be. So when 129 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:18,220 shipyard workers do this, they're 130 00:04:18,220 --> 00:04:19,959 often using much lighter weight 131 00:04:19,959 --> 00:04:21,519 composite materials for the new 132 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:22,920 superstructures. Oh, interesting. 133 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,120 Yeah, they literally slice into 134 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,339 the existing steel. They have to 135 00:04:27,339 --> 00:04:29,420 reroute miles of legacy plumbing, 136 00:04:29,980 --> 00:04:32,699 electrical grids and HVAC systems 137 00:04:32,699 --> 00:04:34,959 just to accommodate the new load 138 00:04:34,959 --> 00:04:36,459 without bringing down the older 139 00:04:36,459 --> 00:04:38,620 infrastructure. Which sounds incredibly 140 00:04:38,620 --> 00:04:40,720 risky. Not to mention expensive. 141 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:42,399 It is, but look at the alternative. 142 00:04:42,670 --> 00:04:44,149 Building a brand new cruise ship 143 00:04:44,149 --> 00:04:46,290 today takes several years of planning 144 00:04:46,290 --> 00:04:49,529 and costs upwards of a billion dollars. 145 00:04:50,009 --> 00:04:52,389 Spending 250 million spread across 146 00:04:52,389 --> 00:04:54,750 five different ships is just a fraction 147 00:04:54,750 --> 00:04:56,069 of that cost. That makes sense. 148 00:04:56,209 --> 00:04:57,610 But the other challenge you face 149 00:04:57,610 --> 00:05:00,050 when adding 54 cabins is passenger 150 00:05:00,050 --> 00:05:01,850 flow. You're putting more people 151 00:05:01,850 --> 00:05:03,870 onto the exact same footprint. And 152 00:05:03,870 --> 00:05:05,269 no one wants to feel crowded on 153 00:05:05,269 --> 00:05:07,269 a luxury cruise. Right. If you don't 154 00:05:07,269 --> 00:05:08,430 give those extra people somewhere 155 00:05:08,430 --> 00:05:10,009 to go, the ship instantly feels 156 00:05:10,009 --> 00:05:12,069 packed and guest satisfaction just 157 00:05:11,980 --> 00:05:14,120 plummets. Which entirely explains 158 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:15,620 all the new lounges they added. 159 00:05:16,019 --> 00:05:17,300 Like they brought in the boulevard 160 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:19,519 lounge for piano singalongs. Yeah, 161 00:05:19,519 --> 00:05:21,220 and the parlor sports lounge. Which 162 00:05:21,220 --> 00:05:22,540 has billiards. You have to create 163 00:05:22,540 --> 00:05:24,680 more spaces to absorb that increased 164 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:26,420 capacity. Spreading the passengers 165 00:05:26,420 --> 00:05:27,740 out is really the only way the math 166 00:05:27,740 --> 00:05:30,000 works. And they're doing it by focusing 167 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:31,860 on premium experiences that command 168 00:05:31,860 --> 00:05:33,720 higher ticket prices. Like the updated 169 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:35,759 aqua class staterooms. Exactly. 170 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:37,019 They didn't just add a fresh coat 171 00:05:37,019 --> 00:05:38,839 of paint there. They installed massaging 172 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,279 shower heads, aroma therapy diffusers 173 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,079 and specialized pillow menus. I 174 00:05:45,079 --> 00:05:46,660 have to say a menu where you can 175 00:05:46,660 --> 00:05:48,759 select the exact firmness of your 176 00:05:48,759 --> 00:05:51,319 pillow is a brilliant touch. It's 177 00:05:51,319 --> 00:05:54,000 a textbook luxury queue. They also 178 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,839 completely redesigned the retreat 179 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,199 which is their exclusive suite only 180 00:05:58,199 --> 00:06:00,199 area. Right. They expanded it with 181 00:06:00,199 --> 00:06:02,480 an oversized hot tub, vastly more 182 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,139 shaded seating, and updated high 183 00:06:05,139 --> 00:06:06,819 -end finishes in the private lounge. 184 00:06:06,899 --> 00:06:09,100 So by elevating these specific spaces, 185 00:06:09,740 --> 00:06:11,529 Celebrity can charge premium rates 186 00:06:11,529 --> 00:06:13,649 that rival their newest ships. Exactly. 187 00:06:13,930 --> 00:06:15,550 All while operating an 18 year old 188 00:06:15,550 --> 00:06:16,889 vessel. And they are definitely 189 00:06:16,889 --> 00:06:18,509 putting this newly refitted ship 190 00:06:18,509 --> 00:06:19,810 to the test. Oh absolutely. After 191 00:06:19,810 --> 00:06:21,430 she finishes her current run in 192 00:06:21,430 --> 00:06:23,410 Asia and Australia, she heads over 193 00:06:23,410 --> 00:06:26,329 to Alaska for the summer 2026 season. 194 00:06:26,509 --> 00:06:29,949 And then on September 13th, 2026, 195 00:06:30,250 --> 00:06:32,209 the solstice departs on a massive 196 00:06:32,209 --> 00:06:35,009 110 -night grand voyage. Which is 197 00:06:35,009 --> 00:06:36,970 an incredible itinerary. It really 198 00:06:36,970 --> 00:06:39,230 is. She sails from Alaska down through 199 00:06:39,230 --> 00:06:41,149 the South Pacific into Australia 200 00:06:41,149 --> 00:06:42,829 and New Zealand and back up through 201 00:06:42,829 --> 00:06:45,800 Asia. hitting more than 55 unrepeated 202 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,439 port calls before ending in Hong 203 00:06:47,439 --> 00:06:49,639 Kong on New Year's Eve. And a 110 204 00:06:49,639 --> 00:06:51,639 -night voyage is the ultimate stress 205 00:06:51,639 --> 00:06:53,300 test for any vessel. Because they're 206 00:06:53,300 --> 00:06:54,980 on board so long. Right. When your 207 00:06:54,980 --> 00:06:56,360 guests are living on board for over 208 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:57,779 three months, the ship can't just 209 00:06:57,779 --> 00:06:59,540 be a mode of transportation. It 210 00:06:59,540 --> 00:07:01,379 has to function flawlessly as their 211 00:07:01,379 --> 00:07:03,750 entire world. Which is exactly why 212 00:07:03,750 --> 00:07:05,670 a resort -style refit is so crucial. 213 00:07:05,990 --> 00:07:07,290 But, you know, spending a quarter 214 00:07:07,290 --> 00:07:09,050 of a billion dollars on new cabanas 215 00:07:09,050 --> 00:07:11,269 and dry -aged steak houses means 216 00:07:11,269 --> 00:07:12,810 absolutely nothing if you cannot 217 00:07:12,810 --> 00:07:14,389 protect the most fragile asset on 218 00:07:14,389 --> 00:07:15,750 your ship. Traveler confidence. 219 00:07:16,009 --> 00:07:17,850 Exactly. And securing that confidence 220 00:07:17,850 --> 00:07:19,170 requires a level of operational 221 00:07:19,170 --> 00:07:20,870 discipline that is completely invisible 222 00:07:20,870 --> 00:07:22,629 to the guest, at least until something 223 00:07:22,629 --> 00:07:24,189 goes wrong. You're talking about 224 00:07:24,189 --> 00:07:27,569 the intensely unglamorous but utterly 225 00:07:27,569 --> 00:07:30,009 vital world of maritime sanitation. 226 00:07:30,129 --> 00:07:32,529 Yes, I am. Our next story zeroes 227 00:07:32,529 --> 00:07:34,910 in on exactly that. Margaritaville 228 00:07:34,910 --> 00:07:37,009 at sea, which operates a two vessel 229 00:07:37,009 --> 00:07:38,670 fleet consisting of the Paradise 230 00:07:38,670 --> 00:07:40,850 and the Islander, just achieved 231 00:07:40,850 --> 00:07:42,470 something remarkable. They really 232 00:07:42,470 --> 00:07:45,110 did. Both ships earned perfect 100 233 00:07:45,110 --> 00:07:47,389 point scores on unannounced CDC 234 00:07:47,389 --> 00:07:49,329 vessel sanitation program inspections. 235 00:07:49,639 --> 00:07:51,199 And to understand the magnitude 236 00:07:51,199 --> 00:07:52,560 of that achievement, you really 237 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:53,600 have to look at the statistics. 238 00:07:53,660 --> 00:07:55,000 Yeah, lay the numbers out for us. 239 00:07:55,199 --> 00:07:58,899 So in 2025, the CDC inspected 191 240 00:07:58,899 --> 00:08:01,279 cruise ships, and only 24 of them 241 00:08:01,279 --> 00:08:03,560 managed to get a perfect 100. Wow. 242 00:08:03,620 --> 00:08:05,779 That is just 13 % of the entire 243 00:08:05,779 --> 00:08:07,879 industry fleet. Only 13 % pulling 244 00:08:07,879 --> 00:08:09,620 off a perfect score is incredibly 245 00:08:09,620 --> 00:08:11,100 low. It is because the inspections 246 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:12,779 are absolutely brutal. Think of 247 00:08:12,779 --> 00:08:14,639 it like a surprise Michelin star 248 00:08:14,639 --> 00:08:16,899 kitchen audit, but expanded to cover 249 00:08:16,899 --> 00:08:18,920 a massive floating city. Oh, man. 250 00:08:19,100 --> 00:08:20,899 The CDC inspectors are completely 251 00:08:20,899 --> 00:08:22,560 unannounced. They walk onto the 252 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:24,139 ship while it is docked at a US 253 00:08:24,139 --> 00:08:26,060 port, and they spend the next six 254 00:08:26,060 --> 00:08:27,439 to eight hours going through the 255 00:08:27,439 --> 00:08:29,019 vessel with a fine -tooth comb. 256 00:08:29,199 --> 00:08:31,699 Six to eight hours. Yeah. They aren't 257 00:08:31,699 --> 00:08:33,120 just looking to see if the floors 258 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,139 are shiny. They're testing the chemical 259 00:08:35,139 --> 00:08:36,559 balance of the potable drinking 260 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,100 water systems. Wow. They're in the 261 00:08:39,100 --> 00:08:40,879 galleys watching the crew handle 262 00:08:40,879 --> 00:08:42,740 raw ingredients to check for cross 263 00:08:42,740 --> 00:08:45,100 -contamination protocols. They measure 264 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:46,820 the cooling temperatures of buffet 265 00:08:46,820 --> 00:08:48,379 lines. That is thorough. It gets 266 00:08:48,379 --> 00:08:50,440 deeper. They even inspect the ventilation 267 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,799 systems, the child activity centers, 268 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,600 and the medical centers protocols 269 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,940 for logging and isolating gastrointestinal 270 00:08:56,940 --> 00:08:58,399 illnesses. OK, let me push back 271 00:08:58,399 --> 00:08:59,620 on the significance of this for 272 00:08:59,620 --> 00:09:02,179 a second. Sure. Under the CDC scoring 273 00:09:02,179 --> 00:09:05,139 framework, an 86 out of 100 is considered 274 00:09:05,139 --> 00:09:07,080 a passing grade. Right. Anything 275 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,039 85 or lower is a failure. We actually 276 00:09:10,039 --> 00:09:11,340 saw that recently with the Villa 277 00:09:11,340 --> 00:09:13,820 V Odyssey, which failed its inspection 278 00:09:13,820 --> 00:09:15,460 due to significant issues with food 279 00:09:15,460 --> 00:09:17,019 safety, drinking water quality, 280 00:09:17,399 --> 00:09:18,799 and pool sanitation. Yeah, that 281 00:09:18,799 --> 00:09:21,600 was a mess. Right. So if the US 282 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,299 government says an 86 is perfectly 283 00:09:23,299 --> 00:09:25,519 fine and safe for the public, what 284 00:09:25,519 --> 00:09:27,559 does a perfect 100 actually signal 285 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,809 to you? Is it just a gold star for 286 00:09:29,809 --> 00:09:31,730 the marketing brochure? Or does 287 00:09:31,730 --> 00:09:33,649 it represent a fundamentally different 288 00:09:33,649 --> 00:09:35,679 operational culture on board? That's 289 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,159 a great question. A score of 86 290 00:09:38,159 --> 00:09:40,500 means your ship met the absolute 291 00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:42,440 minimum legal standard to not be 292 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,039 classified as a public health hazard. 293 00:09:44,059 --> 00:09:46,899 OK. But a perfect 100 means your 294 00:09:46,899 --> 00:09:48,940 crew is operating with a level of 295 00:09:48,940 --> 00:09:51,019 daily militaristic discipline that 296 00:09:51,019 --> 00:09:53,940 leaves zero room for error. Let's 297 00:09:53,940 --> 00:09:55,799 look at how illnesses like norovirus 298 00:09:55,799 --> 00:09:57,779 actually spread. Right. The dreaded 299 00:09:57,779 --> 00:09:59,500 stomach bug. Exactly. It's highly 300 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:01,100 contagious and thrives in enclosed 301 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:02,820 environments with dense populations 302 00:10:02,820 --> 00:10:05,230 and, you know, shared high surfaces 303 00:10:05,230 --> 00:10:07,049 like elevator buttons or serving 304 00:10:07,049 --> 00:10:09,129 tongs. It's read so fast. It does. 305 00:10:09,470 --> 00:10:11,129 So preventing an outbreak requires 306 00:10:11,129 --> 00:10:13,029 thousands of crew members executing 307 00:10:13,029 --> 00:10:15,370 a flawless choreography of sanitization 308 00:10:15,370 --> 00:10:18,470 every single hour of the day. Achieving 309 00:10:18,470 --> 00:10:19,990 a hundred means that culture of 310 00:10:19,990 --> 00:10:21,350 extreme vigilance is functioning 311 00:10:21,350 --> 00:10:23,370 perfectly. And right now, proving 312 00:10:23,370 --> 00:10:25,470 you have that culture is pure marketing 313 00:10:25,470 --> 00:10:27,600 gold. Traveler confidence is the 314 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:28,960 currency of the cruise industry. 315 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,580 In 2025, there were 23 reported 316 00:10:31,580 --> 00:10:33,480 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses 317 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,299 on cruise ships, including norovirus 318 00:10:35,299 --> 00:10:36,600 and E. coli. Yeah, those stories 319 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:37,620 are everywhere when they happen. 320 00:10:37,769 --> 00:10:39,549 Right. And when those headlines 321 00:10:39,549 --> 00:10:41,789 hit the mainstream news cycle, the 322 00:10:41,789 --> 00:10:43,710 reputational damage bleeds across 323 00:10:43,710 --> 00:10:46,210 the entire industry. So being able 324 00:10:46,210 --> 00:10:48,429 to point to a perfect 100 on both 325 00:10:48,429 --> 00:10:50,029 your ships, like Margaritaville 326 00:10:50,029 --> 00:10:52,570 at sea just did, is a massive competitive 327 00:10:52,570 --> 00:10:54,289 advantage. It really is. It's a 328 00:10:54,289 --> 00:10:55,690 quantifiable way of telling your 329 00:10:55,690 --> 00:10:57,070 guests that their health is taken 330 00:10:57,070 --> 00:10:58,669 as seriously as their entertainment. 331 00:10:58,919 --> 00:11:00,240 And Margaritaville at sea isn't 332 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,360 the only one leveraging this invisible 333 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,419 advantage, right? Not at all. Viking 334 00:11:04,419 --> 00:11:06,919 Ocean Cruises has been leaning heavily 335 00:11:06,919 --> 00:11:08,559 into this. They recently averaged 336 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:10,519 a 99 across their entire fleet. 337 00:11:10,519 --> 00:11:12,200 That's impressive. We're also seeing 338 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,759 perfect 100s consistently rolling 339 00:11:14,759 --> 00:11:17,100 in from luxury ships like the Seaborne 340 00:11:17,100 --> 00:11:19,179 Encore and the Oceania Vista. Oh, 341 00:11:19,179 --> 00:11:21,600 yeah. The Oceania Vista is particularly 342 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,220 impressive because it has maintained 343 00:11:23,220 --> 00:11:25,559 an unbroken streak of perfect scores 344 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:27,659 since the ship debuted in 2023. 345 00:11:27,659 --> 00:11:31,019 Wow. Unbroken. Yeah. Typically it's 346 00:11:31,019 --> 00:11:32,639 a lot easier for smaller fleets 347 00:11:32,639 --> 00:11:34,779 or ultra luxury lines with higher 348 00:11:34,779 --> 00:11:36,639 crew to guest ratios to maintain 349 00:11:36,639 --> 00:11:38,080 that level of consistency. Which 350 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:39,960 makes sense. Right. Which is why 351 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,080 Margaritaville at Sea, which operates 352 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:43,960 in a much more mainstream accessible 353 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:45,879 market segment, pulling this off 354 00:11:45,879 --> 00:11:47,899 across their whole fleet is so notable. 355 00:11:48,100 --> 00:11:49,240 And the fascinating part is that 356 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,620 the data proves this intense focus 357 00:11:51,620 --> 00:11:54,039 on hygiene. is actually working 358 00:11:54,039 --> 00:11:55,840 to suppress outbreaks. The numbers 359 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,740 are striking. If you look at the 360 00:11:57,740 --> 00:11:59,820 industry reporting for early 2026, 361 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:02,120 there has been a massive drop in 362 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,019 incidents. How massive? Well, between 363 00:12:04,019 --> 00:12:06,240 January and February of 2026, there 364 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,360 was only one reported outbreak across 365 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,720 the entire industry. Just one. Yeah. 366 00:12:11,039 --> 00:12:12,679 During that exact same two month 367 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,820 period in 2025, there were eight. 368 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:16,879 A drop from eight down to one in 369 00:12:16,879 --> 00:12:19,379 a single year is a huge operational 370 00:12:19,379 --> 00:12:21,350 win. It's incredible. Public health 371 00:12:21,350 --> 00:12:23,049 experts are attributing this improvement 372 00:12:23,049 --> 00:12:25,070 directly to these stricter sanitation 373 00:12:25,070 --> 00:12:26,429 protocols enforced by the cruise 374 00:12:26,429 --> 00:12:28,169 lines. Right. But it's also a shift 375 00:12:28,169 --> 00:12:30,269 in passenger behavior. Travelers 376 00:12:30,269 --> 00:12:31,590 are far more aware of their own 377 00:12:31,590 --> 00:12:33,370 hygiene now. They're utilizing the 378 00:12:33,370 --> 00:12:34,929 hand washing stations before entering 379 00:12:34,929 --> 00:12:37,309 the buffets and reporting symptoms 380 00:12:37,309 --> 00:12:38,889 earlier. So it's a team effort. 381 00:12:39,269 --> 00:12:41,090 Exactly. The combination of crew 382 00:12:41,090 --> 00:12:42,669 discipline and passenger awareness 383 00:12:42,669 --> 00:12:45,169 is entirely reshaping the industry's 384 00:12:45,169 --> 00:12:47,990 health profile. But, you know, You 385 00:12:47,990 --> 00:12:50,850 can engineer the most flawless militaristic 386 00:12:50,850 --> 00:12:52,409 cleaning protocol in the world. 387 00:12:52,750 --> 00:12:56,190 And you can spend $250 million bolting 388 00:12:56,190 --> 00:12:58,070 on a beautiful new steakhouse. True. 389 00:12:58,269 --> 00:13:00,830 But you cannot buy history. Which 390 00:13:00,830 --> 00:13:02,809 brings us to our final story today, 391 00:13:03,269 --> 00:13:04,669 proving that sometimes the ultimate 392 00:13:04,669 --> 00:13:06,110 competitive advantage was built 393 00:13:06,110 --> 00:13:08,070 almost a century ago. Because heritage 394 00:13:08,070 --> 00:13:10,009 is the one asset that is impossible 395 00:13:10,009 --> 00:13:11,990 for a new competitor to replicate. 396 00:13:12,110 --> 00:13:13,889 And we just witnessed a truly rare 397 00:13:13,889 --> 00:13:16,049 maritime event that highlights exactly 398 00:13:16,049 --> 00:13:19,129 that. On February 2nd, 2026, off 399 00:13:19,129 --> 00:13:20,730 the coast of Long Beach, California, 400 00:13:21,250 --> 00:13:23,429 the active Queen Mary 2 met her 401 00:13:23,429 --> 00:13:25,129 historic namesake, the original 402 00:13:25,129 --> 00:13:26,590 Queen Mary. For the first time in 403 00:13:26,590 --> 00:13:28,269 20 years, right? Yes, for the first 404 00:13:28,269 --> 00:13:29,809 time in 20 years. The visual of 405 00:13:29,809 --> 00:13:31,649 those two ships side by side is 406 00:13:31,649 --> 00:13:33,250 just extraordinary. And the timing 407 00:13:33,250 --> 00:13:35,370 is also highly symbolic. How so? 408 00:13:35,669 --> 00:13:36,809 Well, the original Queen Mary is 409 00:13:36,809 --> 00:13:38,730 currently celebrating her 90th anniversary 410 00:13:38,730 --> 00:13:40,529 year. During her operational life, 411 00:13:40,610 --> 00:13:43,309 she completed 1001 Atlantic crossings 412 00:13:43,309 --> 00:13:45,629 before finally retiring in 1967. 413 00:13:45,799 --> 00:13:47,879 That is a lot of crossings. It is. 414 00:13:48,059 --> 00:13:50,200 And today she sits permanently moored 415 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,159 in Long Beach, functioning as a 416 00:13:52,159 --> 00:13:54,960 floating hotel and museum. And then 417 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,179 you have the modern Queen Mary, 418 00:13:57,340 --> 00:13:59,039 too, right in the middle of a 108 419 00:13:59,039 --> 00:14:01,460 -night world voyage pulling up alongside 420 00:14:01,460 --> 00:14:03,559 her. I saw the photos of them together, 421 00:14:03,860 --> 00:14:06,019 and the physical comparison is just 422 00:14:06,019 --> 00:14:07,600 staggering. It's like looking at 423 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:09,639 an evolutionary chart of ocean travel 424 00:14:09,639 --> 00:14:11,299 brought to life. Yeah, the size 425 00:14:11,299 --> 00:14:13,500 difference is wild. The original 426 00:14:13,500 --> 00:14:16,600 Queen Mary is recorded at 81 ,237 427 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,700 gross tons, which was an absolute 428 00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:20,360 marvel of engineering at the time. 429 00:14:21,059 --> 00:14:22,419 But the modern Queen Mary, too, 430 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,179 is nearly twice that size at 149 431 00:14:25,179 --> 00:14:29,210 ,215 gross tons. And it's probably 432 00:14:29,210 --> 00:14:30,730 worth clarifying what gross tonnage 433 00:14:30,730 --> 00:14:32,090 actually means here because it's 434 00:14:32,090 --> 00:14:33,590 a term that often confuses people. 435 00:14:33,809 --> 00:14:35,370 Oh, definitely. Gross tonnage doesn't 436 00:14:35,370 --> 00:14:36,750 measure the physical weight of the 437 00:14:36,750 --> 00:14:38,269 ship on a scale. Right. It's not 438 00:14:38,269 --> 00:14:40,029 pounds or tons in that sense. Exactly. 439 00:14:40,129 --> 00:14:41,809 It's actually a measure of the internal 440 00:14:41,809 --> 00:14:43,870 enclosed volume of the vessel with 441 00:14:43,870 --> 00:14:46,490 one gross ton equaling 100 cubic 442 00:14:46,490 --> 00:14:48,549 feet of space. So when we say the 443 00:14:48,549 --> 00:14:50,590 QM2 is nearly twice the gross tonnage 444 00:14:50,590 --> 00:14:52,669 of the original, it means she possesses 445 00:14:52,669 --> 00:14:54,850 nearly twice the internal spatial 446 00:14:54,850 --> 00:14:57,620 volume. The scale of modern shipbuilding 447 00:14:57,620 --> 00:15:00,320 simply dwarfs the past. But even 448 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:01,820 with that massive size difference, 449 00:15:02,299 --> 00:15:04,279 they were both engineered for incredible 450 00:15:04,279 --> 00:15:05,919 speed. Right. The original ship 451 00:15:05,919 --> 00:15:08,840 had a top speed of 28 .5 knots and 452 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,240 the massive QM2 can still hit 30 453 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,379 knots. Which is incredibly fast 454 00:15:13,379 --> 00:15:15,559 for a ship that big. It is. But 455 00:15:15,559 --> 00:15:17,419 my absolute favorite detail from 456 00:15:17,419 --> 00:15:19,039 this entire reunion, and this is 457 00:15:19,039 --> 00:15:20,700 just a brilliant Easter egg for 458 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:23,240 maritime nerds, is that The Queen 459 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,220 Mary II actually carries a fully 460 00:15:25,220 --> 00:15:27,340 refurbished whistle from the original 461 00:15:27,340 --> 00:15:29,320 Queen Mary physically installed 462 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,240 inside her starboard funnel. I love 463 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,259 that detail. It's a literal audible 464 00:15:33,259 --> 00:15:34,779 connection between the past and 465 00:15:34,779 --> 00:15:36,379 the present. Yeah. When she blows 466 00:15:36,379 --> 00:15:37,820 that whistle, you are hearing the 467 00:15:37,820 --> 00:15:39,440 exact same sound that echoed across 468 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,659 the Atlantic in the 1930s. And that 469 00:15:41,659 --> 00:15:43,320 connection is an entirely strategic 470 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,600 move by Cunard. But why lean so 471 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,340 heavily into the past when everyone 472 00:15:47,340 --> 00:15:48,820 else is building the future? Because 473 00:15:48,820 --> 00:15:50,080 if you look at the broader cruise 474 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,230 market today, we are in an era heavily 475 00:15:52,230 --> 00:15:54,210 dominated by look -alike mega ships. 476 00:15:54,490 --> 00:15:56,169 Many modern vessels are essentially 477 00:15:56,169 --> 00:15:58,110 functioning as floating theme parks, 478 00:15:58,350 --> 00:15:59,929 you know, prioritizing go -karts, 479 00:16:00,269 --> 00:16:02,169 water slides, and surf simulators. 480 00:16:02,450 --> 00:16:04,090 Which is fun, but it's a specific 481 00:16:04,090 --> 00:16:07,669 vibe. Exactly. Cunard realized that 482 00:16:07,669 --> 00:16:09,649 their deep liner heritage is a unique 483 00:16:09,649 --> 00:16:12,009 branding edge. The Queen Mary 2 484 00:16:12,009 --> 00:16:14,049 isn't just a cruise ship. Cunard 485 00:16:14,049 --> 00:16:15,570 is very quick to point out that 486 00:16:15,570 --> 00:16:17,809 she is the only active ocean liner 487 00:16:17,809 --> 00:16:19,750 left in the world built specifically 488 00:16:19,750 --> 00:16:22,009 for long -distance trans -oceanic 489 00:16:22,009 --> 00:16:24,220 travel. Meaning the physical architecture 490 00:16:24,220 --> 00:16:25,919 of the hull is fundamentally different 491 00:16:25,919 --> 00:16:27,539 from a standard Caribbean cruise 492 00:16:27,539 --> 00:16:29,620 ship. Precisely. A standard cruise 493 00:16:29,620 --> 00:16:31,500 ship is relatively flat -bottomed 494 00:16:31,500 --> 00:16:33,919 and boxy, designed to maximize balcony 495 00:16:33,919 --> 00:16:36,100 space and navigate calm, shallow 496 00:16:36,100 --> 00:16:38,460 waters. An ocean liner like the 497 00:16:38,460 --> 00:16:40,600 QM2 has a sharply tapered bow to 498 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:42,779 cut through massive waves, thicker 499 00:16:42,779 --> 00:16:44,779 steel plating, and a significantly 500 00:16:44,779 --> 00:16:46,799 deeper draft. And the draft is the 501 00:16:46,799 --> 00:16:48,200 depth that goes underwater. Right. 502 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:49,759 The draft is the distance between 503 00:16:49,759 --> 00:16:51,080 the water line and the bottom of 504 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,360 the hull. A deeper draft means more 505 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,000 of the ship sits underwater, which 506 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,679 gives it a much lower center of 507 00:16:56,679 --> 00:16:58,500 gravity. Ah, got it. That's what 508 00:16:58,500 --> 00:17:00,179 provides the stability needed when 509 00:17:00,179 --> 00:17:01,600 you're plowing through the heavy 510 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:03,440 swells of the open Atlantic Ocean 511 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:05,720 at 30 knots. And they really lean 512 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,940 into that traditional maritime experience 513 00:17:07,940 --> 00:17:09,400 on board, too. Like, you aren't 514 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:10,720 going to find a roller coaster on 515 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:12,670 the top deck. Definitely not. Instead, 516 00:17:12,849 --> 00:17:14,910 they offer fencing classes, extensive 517 00:17:14,910 --> 00:17:17,470 library services, and formal ballroom 518 00:17:17,470 --> 00:17:19,549 dancing. It's very classy. It is. 519 00:17:19,930 --> 00:17:21,490 During this specific world voyage, 520 00:17:21,849 --> 00:17:23,930 they even curated a historical collection 521 00:17:23,930 --> 00:17:26,589 called A Letter from Australia to 522 00:17:26,589 --> 00:17:29,130 the World, allowing guests to interact 523 00:17:29,130 --> 00:17:30,890 with a historical correspondence 524 00:17:30,890 --> 00:17:32,930 during their journey. It's highly 525 00:17:32,930 --> 00:17:35,549 curated, premium nostalgia. And 526 00:17:35,549 --> 00:17:37,369 Cunard is pushing this angle hard 527 00:17:37,369 --> 00:17:39,009 to the travel industry. How so? 528 00:17:39,210 --> 00:17:42,089 In 2026, they're drastically expanding 529 00:17:42,089 --> 00:17:43,890 their travel agent familiarization 530 00:17:43,890 --> 00:17:45,630 trips. They're planning to host 531 00:17:45,630 --> 00:17:48,269 over 900 travel agents for ship 532 00:17:48,269 --> 00:17:49,869 visits and learning experiences 533 00:17:49,869 --> 00:17:52,490 at key maritime ports like Southampton 534 00:17:52,490 --> 00:17:54,529 and Liverpool. That's a huge investment 535 00:17:54,529 --> 00:17:56,809 in agent education. It is. They're 536 00:17:56,809 --> 00:17:58,809 educating the travel trade on exactly 537 00:17:58,809 --> 00:18:00,930 how to sell this. They want... agents 538 00:18:00,930 --> 00:18:02,750 to tell clients, you aren't just 539 00:18:02,750 --> 00:18:04,730 booking a vacation, you are buying 540 00:18:04,730 --> 00:18:07,509 passage on a piece of living history. 541 00:18:07,950 --> 00:18:09,789 And the QM2 is making some serious 542 00:18:09,789 --> 00:18:11,170 history of her own on this current 543 00:18:11,170 --> 00:18:13,089 voyage. It definitely is. During 544 00:18:13,089 --> 00:18:14,990 this 108 night trip, she completed 545 00:18:14,990 --> 00:18:16,970 her first ever transit of the Panama 546 00:18:16,970 --> 00:18:19,130 Canal. Which is a huge milestone. 547 00:18:19,410 --> 00:18:21,309 Yeah. And after her reunion with 548 00:18:21,309 --> 00:18:22,750 the original Queen Mary in Long 549 00:18:22,750 --> 00:18:24,809 Beach, she made an overnight visit 550 00:18:24,809 --> 00:18:26,890 to Los Angeles, which was her first 551 00:18:26,890 --> 00:18:28,789 time returning to that port in 17 552 00:18:28,789 --> 00:18:31,009 years. Wow. From there, she made 553 00:18:31,009 --> 00:18:33,009 a grand, majestic entry into Sydney 554 00:18:33,009 --> 00:18:35,630 Harbor on March 4th, framing perfectly 555 00:18:35,630 --> 00:18:36,910 with the opera house in the background. 556 00:18:37,690 --> 00:18:38,829 She doesn't complete the voyage 557 00:18:38,829 --> 00:18:40,549 and returned to Southampton until 558 00:18:40,549 --> 00:18:43,039 April 30th. It perfectly illustrates 559 00:18:43,039 --> 00:18:45,380 how a preserved maritime landmark, 560 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:46,900 like the original Queen Mary sitting 561 00:18:46,900 --> 00:18:48,819 in Long Beach, can serve as a year 562 00:18:48,819 --> 00:18:50,960 -round anchor for tourism. It really 563 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:52,859 does. It's a beacon of history that 564 00:18:52,859 --> 00:18:54,539 even the most modern active ships 565 00:18:54,539 --> 00:18:55,759 in the world go out of their way 566 00:18:55,759 --> 00:18:57,920 to sail past and salute. It really 567 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,480 is. And, you know, it brings up 568 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,119 a fascinating question for you listening 569 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,140 as you think about your next vacation 570 00:19:03,140 --> 00:19:06,230 at sea. What's that? Well... We're 571 00:19:06,230 --> 00:19:08,069 watching the industry rapidly evolve. 572 00:19:08,730 --> 00:19:09,809 They're spending hundreds of millions 573 00:19:09,809 --> 00:19:11,750 of dollars to retrofit older ships 574 00:19:11,750 --> 00:19:14,650 with modern luxury cabanas. They're 575 00:19:14,650 --> 00:19:16,309 deploying militaristic discipline 576 00:19:16,309 --> 00:19:18,029 to perfect the invisible science 577 00:19:18,029 --> 00:19:22,069 of ship -wide sanitation. But if 578 00:19:22,069 --> 00:19:23,910 pure nostalgia and the desire for 579 00:19:23,910 --> 00:19:25,829 massive floating resort amenities 580 00:19:25,829 --> 00:19:27,690 are becoming the ultimate premium 581 00:19:27,690 --> 00:19:30,210 drivers, what happens next? It's 582 00:19:30,210 --> 00:19:32,390 a great question. Will we eventually 583 00:19:32,390 --> 00:19:33,710 reach a point where the ships of 584 00:19:33,710 --> 00:19:35,309 tomorrow stop moving altogether? 585 00:19:35,609 --> 00:19:37,250 It's entirely possible we might 586 00:19:37,250 --> 00:19:39,009 see a future where retired legacy 587 00:19:39,009 --> 00:19:40,549 ships become permanently moored, 588 00:19:41,130 --> 00:19:42,690 massive offshore luxury cities, 589 00:19:43,170 --> 00:19:44,789 offering the ultimate resort experience 590 00:19:44,789 --> 00:19:46,650 without ever needing to sail a single 591 00:19:46,650 --> 00:19:48,910 nautical mile again. That is definitely 592 00:19:48,910 --> 00:19:50,269 something to think about. Thanks 593 00:19:50,269 --> 00:19:51,869 for listening to Cruise News. Visit 594 00:19:51,869 --> 00:19:53,849 CruiseNews .io to catch up on the 595 00:19:53,849 --> 00:19:55,670 latest updates and sign up for free 596 00:19:55,670 --> 00:19:56,369 email alerts.