1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,140 Welcome to Cruise News, your daily 2 00:00:02,140 --> 00:00:03,960 update on everything happening at 3 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,540 sea. Visit cruisenews .io to see 4 00:00:06,540 --> 00:00:08,240 today's stories and sign up for 5 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,380 email alerts. You know, when you 6 00:00:10,380 --> 00:00:11,740 sit down to plan your next vacation, 7 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,759 it usually feels like a pretty straightforward 8 00:00:14,759 --> 00:00:16,539 process. Yeah, exactly. You just 9 00:00:16,539 --> 00:00:18,399 you look at a map, pick a destination 10 00:00:18,399 --> 00:00:21,500 and book a cabin. Right. But today, 11 00:00:21,739 --> 00:00:23,899 the cruise industry is rapidly reshaping 12 00:00:23,899 --> 00:00:26,160 exactly how and where you will travel 13 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,550 next. We're gonna look at three 14 00:00:28,550 --> 00:00:30,050 forward -looking developments today. 15 00:00:30,489 --> 00:00:33,049 We've got new ship concepts, new 16 00:00:33,049 --> 00:00:35,090 onboard technology, and totally 17 00:00:35,090 --> 00:00:37,549 strategic new home ports. It's really 18 00:00:37,549 --> 00:00:39,170 a massive structural shift. I mean, 19 00:00:39,270 --> 00:00:40,429 we're gonna start by looking at 20 00:00:40,429 --> 00:00:43,030 a, well, a 15 ,000 -ton luxury ship 21 00:00:43,030 --> 00:00:44,950 that just hit 12 knots using literally 22 00:00:44,950 --> 00:00:47,130 only wind power. Which is just wild. 23 00:00:47,359 --> 00:00:48,719 It is. And then we're pivoting to 24 00:00:48,719 --> 00:00:50,439 a boutique Japanese yacht that's 25 00:00:50,439 --> 00:00:51,979 using deeply integrated software 26 00:00:51,979 --> 00:00:54,359 to totally redefine hotel style 27 00:00:54,359 --> 00:00:55,920 service at sea. And we're wrapping 28 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:57,780 up with how Megalines are basically 29 00:00:57,780 --> 00:00:59,460 chasing international flight routes 30 00:00:59,460 --> 00:01:01,759 to crown a completely new winter 31 00:01:01,759 --> 00:01:03,520 cruise gateway down in the Caribbean. 32 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:05,260 Right. It's all about how these 33 00:01:05,260 --> 00:01:08,349 companies are engineering. totally 34 00:01:08,349 --> 00:01:10,769 new ways to control the physical 35 00:01:10,769 --> 00:01:12,870 forces of nature, the micro details 36 00:01:12,870 --> 00:01:14,569 of your onboard experience, and 37 00:01:14,569 --> 00:01:16,730 the macro logistics of moving thousands 38 00:01:16,730 --> 00:01:19,049 of people. So let's start with how 39 00:01:19,049 --> 00:01:20,489 they're taking control of the physical 40 00:01:20,489 --> 00:01:22,870 elements. Because the scale of this 41 00:01:22,870 --> 00:01:25,909 first development is, frankly, staggering. 42 00:01:26,469 --> 00:01:28,469 We're looking at the Orient Express 43 00:01:28,469 --> 00:01:30,810 Corinthian. Ah, yes, the Corinthian. 44 00:01:30,849 --> 00:01:34,030 Yeah, so this is a 15 ,000 ton luxury 45 00:01:34,030 --> 00:01:36,180 vessel. slated for delivery in the 46 00:01:36,180 --> 00:01:38,459 second quarter of 2026. And the 47 00:01:38,459 --> 00:01:39,939 big headline here is that it just 48 00:01:39,939 --> 00:01:41,819 completed its first sea trials off 49 00:01:41,819 --> 00:01:43,379 the coast of France. Right, built 50 00:01:43,379 --> 00:01:45,420 by Chantier de l 'Atlantique. Exactly. 51 00:01:45,579 --> 00:01:47,099 They took this massive vessel out 52 00:01:47,099 --> 00:01:49,280 into 20 knot winds and it hit 12 53 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:50,760 knots of speed using absolutely 54 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,140 nothing but its sails. Which is 55 00:01:52,140 --> 00:01:53,900 a huge engineering triumph. I mean, 56 00:01:53,959 --> 00:01:55,439 achieving that kind of speed and 57 00:01:55,439 --> 00:01:57,140 tonnage on wind power alone. We're 58 00:01:57,140 --> 00:01:58,099 not talking about a traditional 59 00:01:58,099 --> 00:01:59,379 little sailing yacht here. Right, 60 00:01:59,379 --> 00:02:02,379 right. Moving 15 ,000 tons of steel 61 00:02:02,379 --> 00:02:03,920 and glass through the ocean against 62 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,120 the water's resistance, it requires 63 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,240 an unbelievable amount of kinetic 64 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,270 energy. doing that without firing 65 00:02:11,270 --> 00:02:13,090 up a combustion engine is a total 66 00:02:13,090 --> 00:02:14,750 first for a passenger vessel of 67 00:02:14,750 --> 00:02:16,389 this specific scale. And when I 68 00:02:16,389 --> 00:02:18,909 hear the word sails, my mind instantly 69 00:02:18,909 --> 00:02:21,069 goes to like a historical image. 70 00:02:21,349 --> 00:02:23,069 I'm picturing canvas flapping in 71 00:02:23,069 --> 00:02:25,669 the breeze, heavy ropes, and a massive 72 00:02:25,669 --> 00:02:28,009 crew scrambling up the rigging to, 73 00:02:28,009 --> 00:02:29,289 you know, catch the wind. Oh, sure. 74 00:02:29,469 --> 00:02:30,909 But that is definitely not what's 75 00:02:30,909 --> 00:02:32,050 happening on the Corinthian. Not 76 00:02:32,050 --> 00:02:34,110 at all. The hardware here is a proprietary 77 00:02:34,110 --> 00:02:36,310 technology called solid sail, and 78 00:02:36,310 --> 00:02:38,250 it throws that old historical image 79 00:02:38,250 --> 00:02:40,110 completely out the window. Picture 80 00:02:40,110 --> 00:02:42,409 a massive rigid structure. We're 81 00:02:42,409 --> 00:02:44,650 talking about a 1500 square meter 82 00:02:44,650 --> 00:02:47,349 rig that rises over 100 meters into 83 00:02:47,349 --> 00:02:49,370 the air and it's distributed across 84 00:02:49,370 --> 00:02:51,969 three separate masts. Over 100 meters. 85 00:02:52,229 --> 00:02:53,629 Yeah. To put that into perspective, 86 00:02:53,750 --> 00:02:55,210 those masts are taller than the 87 00:02:55,210 --> 00:02:56,770 Statue of Liberty mounted directly 88 00:02:56,770 --> 00:02:58,050 onto the deck of a cruise ship. 89 00:02:58,240 --> 00:02:59,780 taller than the Statue of Liberty. 90 00:03:00,599 --> 00:03:03,159 That's the physics of keeping that 91 00:03:03,159 --> 00:03:05,060 stable. Must be completely wild. 92 00:03:05,219 --> 00:03:06,259 And there's no crew up there pulling 93 00:03:06,259 --> 00:03:08,280 ropes, right? No, no. The entire 94 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,139 system is automated. The SolidSail 95 00:03:10,139 --> 00:03:12,020 tech features an advanced automated 96 00:03:12,020 --> 00:03:13,659 piloting system that constantly 97 00:03:13,659 --> 00:03:16,169 reads meteorological data. Wow. 98 00:03:16,550 --> 00:03:19,009 Yeah. So the mast can rotate a full 99 00:03:19,009 --> 00:03:21,909 360 degrees completely autonomously. 100 00:03:22,270 --> 00:03:24,069 They're constantly adjusting themselves 101 00:03:24,069 --> 00:03:26,590 to catch the wind perfectly, regardless 102 00:03:26,590 --> 00:03:28,509 of the ship's heading or the direction 103 00:03:28,509 --> 00:03:29,810 the wind is blowing. That is so 104 00:03:29,810 --> 00:03:31,069 smart. And it's a hybrid system, 105 00:03:31,229 --> 00:03:32,849 too. It's designed to work in tandem 106 00:03:32,849 --> 00:03:34,750 with the ship's LNG -powered engines. 107 00:03:34,889 --> 00:03:36,889 Right. Liquified natural gas. Exactly. 108 00:03:37,449 --> 00:03:39,330 LNG already burns significantly 109 00:03:39,330 --> 00:03:41,409 cleaner than traditional heavy marine 110 00:03:41,409 --> 00:03:44,030 fuel oil. It drastically cuts down 111 00:03:44,030 --> 00:03:45,539 on particulate matter. and sulfur 112 00:03:45,539 --> 00:03:47,500 emissions. So when you pair that 113 00:03:47,500 --> 00:03:49,280 cleaner burning fuel with an automated 114 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,159 wind capture system, you're looking 115 00:03:51,159 --> 00:03:53,120 at a radical reduction in the vessel's 116 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:54,599 overall carbon footprint. Well, 117 00:03:54,599 --> 00:03:55,680 I was reading through the technical 118 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:56,979 specs and it gets even crazier. 119 00:03:57,419 --> 00:03:59,080 The masts actually have a tilting 120 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,300 capability, like they can go nearly 121 00:04:01,300 --> 00:04:03,680 horizontal. And I was trying to 122 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:04,979 conceptualize this, and the best 123 00:04:04,979 --> 00:04:06,360 analogy I could come up with is 124 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,400 that it basically operates like 125 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,360 a network of smart wind turbines 126 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,819 in reverse. Oh, that's a brilliant 127 00:04:12,819 --> 00:04:14,500 way to frame it. Right. Because 128 00:04:14,500 --> 00:04:16,060 instead of a turbine standing perfectly 129 00:04:16,060 --> 00:04:17,839 still on a hill, letting the wind 130 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:19,459 spin its blades to make electricity, 131 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,439 this system is a precision engineered 132 00:04:22,439 --> 00:04:24,600 structure designed to physically 133 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,139 push a massive floating luxury hotel 134 00:04:28,139 --> 00:04:30,660 forward. Exactly. And that tilting 135 00:04:30,660 --> 00:04:32,199 feature you mentioned, it solves 136 00:04:32,199 --> 00:04:33,839 one of the biggest logistical nightmares 137 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:35,519 for large sailing vessels, which 138 00:04:35,519 --> 00:04:37,600 is passing under low bridges. Oh, 139 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,439 right. If the routing requires clearance, 140 00:04:39,660 --> 00:04:42,079 the sails literally bow down, the 141 00:04:42,079 --> 00:04:44,120 ship glides under, and then they 142 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:45,560 stand right back up to catch the 143 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,000 wind again. It takes all the unpredictable 144 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,019 guesswork out of wind power. which 145 00:04:50,019 --> 00:04:51,800 has to be the most crucial element 146 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,199 when you're selling a hyper premium 147 00:04:53,199 --> 00:04:54,939 product. Absolutely. The luxury 148 00:04:54,939 --> 00:04:56,779 passenger is paying for a flawless 149 00:04:56,779 --> 00:04:58,980 experience. You can't have a situation 150 00:04:58,980 --> 00:05:00,259 where the ship is delayed arriving 151 00:05:00,259 --> 00:05:01,680 into port just because the wind 152 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,100 died down or shifted direction. 153 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,180 Of course not. So by automating 154 00:05:05,180 --> 00:05:06,379 the sails and combining them with 155 00:05:06,379 --> 00:05:08,639 the LNG engines, Orient Express 156 00:05:08,639 --> 00:05:09,920 is making sure that the elements 157 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,180 never compromise the schedule or 158 00:05:12,180 --> 00:05:14,120 the comfort of the guests. And the 159 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,139 guests on board are paying for an 160 00:05:16,139 --> 00:05:17,779 incredibly exclusive environment. 161 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,420 The scale of the Corinthian is intensely 162 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:22,459 boutique. We're talking about only 163 00:05:22,459 --> 00:05:26,199 108 passengers on a 15 ,000 ton 164 00:05:26,199 --> 00:05:28,120 ship. Yeah, the space to guest ratio 165 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:29,879 there is astronomical. I mean, in 166 00:05:29,879 --> 00:05:31,180 the contemporary cruise market, 167 00:05:31,660 --> 00:05:33,339 a ship of that physical size might 168 00:05:33,339 --> 00:05:36,399 carry over 400 people. Wow. So having 169 00:05:36,399 --> 00:05:38,660 barely over 100 means the corridors, 170 00:05:38,860 --> 00:05:40,579 the public spaces, the dining rooms, 171 00:05:40,660 --> 00:05:41,899 they'll feel like a private estate. 172 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:43,420 It's basically a floating mansion. 173 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,180 The accommodations are entirely 174 00:05:45,180 --> 00:05:47,500 suites, just 54 of them. And they 175 00:05:47,500 --> 00:05:49,899 range from 500 square feet all the 176 00:05:49,899 --> 00:05:51,879 way up to a massive 2 ,500 square 177 00:05:51,879 --> 00:05:54,060 feet. Incredible. The amenities 178 00:05:54,060 --> 00:05:56,259 read like a top -tier Parisian hotel. 179 00:05:56,639 --> 00:05:58,720 You have a girline spa, a fully 180 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,379 functional recording studio, a 115 181 00:06:01,379 --> 00:06:03,519 -seat cabaret, two separate pools. 182 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:05,399 Oh, and the culinary programming 183 00:06:05,399 --> 00:06:06,899 is being directed by Chef Yannick 184 00:06:06,899 --> 00:06:08,959 Alaino. Right. Whose restaurant 185 00:06:08,959 --> 00:06:11,600 group currently holds 17 Michelin 186 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:13,959 stars. 17. Just casual. Yeah, just 187 00:06:13,959 --> 00:06:16,649 a few. But look. The level of investment 188 00:06:16,649 --> 00:06:18,449 Orient Express is making here is 189 00:06:18,449 --> 00:06:20,209 a direct response to the structural 190 00:06:20,209 --> 00:06:22,529 forces reshaping the luxury sector 191 00:06:22,529 --> 00:06:24,750 right now. Also, well, if you look 192 00:06:24,750 --> 00:06:26,430 at the industry pipeline, the ultra 193 00:06:26,430 --> 00:06:28,470 luxury space is fiercely crowded. 194 00:06:28,750 --> 00:06:30,870 We're anticipating over three dozen 195 00:06:30,870 --> 00:06:33,009 new luxury vessels entering the 196 00:06:33,009 --> 00:06:34,810 market between now and the end of 197 00:06:34,810 --> 00:06:36,689 twenty twenty seven. Three dozen. 198 00:06:36,889 --> 00:06:38,870 That's a lot of capacity. It's massive. 199 00:06:39,089 --> 00:06:40,829 You have major players launching 200 00:06:40,829 --> 00:06:42,689 ships like the Explorer Third, the 201 00:06:42,689 --> 00:06:43,889 Four Seasons Foreign and the Seven 202 00:06:43,889 --> 00:06:46,470 Seas Prestige. Orient Express built 203 00:06:46,470 --> 00:06:48,870 its entire brand legacy on iconic 204 00:06:48,870 --> 00:06:51,069 luxury real travel. Expanding into 205 00:06:51,069 --> 00:06:52,529 the maritime sector means they have 206 00:06:52,529 --> 00:06:54,029 to immediately prove they belong 207 00:06:54,029 --> 00:06:55,629 at the top of the food chain. Right. 208 00:06:55,629 --> 00:06:57,290 They can't just blend in. Exactly. 209 00:06:57,589 --> 00:06:59,660 So they're heavily that this highly 210 00:06:59,660 --> 00:07:01,639 visible, low emission, solid sail 211 00:07:01,639 --> 00:07:04,180 technology is the exact differentiator 212 00:07:04,180 --> 00:07:05,620 they need. It's a visual statement. 213 00:07:05,959 --> 00:07:07,399 When that ship pulls into a harbor, 214 00:07:07,980 --> 00:07:09,000 literally everyone's going to look 215 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,279 at those hundred meter automated 216 00:07:10,279 --> 00:07:12,040 sails. It tells the guests that 217 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,420 they aren't just taking a vacation, 218 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,480 you know. They are participating 219 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,439 in the cutting edge of maritime 220 00:07:17,439 --> 00:07:19,779 innovation. Spot on. And we actually 221 00:07:19,779 --> 00:07:21,000 already know the routing strategy 222 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,870 for this hardware. The inaugural 223 00:07:22,870 --> 00:07:25,310 season in summer 2026 will focus 224 00:07:25,310 --> 00:07:27,569 on the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, 225 00:07:27,569 --> 00:07:29,569 hitting the classic French and Italian 226 00:07:29,569 --> 00:07:31,810 Rivieres. Beautiful route. Yeah. 227 00:07:32,189 --> 00:07:33,290 And after that, they're planning 228 00:07:33,290 --> 00:07:35,009 a transatlantic crossing to position 229 00:07:35,009 --> 00:07:36,589 the ship for a winter season in 230 00:07:36,589 --> 00:07:38,170 the Caribbean. And their ambition 231 00:07:38,170 --> 00:07:39,930 doesn't stop with a single vessel. 232 00:07:40,269 --> 00:07:42,350 They have a second ship, the Olympian, 233 00:07:42,689 --> 00:07:44,310 already slated to launch in 2027. 234 00:07:44,430 --> 00:07:46,589 OK, so a sister ship. Right. That 235 00:07:46,589 --> 00:07:47,870 deployment will begin in the western 236 00:07:47,870 --> 00:07:49,629 Mediterranean before repositioning 237 00:07:49,629 --> 00:07:51,750 north. They're targeting the Norwegian 238 00:07:51,750 --> 00:07:53,889 fjords, the British Isles and the 239 00:07:53,889 --> 00:07:56,350 Baltic, bringing this wind -powered 240 00:07:56,350 --> 00:07:58,850 hybrid tech to ports like Copenhagen 241 00:07:58,850 --> 00:08:01,509 and Enfler. So Orient Express is 242 00:08:01,509 --> 00:08:03,949 essentially using massive, highly 243 00:08:03,949 --> 00:08:06,290 visible physical hardware to control 244 00:08:06,290 --> 00:08:07,870 the elements and secure their premium 245 00:08:07,870 --> 00:08:10,029 guests. But controlling the physical 246 00:08:10,029 --> 00:08:11,529 ship is only half the battle in 247 00:08:11,529 --> 00:08:13,290 modern luxury. That's very true. 248 00:08:13,509 --> 00:08:14,829 Because the future of the guest 249 00:08:14,829 --> 00:08:17,350 experience also relies entirely 250 00:08:17,350 --> 00:08:19,290 on innovations you will never actually 251 00:08:19,290 --> 00:08:21,769 see. Yeah, the transition from massive 252 00:08:21,769 --> 00:08:23,810 physical infrastructure to invisible 253 00:08:23,810 --> 00:08:26,209 digital architecture is where the 254 00:08:26,209 --> 00:08:27,870 industry is seeing the most rapid 255 00:08:27,870 --> 00:08:29,910 operational shifts right now. Which 256 00:08:29,910 --> 00:08:31,730 takes us from the shipyards of France 257 00:08:31,730 --> 00:08:33,929 directly to a new venture originating 258 00:08:33,929 --> 00:08:36,690 in Japan. Our yacht is the newly 259 00:08:36,690 --> 00:08:38,970 formed cruise division of Japan's 260 00:08:38,970 --> 00:08:41,389 Ryobi Holdings. And they're currently 261 00:08:41,389 --> 00:08:43,350 building their inaugural ship, named 262 00:08:43,350 --> 00:08:45,659 the Sifu. over at the West Sea Shipyard 263 00:08:45,659 --> 00:08:47,559 in Portugal. Right. And the construction 264 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:49,120 methodology for the Sifu highlights 265 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:50,639 an entirely different approach to 266 00:08:50,639 --> 00:08:53,179 shipbuilding. It's a 10 ,000 -ton 267 00:08:53,179 --> 00:08:55,320 yacht -style vessel designed to 268 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,080 carry just 120 guests. So very intimate. 269 00:08:58,340 --> 00:09:00,259 Very. And the shipyard is actually 270 00:09:00,259 --> 00:09:02,399 assembling it using 65 pre -built 271 00:09:02,399 --> 00:09:04,860 blocks inside a 200 -meter dry dock. 272 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:06,139 You know, for anyone not familiar 273 00:09:06,139 --> 00:09:07,620 with modern shipyard mechanics, 274 00:09:08,100 --> 00:09:09,159 block building is essentially putting 275 00:09:09,159 --> 00:09:11,340 together a massive steel jigsaw 276 00:09:11,340 --> 00:09:12,759 puzzle. That's a great way to put 277 00:09:12,759 --> 00:09:14,340 it. Instead of building a ship from 278 00:09:14,340 --> 00:09:16,620 the bottom up piece by piece, they 279 00:09:16,620 --> 00:09:19,100 construct these massive fully outfitted 280 00:09:19,100 --> 00:09:21,200 sections or blocks in different 281 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,120 areas of the yard. Sometimes they 282 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:24,480 even build them upside down so the 283 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:25,500 welders don't have to work over 284 00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:27,039 their heads. Which is so efficient. 285 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,419 It really is. Then massive cranes 286 00:09:30,419 --> 00:09:33,220 lift these blocks into the dry dock 287 00:09:33,220 --> 00:09:35,539 and they're welded together. It 288 00:09:35,539 --> 00:09:37,039 drastically increases precision 289 00:09:37,039 --> 00:09:38,870 and efficiency. And the product 290 00:09:38,870 --> 00:09:40,470 resulting from this efficient build 291 00:09:40,470 --> 00:09:42,769 is highly tailored. Our yacht is 292 00:09:42,769 --> 00:09:44,450 specifically targeting a year -round 293 00:09:44,450 --> 00:09:47,269 premium Japanese market. The itineraries 294 00:09:47,269 --> 00:09:48,850 will be heavily focused on Asia. 295 00:09:49,259 --> 00:09:50,720 And the physical design reflects 296 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,539 the unique demands of that market, 297 00:09:52,740 --> 00:09:54,840 including a specialized marina deck 298 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:56,620 built directly into the stern. Oh, 299 00:09:56,620 --> 00:09:58,440 nice. Yeah. It allows guests direct 300 00:09:58,440 --> 00:09:59,960 access to the sea for swimming, 301 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,940 and it facilitates small boat landings 302 00:10:01,940 --> 00:10:03,500 so passengers can explore remote 303 00:10:03,500 --> 00:10:05,240 beaches and islands that a larger 304 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:06,980 ship simply could never reach. That's 305 00:10:06,980 --> 00:10:08,639 amazing. And this type of direct 306 00:10:08,639 --> 00:10:10,720 water access is reportedly the first 307 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:12,600 of its kind explicitly designed 308 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:14,240 for the Japanese domestic market. 309 00:10:14,519 --> 00:10:16,539 Now, while the marina deck is a 310 00:10:16,539 --> 00:10:19,179 beautiful physical feature, operational 311 00:10:19,179 --> 00:10:20,960 milestone they just hit is entirely 312 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,440 invisible to the guest. Right. Ariat 313 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:24,659 recently announced their selection 314 00:10:24,659 --> 00:10:26,860 of cruise prowl systems to run all 315 00:10:26,860 --> 00:10:28,120 of their commercial and onboard 316 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:30,480 workflows, getting the digital backbone 317 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,659 in place long before the targeted 318 00:10:32,659 --> 00:10:34,820 delivery in the first half of 2027. 319 00:10:35,399 --> 00:10:37,039 And the specific software stack 320 00:10:37,039 --> 00:10:38,779 they're deploying is really comprehensive. 321 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,279 At the core, they're utilizing a 322 00:10:41,279 --> 00:10:43,519 central reservation system, or CRS. 323 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,769 OK, so that handles bookings. Exactly. 324 00:10:46,090 --> 00:10:47,509 It handles all the commercial booking 325 00:10:47,509 --> 00:10:49,210 activity, inventory control, and 326 00:10:49,210 --> 00:10:51,269 pricing shoreside. But the critical 327 00:10:51,269 --> 00:10:53,330 piece is the integration of a ship 328 00:10:53,330 --> 00:10:55,330 management system, the SMS. And 329 00:10:55,330 --> 00:10:57,129 what does that do? The SMS aligns 330 00:10:57,129 --> 00:10:58,710 all the onboard hotel operations. 331 00:10:59,070 --> 00:11:01,490 So housekeeping, dining, guest accounts. 332 00:11:01,889 --> 00:11:03,570 It aligns all of that with the shoreside 333 00:11:03,570 --> 00:11:05,370 commercial data in real time. They're 334 00:11:05,370 --> 00:11:06,830 also implementing a program called 335 00:11:06,830 --> 00:11:09,009 Issu Tracks Lite. This is a real 336 00:11:09,009 --> 00:11:10,289 -time platform that connects the 337 00:11:10,289 --> 00:11:12,649 entire staff digitally. It's designed 338 00:11:12,649 --> 00:11:14,570 to manage and track everything from 339 00:11:14,570 --> 00:11:16,649 immediate guest requests and routine 340 00:11:16,649 --> 00:11:19,330 maintenance tasks to safety protocols, 341 00:11:19,850 --> 00:11:21,409 environmental compliance, and even 342 00:11:21,409 --> 00:11:22,870 the workflow of outside vendors 343 00:11:22,870 --> 00:11:24,370 coming onto the ship while in port. 344 00:11:24,490 --> 00:11:26,590 It's a massive technological undertaking. 345 00:11:26,830 --> 00:11:28,289 See, I have to pause and push back 346 00:11:28,289 --> 00:11:29,889 on this strategy a little bit because 347 00:11:29,889 --> 00:11:32,210 the logic feels somewhat contradictory 348 00:11:32,210 --> 00:11:34,269 to me. How so? Well, if I'm paying 349 00:11:34,269 --> 00:11:36,210 a premium to sail on the Sifu and 350 00:11:36,210 --> 00:11:38,210 there are only 190 other guests 351 00:11:38,210 --> 00:11:40,470 on board, I'm expecting a deeply 352 00:11:40,470 --> 00:11:42,570 intimate personalized experience. 353 00:11:43,269 --> 00:11:44,850 Shouldn't a luxury yacht at that 354 00:11:44,850 --> 00:11:47,330 boutique scale rely entirely on 355 00:11:47,330 --> 00:11:49,909 highly attentive human staff? Ah, 356 00:11:49,929 --> 00:11:51,190 I see what you're saying. Yeah, 357 00:11:51,350 --> 00:11:53,289 why introduce this complex enterprise 358 00:11:53,289 --> 00:11:55,289 software, issue tracking systems, 359 00:11:55,710 --> 00:11:57,190 and digital workflows into such 360 00:11:57,190 --> 00:11:59,009 a small setting? Doesn't relying 361 00:11:59,009 --> 00:12:01,309 on a software dashboard risk making 362 00:12:01,309 --> 00:12:02,929 the service feel, I don't know, 363 00:12:03,330 --> 00:12:05,200 robotic and corporate? Your skepticism 364 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,139 is perfectly valid because the traditional 365 00:12:08,139 --> 00:12:10,559 image of boutique luxury is, you 366 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:12,679 know, a maitre d who magically remembers 367 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,279 your favorite vintage of wine without 368 00:12:14,279 --> 00:12:16,100 ever looking at a screen. Exactly. 369 00:12:16,340 --> 00:12:17,759 But you have to view this through 370 00:12:17,759 --> 00:12:20,240 the lens of the highly demanding 371 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,799 Japanese premium market, where the 372 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:24,679 concept of a matanashi, which is 373 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,940 anticipatory hospitality, is paramount. 374 00:12:28,620 --> 00:12:31,279 In this environment, Seamless hotel 375 00:12:31,279 --> 00:12:33,480 -style consistency isn't just a 376 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,419 bonus. It's the absolute baseline 377 00:12:36,419 --> 00:12:38,659 expectation. Oh, I see. So the technology 378 00:12:38,659 --> 00:12:39,940 is there to guarantee they never 379 00:12:39,940 --> 00:12:41,100 drop the ball on the basics. It 380 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:43,200 goes way beyond the basics. The 381 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:44,720 integrated software doesn't replace 382 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:46,779 the high -touch human service. It 383 00:12:46,779 --> 00:12:48,600 is the invisible engine that enables 384 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,360 it. OK, give me an example. Let's 385 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,200 look at a practical scenario. Suppose 386 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,360 a guest casually mentions to a bartender 387 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:55,820 on the pool deck that their suite 388 00:12:55,820 --> 00:12:58,179 feels a little too warm. Without 389 00:12:58,179 --> 00:12:59,899 an integrated system, the bartender 390 00:12:59,899 --> 00:13:01,759 has to leave their station, find 391 00:13:01,759 --> 00:13:04,019 a phone, call engineering, explain 392 00:13:04,019 --> 00:13:05,659 the issue, and just hope it gets 393 00:13:05,659 --> 00:13:06,980 logged. Which takes them away from 394 00:13:06,980 --> 00:13:09,360 serving drinks. Exactly. But with 395 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,860 the ShoeTrek's light, the bartender 396 00:13:10,860 --> 00:13:12,320 logs the temperature issue on a 397 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:14,379 tablet instantly. The engineering 398 00:13:14,379 --> 00:13:16,139 team receives the alert in real 399 00:13:16,139 --> 00:13:18,259 time, adjusts the thermostat remotely, 400 00:13:18,779 --> 00:13:20,200 or dispatches a technician while 401 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:21,740 the guest is still enjoying their 402 00:13:21,740 --> 00:13:23,679 drink. Wow. So the guest returns 403 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:25,120 to their suite, the temperature 404 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:26,919 is perfect, and they never even 405 00:13:26,919 --> 00:13:28,720 realize a maintenance workflow was 406 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,980 executed. Precisely. The crew has 407 00:13:30,980 --> 00:13:32,879 total visibility across a single 408 00:13:32,879 --> 00:13:34,860 digital platform. They can anticipate 409 00:13:34,860 --> 00:13:36,419 and resolve a maintenance issue 410 00:13:36,419 --> 00:13:38,620 or execute a complex service request 411 00:13:38,620 --> 00:13:40,419 before the guest ever experiences 412 00:13:40,419 --> 00:13:42,200 a single moment of friction. That 413 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,440 is so seamless. It is. In modern 414 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:46,440 boutique cruising, advanced operational 415 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,759 technology is now a mandatory structural 416 00:13:48,759 --> 00:13:50,860 foundation. The paradox is that 417 00:13:50,860 --> 00:13:52,419 it actually takes a massive amount 418 00:13:52,419 --> 00:13:54,000 of corporate software to make the 419 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,799 service feel effortlessly personal. 420 00:13:55,860 --> 00:13:57,240 That makes total sense. Yeah. If 421 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:58,820 the invisible digital architecture 422 00:13:58,820 --> 00:14:01,070 fails, the visible luxury experience 423 00:14:01,070 --> 00:14:03,070 immediately fractures. That is a 424 00:14:03,070 --> 00:14:04,350 fascinating way to look at it. They're 425 00:14:04,350 --> 00:14:06,049 essentially engineering serendipity. 426 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:08,129 The Sifu is using this invisible 427 00:14:08,129 --> 00:14:10,049 technology to meticulously control 428 00:14:10,049 --> 00:14:12,350 the micro experience of just 120 429 00:14:12,350 --> 00:14:15,419 guests. But if we scale up. The 430 00:14:15,419 --> 00:14:17,419 Mega Lines face an entirely different 431 00:14:17,419 --> 00:14:18,759 structural challenge. Completely. 432 00:14:19,159 --> 00:14:21,539 Moving 120 guests requires great 433 00:14:21,539 --> 00:14:23,600 software. Efficiently deploying 434 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,539 and transporting over 3 ,000 guests 435 00:14:25,539 --> 00:14:27,539 every single week requires mastering 436 00:14:27,539 --> 00:14:29,320 the global map of international 437 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,500 flights. You just cannot fill a 438 00:14:31,500 --> 00:14:33,679 mega ship without massive, reliable 439 00:14:33,679 --> 00:14:35,860 airlift. Which brings us to a major 440 00:14:35,860 --> 00:14:37,340 shift happening in Caribbean routing. 441 00:14:38,019 --> 00:14:39,659 Princess Cruises has just announced 442 00:14:39,659 --> 00:14:41,960 a massive strategic move. They are 443 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,240 adding Bridgetown, Barbados, as 444 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:45,879 a seasonal home port starting in 445 00:14:45,879 --> 00:14:48,059 January 2027. The sheer volume of 446 00:14:48,059 --> 00:14:49,240 capacity they're committing to this 447 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:50,779 new home port is substantial. They 448 00:14:50,779 --> 00:14:52,399 are bringing in two of their Crown 449 00:14:52,399 --> 00:14:54,399 class ships. Which are huge. Massive. 450 00:14:54,820 --> 00:14:56,059 The Crown Princess will initiate 451 00:14:56,059 --> 00:14:57,879 the deployment running from January 452 00:14:57,879 --> 00:15:00,000 through March of 2027. Following 453 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,639 that, her sister ship, the Emerald 454 00:15:01,639 --> 00:15:03,460 Princess, will take over the route 455 00:15:03,460 --> 00:15:05,940 from November 2027 all the way through 456 00:15:05,940 --> 00:15:08,419 March 2028. To understand the logistics 457 00:15:08,419 --> 00:15:09,679 here, we really have to look at 458 00:15:09,679 --> 00:15:11,360 the physical size of these vessels. 459 00:15:11,799 --> 00:15:13,019 We're talking about ships measuring 460 00:15:13,019 --> 00:15:17,580 over 113 ,000 gross tons. They each 461 00:15:17,580 --> 00:15:21,379 carry up to 3 ,080 guests plus another 462 00:15:21,379 --> 00:15:23,840 1 ,200 crew members. It's immense. 463 00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:26,200 You are effectively dropping a small 464 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,080 city into Bridgetown every week 465 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,340 and rotating the entire population. 466 00:15:30,620 --> 00:15:32,250 Right. And the itineraries they're 467 00:15:32,250 --> 00:15:33,990 planning are incredibly appealing 468 00:15:33,990 --> 00:15:35,809 for winter travelers. They'll run 469 00:15:35,809 --> 00:15:37,730 six to nine -night southern Caribbean 470 00:15:37,730 --> 00:15:39,409 routes, which are designed to be 471 00:15:39,409 --> 00:15:41,549 easily combinable into a 14 -night 472 00:15:41,549 --> 00:15:43,669 extended vacation. Oh, nice. Yeah. 473 00:15:43,769 --> 00:15:45,490 And the port calls feature destinations 474 00:15:45,490 --> 00:15:47,149 that are much further south than 475 00:15:47,149 --> 00:15:49,230 your typical Bahamas routes, including 476 00:15:49,230 --> 00:15:51,370 places like St. Martin, Martinique, 477 00:15:51,590 --> 00:15:53,470 Grenada, Dominica, and Antigua. 478 00:15:54,110 --> 00:15:55,929 And their pricing strategy is highly 479 00:15:55,929 --> 00:15:58,299 aggressive. They are releasing lead 480 00:15:58,299 --> 00:16:01,019 fares starting around 699 British 481 00:16:01,019 --> 00:16:02,720 pounds per person for an inside 482 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,759 cabin. Even if you're looking at 483 00:16:04,759 --> 00:16:06,480 peak holiday voyages over Christmas 484 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,080 or New Year's, the entry point is 485 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,740 only pushing up to about 759 British 486 00:16:11,740 --> 00:16:14,220 pounds. And, you know, the currency 487 00:16:14,220 --> 00:16:15,879 you just used to quote those prices 488 00:16:15,879 --> 00:16:18,000 actually reveals the core strategy 489 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,980 behind this entire deployment. Everything 490 00:16:19,980 --> 00:16:21,659 is in British pounds because this 491 00:16:21,659 --> 00:16:23,659 move is explicitly designed to target 492 00:16:23,659 --> 00:16:25,610 the United Kingdom. Exactly. The 493 00:16:25,610 --> 00:16:27,330 decision to home port in Bridgetown 494 00:16:27,330 --> 00:16:29,909 is dictated almost entirely by airline 495 00:16:29,909 --> 00:16:32,389 connectivity. Barbados has cultivated 496 00:16:32,389 --> 00:16:34,909 incredible direct airlift from the 497 00:16:34,909 --> 00:16:36,529 UK. OK, that makes a lot of sense. 498 00:16:36,730 --> 00:16:38,070 Right. Princess is specifically 499 00:16:38,070 --> 00:16:39,669 leveraging flights departing from 500 00:16:39,669 --> 00:16:41,409 London Heathrow, London Gatwick, 501 00:16:41,649 --> 00:16:43,809 Manchester and Birmingham. They're 502 00:16:43,809 --> 00:16:45,070 pointing their marketing directly 503 00:16:45,070 --> 00:16:47,690 at the UK winter escape demographic. 504 00:16:48,070 --> 00:16:49,769 You know, travelers desperate to 505 00:16:49,769 --> 00:16:52,289 trade freezing rain and dark afternoons 506 00:16:52,289 --> 00:16:53,649 for the southern Caribbean sun. 507 00:16:54,139 --> 00:16:55,600 But the way Princess is handling 508 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:57,419 the flights is a pretty major departure 509 00:16:57,419 --> 00:16:59,679 from industry norms. Historically, 510 00:16:59,700 --> 00:17:01,139 when a cruise line targets the British 511 00:17:01,139 --> 00:17:02,679 market for a Caribbean sailing, 512 00:17:03,139 --> 00:17:05,059 they offer massive bundled flight 513 00:17:05,059 --> 00:17:08,160 cruise packages. The cruise line 514 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,319 will literally charter entire Boeing 515 00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:13,480 or Airbus jets, bundle the airfare 516 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,099 directly into the cruise ticket, 517 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,279 and handle every single logistical 518 00:17:17,279 --> 00:17:20,440 step. But Princess is notably refusing 519 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,940 to do that for this Barbados deployment. 520 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,140 And there's a good reason for that. 521 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,079 The financial mechanics of chartering 522 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:28,480 flights carry an enormous amount 523 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,740 of risk for a cruise line. If you 524 00:17:30,740 --> 00:17:32,740 charter a massive block of airline 525 00:17:32,740 --> 00:17:35,000 seats and your cruise doesn't completely 526 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:36,880 sell out, the cruise line still 527 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:38,559 has to pay the airline for those 528 00:17:38,559 --> 00:17:40,650 empty seats. Oh, wow. I never thought 529 00:17:40,650 --> 00:17:42,210 about that. It's a massive liability 530 00:17:42,210 --> 00:17:44,029 on the balance sheet. So by shifting 531 00:17:44,029 --> 00:17:45,750 away from bundled charters, Princess 532 00:17:45,750 --> 00:17:47,430 is essentially forcing the guests 533 00:17:47,430 --> 00:17:49,349 to book their flights independently. 534 00:17:49,789 --> 00:17:51,109 But that seems like it would introduce 535 00:17:51,109 --> 00:17:52,329 friction for the buyer. I mean, 536 00:17:52,390 --> 00:17:53,789 if I'm flying halfway across the 537 00:17:53,789 --> 00:17:55,190 world, I want the security of knowing 538 00:17:55,190 --> 00:17:57,349 the ship won't leave without me 539 00:17:57,349 --> 00:17:59,369 if my flight from Gatwick is delayed. 540 00:17:59,829 --> 00:18:01,309 Right. And to mitigate that exact 541 00:18:01,309 --> 00:18:03,410 fear. Princess is pushing their 542 00:18:03,410 --> 00:18:05,309 plane -sailing program. Oh, clever 543 00:18:05,309 --> 00:18:07,930 name. Very. This program keeps the 544 00:18:07,930 --> 00:18:09,990 airfare transaction completely separate 545 00:18:09,990 --> 00:18:12,029 from the core cruise fare, removing 546 00:18:12,029 --> 00:18:13,789 the charter liability for Princess. 547 00:18:14,690 --> 00:18:16,369 However, if the guest books their 548 00:18:16,369 --> 00:18:17,769 independent flight through this 549 00:18:17,769 --> 00:18:19,750 specific portal, the cruise line 550 00:18:19,750 --> 00:18:21,730 still provides late arrival protection 551 00:18:21,730 --> 00:18:24,130 and 24 -7 assistance for any flight 552 00:18:24,130 --> 00:18:25,809 disruptions. So it's the best of 553 00:18:25,809 --> 00:18:27,710 both worlds. Exactly. It perfectly 554 00:18:27,710 --> 00:18:30,119 threads the needle. The cruise line 555 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,059 offloads the financial risk of inventory 556 00:18:32,059 --> 00:18:34,059 control while the guest still retains 557 00:18:34,059 --> 00:18:35,980 the psychological safety net of 558 00:18:35,980 --> 00:18:37,880 a bundled package. That's incredibly 559 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:39,680 smart. Though the logistics of filling 560 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:41,660 a 3 ,000 passenger ship solely from 561 00:18:41,660 --> 00:18:43,759 the UK market is still a heavy lift. 562 00:18:44,259 --> 00:18:45,700 But here is where the routing strategy 563 00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:47,579 becomes absolutely brilliant. I 564 00:18:47,579 --> 00:18:49,059 love this part. I look closely at 565 00:18:49,059 --> 00:18:51,059 the itineraries and every single 566 00:18:51,059 --> 00:18:52,559 one of these Barbados departures 567 00:18:52,559 --> 00:18:54,720 also includes a port call at San 568 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,309 Juan, Puerto Rico. Princess is utilizing 569 00:18:58,309 --> 00:19:00,490 San Juan as a secondary embarkation 570 00:19:00,490 --> 00:19:02,130 point for the exact same continuous 571 00:19:02,130 --> 00:19:03,589 loop. Which fundamentally changes 572 00:19:03,589 --> 00:19:04,930 the economics of the deployment. 573 00:19:05,430 --> 00:19:07,150 The best way to visualize it is 574 00:19:07,150 --> 00:19:09,109 like a hop -on hop -off bus route 575 00:19:09,109 --> 00:19:11,970 for airplanes. You have a ship running 576 00:19:11,970 --> 00:19:14,779 a continuous 14 -day circle. On 577 00:19:14,779 --> 00:19:17,059 day one in Barbados, you board a 578 00:19:17,059 --> 00:19:18,839 massive wave of British passengers 579 00:19:18,839 --> 00:19:20,940 who just stepped off direct flights 580 00:19:20,940 --> 00:19:22,819 from London. The ship sails for 581 00:19:22,819 --> 00:19:24,740 a few days, and then on day seven 582 00:19:24,740 --> 00:19:27,170 it docks in San Juan. While the 583 00:19:27,170 --> 00:19:28,509 British passengers are off enjoying 584 00:19:28,509 --> 00:19:30,130 a day at the beach in Puerto Rico, 585 00:19:30,730 --> 00:19:32,109 Princess embarks a massive wave 586 00:19:32,109 --> 00:19:33,990 of American passengers who just 587 00:19:33,990 --> 00:19:35,349 flew domestically into San Juan. 588 00:19:35,630 --> 00:19:38,190 It's genius. By utilizing two different 589 00:19:38,190 --> 00:19:40,289 embarkation ports on a single continuous 590 00:19:40,289 --> 00:19:42,829 loop, Princess can seamlessly vacuum 591 00:19:42,829 --> 00:19:45,329 up travelers from two entirely different 592 00:19:45,329 --> 00:19:47,390 continents. Literally. They capture 593 00:19:47,390 --> 00:19:49,130 the UK market flying into Barbados, 594 00:19:49,190 --> 00:19:50,589 and they capture the North American 595 00:19:50,589 --> 00:19:52,710 market flying into San Juan. all 596 00:19:52,710 --> 00:19:54,349 sharing the exact same physical 597 00:19:54,349 --> 00:19:55,970 ship without overlapping turnaround 598 00:19:55,970 --> 00:19:58,690 days. It maximizes the yield on 599 00:19:58,690 --> 00:20:00,490 every single cabin. This really 600 00:20:00,490 --> 00:20:02,150 highlights how fierce the competition 601 00:20:02,150 --> 00:20:03,710 for winter home ports has become. 602 00:20:04,210 --> 00:20:05,289 Barbados isn't just a beautiful 603 00:20:05,289 --> 00:20:07,470 island anymore. It is rapidly rising 604 00:20:07,470 --> 00:20:09,250 as a dominant, highly strategic 605 00:20:09,250 --> 00:20:10,970 winter gateway for European market. 606 00:20:11,130 --> 00:20:12,470 Oh, absolutely. P &O Cruises is 607 00:20:12,470 --> 00:20:14,150 already basing massive ships like 608 00:20:14,150 --> 00:20:16,190 the Britannia and the Arvia there. 609 00:20:16,990 --> 00:20:18,650 MSC Cruises is bringing the MSC 610 00:20:18,650 --> 00:20:21,259 Opera and the MSC Sea View. down 611 00:20:21,259 --> 00:20:24,599 for the 2026 -2027 season. Yeah, 612 00:20:24,859 --> 00:20:26,259 Princess is planting their flag 613 00:20:26,259 --> 00:20:28,039 to ensure they grab their share 614 00:20:28,039 --> 00:20:30,900 of that lucrative UK airlift. When 615 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:32,559 you look at the broader map of their 616 00:20:32,559 --> 00:20:34,319 North American expansion, it all 617 00:20:34,319 --> 00:20:36,420 clicks into place. They've recently 618 00:20:36,420 --> 00:20:38,119 renewed their presence in San Juan. 619 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:40,019 They're expanding operations out 620 00:20:40,019 --> 00:20:41,559 of Port Canaveral with the new Star 621 00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:44,119 Princess. They have upcoming visits 622 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,579 scheduled for Carnival Corporation's 623 00:20:46,579 --> 00:20:49,079 massive new Celebration Key project 624 00:20:49,079 --> 00:20:51,559 in the Bahamas. This Bridgetown 625 00:20:51,559 --> 00:20:52,799 deployment proves that deciding 626 00:20:52,799 --> 00:20:54,319 where a ship sails is no longer 627 00:20:54,319 --> 00:20:55,539 just about finding an attractive 628 00:20:55,539 --> 00:20:57,460 beach. No, not at all. The future 629 00:20:57,460 --> 00:20:59,339 of cruise routing is a complex math 630 00:20:59,339 --> 00:21:01,410 equation by international airline 631 00:21:01,410 --> 00:21:03,630 schedules, secondary embarkation 632 00:21:03,630 --> 00:21:05,349 loops, and highly sophisticated 633 00:21:05,349 --> 00:21:07,589 inventory control. When you step 634 00:21:07,589 --> 00:21:08,990 back and look at these three developments, 635 00:21:09,069 --> 00:21:10,490 you really start to see the outline 636 00:21:10,490 --> 00:21:11,869 of what the next decade of travel 637 00:21:11,869 --> 00:21:13,730 will actually look like. If you're 638 00:21:13,730 --> 00:21:15,069 a traveler planning a vacation a 639 00:21:15,069 --> 00:21:16,490 few years from now, consider how 640 00:21:16,490 --> 00:21:18,230 these seemingly isolated innovations 641 00:21:18,230 --> 00:21:20,069 are going to merge. That's the real 642 00:21:20,069 --> 00:21:21,950 takeaway here. What happens to the 643 00:21:21,950 --> 00:21:24,009 industry when the zero emission 644 00:21:24,009 --> 00:21:26,289 automated 100 meter sails of a ship 645 00:21:26,619 --> 00:21:28,559 like the Orient Express Corinthian, 646 00:21:28,940 --> 00:21:31,079 are perfectly integrated with the 647 00:21:31,079 --> 00:21:33,539 invisible real -time digital software 648 00:21:33,539 --> 00:21:35,859 stack of a ship like the Ariat Sifu. 649 00:21:35,940 --> 00:21:37,160 It's going to be revolutionary. 650 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:38,799 And what happens when that ultimate 651 00:21:38,799 --> 00:21:40,539 hybrid of physical hardware and 652 00:21:40,539 --> 00:21:42,380 digital software is deployed out 653 00:21:42,380 --> 00:21:43,799 of a hyper -optimized home port 654 00:21:43,799 --> 00:21:45,960 like Bridgetown, pulling in passengers 655 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,059 from across the globe on a continuous 656 00:21:48,059 --> 00:21:50,220 embarkation loop? It changes everything. 657 00:21:50,380 --> 00:21:51,920 The industry is moving far beyond 658 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:53,579 just building bigger or more luxurious 659 00:21:53,579 --> 00:21:55,339 ships. They're trying to engineer 660 00:21:55,339 --> 00:21:58,039 the perfect frictionless vacation 661 00:21:58,039 --> 00:21:59,900 ecosystem. They want to control 662 00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:01,859 the experience from the absolute 663 00:22:01,859 --> 00:22:03,240 second you book your international 664 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:05,359 flight through the invisible software 665 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:07,299 anticipating your needs all the 666 00:22:07,299 --> 00:22:08,640 way to the physical mechanics of 667 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:10,480 the ship gliding silently across 668 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,319 the ocean on wind power alone. When 669 00:22:13,319 --> 00:22:15,089 the hardware wows you, The software 670 00:22:15,089 --> 00:22:17,230 supports you, and the massive logistical 671 00:22:17,230 --> 00:22:18,809 hurdles simply disappear into the 672 00:22:18,809 --> 00:22:21,289 background. Where will that kind 673 00:22:21,289 --> 00:22:23,950 of frictionless ecosystem take you 674 00:22:23,950 --> 00:22:25,369 next? It's going to be an exciting 675 00:22:25,369 --> 00:22:27,170 few years, that's for sure. Thanks 676 00:22:27,170 --> 00:22:29,269 for listening to Cruz News. Visit 677 00:22:29,269 --> 00:22:31,410 CruzNews .io to catch up on the 678 00:22:31,410 --> 00:22:33,269 latest updates and sign up for free 679 00:22:33,269 --> 00:22:34,049 email alerts.