FLORIDA- CARIBBEAN Caribbean Cruising CRUISE THE FLORIDA-CARIBBEAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION Third Quarter 2007 EXECUTIVE FEATURES COMMITTEE FCCAMicky Chairman, Arison Chairman & CEO 9 The 2007 FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference and Trade Show. Carnival Corporation Join us in Cozumel, Mexico to foster new relationships. PresidentThomas M. McAlpin 12 A Look Inside Playa Mia Grand Beach Park. Disney Cruise Line 18 What Destinations Can Learn From Disney Cruise Line. PresidentRichard &E. CEO Sasso MSC Cruises (USA) Inc. By Tom McAlpin, President - Disney Cruise Line. PresidentColin V eitch& CEO 24 Port Everglades Expands for the Future. Norwegian Cruise Line 28 Tours - Thinking Outside the Box. VStephenice President, A. Nielsen By Darius Mehta, Director Land Programs - Regent Seven Caribbean & Atlantic Shore Operations Seas Cruises. Princess Cruises/Cunard Line 30 Cozumel - An Island of Cultural Treasures. PrAdamesident Goldstein Royal Caribbean International RCCL’s Patrick Schneider, Director of Shore Excursions Shares FCCA STAff 34 RCCL’s Patrick Schneider, Director of Shore Excursions Shares His Goals With Us. GraphicsOmari BrCoordinatoreakenridge 36 Cruise Control - Managing the Cruise Industry. Director,Terri Cannici Special Events By Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Secretary General & CEO, Caribbean Tourism Organization. VAdamice President Ceserano 40 NCL Welcomes New Billion Dollar Shareholder to Freestyle ExecutiveJessica LalamaAssistant Cruising and the Industry’s Youngest Fleet. Star Cruises and Apollo Team Up to Boost NCL’s Growth. Director,Victoria Public S. Lalta Relations & Membership Programs Happenings Departments Cruise Industry News President’s Letter ResearchLaura Mori Analyst 5 3 & Platinum Highlights Faces in the Industry 56 PresidentMichele M. Paige New Ship Profiles 58 Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) FCCA Member Lines 11200 Pines Blvd., Suite 201, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026 Carnival Cruise Lines • Celebrity Cruises • Costa Cruise Lines • Cunard Line • Disney Cruise Line Phone: (954) 441-8881 • Fax: (954) 441-3171 Holland America Line • MSC Cruises (USA) Inc. • Norwegian Cruise Line • Princess Cruises Website: www.f-cca.com • E-mail: [email protected] Caribbean Cruising © 2007 ~ All Rights Reserved. Regent Seven Seas Cruises • Royal Caribbean International Third Quarter 2007 o Caribbean Cruising 1 President’s Letter www.f-cca.com “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” As we look ahead to the fall months, we also look forward to a time of the year when people feel more energized and more motivated to tackle tasks. It’s just human nature to feel fall is a time to sprint ahead. In this respect, the timing of the 14th Annual FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference & Trade Show couldn’t be better. We’re looking forward to seeing more than 1,200 industry professionals in Cozumel, Mexico, from Oct. 8 - 12. And one of the keys to success in the coming months, as well as a recurring theme at the Conference, will be teamwork. Success comes through cooperation, and while competition is healthy and often fuels success as well, solo thinking – me-ism – can undermine the best of intentions. Michele M. Paige with Instead, we will explore cooperative teamwork in which individual skill Dalila Negrón de Ortega, sets, when combined, open the door for achievements far beyond that of President - DIF Cozumel what one person, or one group, can achieve. We can learn from each other’s successes. And there are successes galore occurring throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, as you will see in this convention issue: • Patrick Schneider, the newly appointed Global Director of Shore Excursions for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, discusses his company’s intense analysis of why passengers sail and what they want from their cruise – and how their cultural backgrounds often determine their cruise expectations; • Cozumel offers an endless array of historic and renovated venues for visitors and Conference attendees. A few hints are offered toward possible sites to see – from the historic Public Clock to the Two Cultures Encounter that honors the ethnic roots of these native Mexicans; • When Disney Cruise Line launched in 1998, as you might expect, there was lots of innovative planning in the process. Tom McAlpin writes about how destinations can learn from Disney’s approach to the cruise industry – and its focus on children and adults simultaneously; • “Think unique, think different” is the watchword from a Regent Seven Seas Cruises article. Take note of what makes your destination or venue or business unique and expand on that. Think out of the box. Look for creative ways to combine what your guests like best about you. So take a few minutes and read what the experts have to offer in this issue. Then enjoy yourselves while looking for ways to take that idea of teamwork and make it work for you and your destination. See you in Cozumel! Respectfully yours, Michele M. Paige Third Quarter 2007 o Caribbean Cruising 3 www.f-cca.com Cruise Industry News & Platinum Highlights www.gotopuertorico.com Colombia’s Reawakening During the 2007 Caribbean cruise season, the line says they will carry a record 2.9 million passengers to the Caribbean, more than any other year in their history. There has been a lot of talk in the financial community about weakness in the Caribbean market, but Carnival sees it strictly as a result of outside economic factors in the US causing the weakness the industry has seen the last year or so It’s smooth sailing for cruise passen- Since 2001, Colombia has not seen a in the region, not disinterest in the gers arriving at Puerto Rico, one of the flow of cruises calling into its ports Caribbean itself. only destinations in the Caribbean (Cartagena, Santa Marta & San Andres) where no passport is required. The Port as is the case today. Colombia is Those economic factors have affected of San Juan, one of the busiest ocean expected to receive approximately 90 the less affluent Americans, and since terminals in the Caribbean, welcomes cruises in 2007 or 125 cruises by season the Caribbean is overall the least more than 700 cruise ships and nearly (Aug – Apr; 07-08), up from just 50 expensive destination, that's the part of one million passengers to Puerto Rico cruises back in 2005. This outstanding the market that's been most sensitive to each year. result reflects both the hard work and price. Carnival said today that they are resolve from Colombia’s people and seeing much more strength in their As ships arrive at the port, visitors are the belief and support from the Cruises’ bookings (read that as more bookings at welcomed with Puerto Rico’s warm hos- executives and the FCCA, who even higher prices) for the second half of pitality, and an introduction to the lively scheduled its platinum meeting in 2007 and early 2008. music, Latin culture and rich history of Cartagena Colombia in 2006. the Old San Juan, the capital of Puerto CLIA's statistics still show that the Rico. Passengers choosing to spend the The success is not limited to an increase Caribbean is the most sought-after cruise day in Old San Juan can explore the in cruise flow into Colombian ports. destination by far in consumers' minds. cobblestone streets and visit ancient Colombia’s figures in the tourism sector churches, plazas, historic sites, trendy are now beginning to reflect growing "The Caribbean offers everything that restaurants, hip boutiques and galleries. optimism. In year 2006, Colombia greeted consumers want in a vacation - picture 1.5 million foreign visitors, a substantial perfect weather, gracious hospitality, If time permits, passengers may want to increase of 50% from the previous year. unique sightseeing experiences, great explore beyond the shore and visit the That figure is now expected to grow 5% shopping and, of course, gorgeous diverse regions of the island. Surf the in 2007 and to generate close to USD beaches," said Vicki Freed, Carnival's waves in Rincon, explore the rich $12,822 million in revenue, about 6.3% SVP of sales and marketing. "But culture of Ponce, take a scenic drive of Colombia’s G.D.P. Furthermore, there's more to the Caribbean than great through the mountainous central region advances for investment are also being beaches - this is one of the most cultur- or hike through Puerto Rico’s magnifi- recognized by the key firms such as ally diverse regions in the world, with a cent El Yunque Rain Forest. Standard & Poor´s, which upgraded the rich history dating back centuries, Colombian risk grade to BB+ from BB, magnificent architecture, and historical Because Puerto Rico is a territory of the and revised the outlook for Colombia attractions and landmarks," she added. US, US citizens do not need a passport from stable to POSITIVE. to enter the country, the dollar is the In order to carry those 2.9 million official currency and English is widely passengers, Carnival will have 18 ships spoken on the island. For more infor- Biggest Year in the Caribbean deployed in the Caribbean this season. mation about cruise travel to Puerto Fourteen of them remain in the Rico, contact your preferred travel Who says people are tired of the Caribbean year round, and they sail professional or explore the island Caribbean? Certainly not Carnival's from 12 homeports in the US. (Vicki online at www.gotopuertorico.com. customers. Freed would remind you that there's Third Quarter 2007 o Caribbean Cruising 5 www.f-cca.com Cruise Industry News & Platinum Highlights Cruise Industry News & Platinum Highlights www.f-cca.com one sailing from a port near you.) Those A Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association in the cruise industry, not just in the ships combined will sail approximately delegation visited Guaymas last British Virgin Islands but throughout Dates for your diary… 1,150 cruises. And when the ships are February, and the destination will take the region.