V On the Water
It hasn’t all been plain sailing, but the cruise sector has bounced back brilliantly this year
The cruise industry’s resilience was widely praised this year as lines ramped up operations following the sector’s pandemic restart in 2021. Former maritime minister Robert Courts hailed cruise in January for being “a shining example” of how an industry could work with government to overcome Covid-related challenges. One constant throughout the pandemic has been
cruise lines’ ability to launch high-profile ships in challenging conditions – even when supply chain issues caused delays and interruptions. Start-up operator Ambassador Cruise Line was one line which had to navigate these challenges ahead of the launch of its first ship Ambience in April, but chief executive Christian Verhounig said launching the first British cruise line in more than a decade demonstrated how strongly the company believed in the future of the sector. River ships MS Arena and Avalon View were also
officially named in April – after delaying both ceremonies for more than two years due to the pandemic. And
to round off a busy month, Celebrity Cruises hosted agents on two showcase sailings on Celebrity Beyond starting from Southampton. In May, Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of
the Seas made its European debut. The ship, which is capable of carrying 7,000 passengers, had operated its maiden cruise in March from Florida. Elsewhere, Azamara Onward, Azamara’s fourth vessel, was named in Monte Carlo ahead of operating its maiden voyage through the Mediterranean to Ravenna, Italy.
HARMER HONOURED More than 550 delegates attended the annual Clia Conference in Southampton at the end of May – the first such event since before the pandemic in 2019. And in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, Clia UK & Ireland managing director Andy Harmer was awarded an OBE for his services to the maritime sector. Holland America Line christened its latest vessel Rotterdam in its namesake city at the end of May, with the
Royal Caribbean
International’s Wonder of the Seas set sail in March
globetravelawards.co.uk
November 2022 21
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