My three big takeaways from Seatrade Cruise Global 2022

In this article I reflect on Seatrade Cruise Global 2022. I look why it was an important event for the industry and how it has filled me with even more excitement for where Cruise is heading.

Despite Cruise clearly being hit by the pandemic, 7.5 million people still sailed since Covid-19 began. During that time the Cruise industry adapted, innovated, and has sailed through.?

Tower was proud to have played a big part is supporting Cruise customers during this time of uncertainty, as we helped Cruise lines adapt to new safety and hygiene measures.

Seatrade Cruise Global 2022 was the first global gathering of the Cruise industry since the no-sail order was issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in March 2020.?

It seems like a lifetime ago now, but for the Cruise industry it’s been quite a journey for everyone.

So, what were my three big takeaways from such an important Seatrade event?

CRUISE IS BACK AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE

Everyone was celebrating the fact that 100% of vessels will be in operation by August 2022, and as many as 100 countries will be open to Cruise as a destination.

There are smoother seas ahead and everyone is diving right into the season ready to make waves and offer an even better cruising experience for everyone onboard.

CRUISE IS COMMMITED TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

It was enlightening to hear that the Cruise industry is determined to be a sustainability leader.

Everyone in Cruise is now looking beyond just being carbon neutral. Cruise lines will no longer be satisfied until net zero is achieved.

Reducing waste, ‘reuse and recycle’, and the removal of single-use plastics were big themes around sustainability. We’re proud to share the same goals and to be helping Cruise to achieve them.

One of the business pillars for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) was announced as ‘sustainability in hospitality services on board’.

CLIA also wants Cruise to be not just a sustainability leader, but an ‘environmental innovator’ too.

This made Tower’s CtrlFlow ECA technology – a sustainable and efficient process to generate high-quality biocides and cleaning agents on a ship – pique the interest of many Cruise lines at Seatrade.

CRUISE IS RESILIENT, CONSIDERATE, AND COLLABORATIVE

It was quickly apparent at Seatrade that despite Cruise being one of the hardest hit industries at the start of the pandemic, their resilience has shone through for everyone to see.

With new ships being launched and an ever-improving onboard customer experience, Cruise lines continually raise people’s expectation in terms of product quality and customer service.

Yet Cruise is also a highly collaborative industry. It does not compete over the prioritisation of the health, safety, and wellbeing of guests, and crew.

But the beauty of cruise is that people get to see multiple destinations. So local communities should feel also reassured of the stringent health and safety protocols onboard cruise ships.

There it is: my three big takeaways for Seatrade Cruise Global 2022.

The bottom line is that Cruise has always been one of the most exciting industries Tower works with. And Seatrade has just made me feel even more buoyed by what we can help them achieve.