Cruise Port Tells Ships to Go Away

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several significant developments within the cruise industry for February 5. The first major story involves Princess Cruises canceling its planned summer calls to Yorktown, Virginia. This decision follows local opposition regarding overcrowding and the potential impact on the small town's environment and character, despite some local business support. To accommodate passengers, the cruise line will instead call at Norfolk, which allows travelers to access the historic triangle area including Jamestown and Williamsburg. In fleet news, Carnival Cruise Line has expanded to 27 ships following the acquisition of the Carnival Firenze from Costa Cruises. The handover took place in Cadiz, Spain, and the vessel will undergo refurbishments before beginning year-round service from Long Beach in late April. Additionally, Royal Caribbean Group President Jason Liberty reported a rise in onboard revenue driven by mobile purchases. Data shows that guests who book activities before their cruise tend to spend significantly more while onboard. Finally, the report notes that cruise line stocks experienced a decline on Friday, with Carnival Corporation seeing a decrease in value.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.