Cruise industry executives gathered at Brightline’s MiamiCentral Station on Monday, Nov. 17 to discuss “The Future of Cruising Starts Here,” one of a series of “Connecting Conversations” facilitated by Brightline, Florida’s private, intercity rail service.
Porthole Cruise/PPI Group Chairman Bill Panoff moderated a panel that included Javier Del Rio, Senior Director Analytics, at Royal Caribbean International, Elizabeth Fettes, SVP Commercial, Cunard North America and Australia, Nathan Hickman, Chief Commercial Officer, Oceania Cruises, Marie Lee, Chief Marketing Officer, Princess Cruises, Joseph Morris, Port Director and CEO, Port Everglades and Hydi Webb, Port Director and CEO, PortMiami, the world’s largest passenger port that serves as the homeport for dozens of cruise lines and millions of passengers each year.
Brightline CEO Patrick Goddard introduced the panel, pointing out Brightline, which already serves two of Florida’s busiest ports — Miami and Port Everglades — will “very soon be talking about a station in Cocoa, which will have adjacency to Port Canaveral.”
Mr. Panoff, describing Brightline as a connector of people, communities and destinations, initiated a wide-ranging discussion that touched on topics that included the benefits of shore power and sustainability to how cruise lines are employing AI and how each brand is marketed.
Both PortMiami and Port Everglades are reporting record numbers of ships and passengers as demand for cruise travel continues strong post-pandemic. Mr. Morris pointed out on Sunday that Port Everglades saw a record number of guests and crew — 57,000 in a single day, while Ms. Webb said that same Sunday saw a record number of ships at PortMiami — 10.
Comparing AI to having “1,000 interns,” Royal’s Mr. Del Rio noted, “if we can hand off the number crunching to AI,” analysts will have more time to interpret the data and “turn it into tangible, real insights” that can focus on the consumer experience. Others felt AI can play a role in summarizing customer comment cards as well as streamlining traffic flow in and out of the ports.
When asked about balancing tradition with the new luxury travel expectations at Cunard, Ms. Fettes talked about the importance of listening to your customers and having invested partners, like Brightline. “We are always evolving from a brand standpoint,” she said, “and making sure we have the right partnerships to give that modern luxury experience. Even though everyone’s seen this massive growth, there’s still so much potential.” In a first for the company, Cunard is homeporting Queen Elizabeth at PortMiami, which made her debut cruise in October.
At Princess, Ms. Lee remarked, “we are a brand lucky to have a lot of nostalgia,” with their Love Boat legacy, but are “moving beyond that” to provide “a balanced experience where you can have as much leisure you want or as much activity as you want with great food and amazing accommodations.” Princess’ newest ship, Star Princess, just had her naming ceremony at Port Everglades in early November.
Oceania’s newest ship, Allura, was recently christened at PortMiami, where she’ll be doing sailings to the Caribbean. Mr. Hickman noted that smaller ships like Allura can “really focus on our culinary experience,” but at the same time, “look beyond just what’s served on the plate.” That includes taking guests to regional markets with their chefs to get a more immersive feel for the culture.
When asked about the role Brightline plays, the panel was unanimous, praising their customer service and the benefits of a “stress-free arrival experience” for their guests. Ms. Webb summed it up: “Brightline has really transformed the way people are getting in and out of the Port of Miami.”
PHOTO By Gerry Barker
The panel discusses the cruise industry at Brightline’s MiamiCentral
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