Getting Your Cruise On

Touring the Caribbean

Cruising

• A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages– the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are

part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way

– transportation is not the prime purpose, as cruise ships operate mostly on routes that return passengers to their originating port

Cruising

• Cruising in general is a large and growing industry

• The Caribbean is the most popular area in the world for cruising– 70% of cruises are based on North America,

with the majority of those cruising the Caribbean

Onboard Amenities

• Dining

• Pools and hot tubs

• Bars

• Casinos

• Spas/Fitness centres

• Shops

• Theatre

Cruising

• The three largest cruise operators are Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean International, and Star Cruises/Norwegian Cruise Lines

• The largest cruise ship in the world is the Allure of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean– 1,187 ft long, Max capacity 6,360 people

• Most major cruise ship have capacity of around 3-4,000 people

Who Cruises

• Stereotypically cruise passengers are older people

• There are cruises more oriented towards– Families– Singles– Niche markets (LGBT cruises, concert

cruises, etc.)

Leaving from…

• Most ships leave from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale

• Most cruises return to the same port they left from, though some are one way– Ex: cruising from Miami to San Diego via the

Panama canal

Ports of Call

• Cruise ships will stop for a period of time – less than a day – at destinations

• These places are called Ports of Call– The port of call must be equipped to handle

the massive cruise ships

• Passengers disembark and can engage in various tourist activities on shore

Ports of Call

• The busiest port of call is The Bahamas– This is because its short distance from Florida

is very convenient for both short and long cruises

• Other popular popular ports of call are the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Jamaica

The downside

• Cruise ships generate a lot of waste that can result in discharges (sewage) to the marine environment

• They also emit air pollutants• Cruise ship waste has the potential to threaten

human health and damage aquatic life• The growth of the cruise ship industry has had a

negative impact on the hotel industry in the Caribbean, as well as other businesses (restaurants, etc.)

Work

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