In this world that hovers between evolution and involution, gigantism seems to be the new norm. Take the cruise ship industry, for example: Royal Caribbean's upcoming “Icon of the Seas,” a cruise ship nearly the size of a small city, has capacity for nearly 10.000 people.
Be careful, though: not everyone is ready to set sail on these floating cities. Some see them as the future of tourism, others consider them "nightmares on the water". Obviously both are right. Now I tell you.
The Gigantism of cruise ships
There is a phenomenon that is growing like a giant wave: mega cruise ships. Every year now, a new "largest ship in the world" is launched. Royal Caribbean is at the forefront of this race for gigantism: its new giant of the sea has already generated enormous attention, selling out seats for the first voyage two years in advance and becoming the "best-selling product in the history" of the company. And there's a reason. To put it in the analyst's words Patrick Scholes:
Mega cruise ships tend to be more family-oriented, with activities like water slides and bumper cars. But some tourists prefer a “quieter” vacation experience.
Tourists with full pockets.
The turning point towards luxury
The answer to the increasing hypertrophy of the vessels is another current that is emerging: a rather luxurious current. High-end resort brands like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Aman are entering the cruise market, or as they prefer to call it, the “yacht” market. Smaller, more luxurious cruise ships that offer a more intimate and personalized experience, attracting an entirely different type of traveler.
A traveler who wants to focus more on the itinerary. Make it about him, right? Or is there a positive side to this future “rich” trend too. Well, there is one.
Sustainability and environmental impact
One of the biggest challenges for mega-cruise ships is sustainability. Concerns about pollution and crowding have led some cities in the United States and Europe to impose restrictions on cruise tourism. These massive ships have a significantly larger carbon footprint, making it harder to meet net-zero emissions targets by 2050.
Am I trying to tell you that it's better to put 50, 100, 400 rich people together on rich people's cruise ships rather than having them run around on 40 different mega yachts? Yes. Sorry if it's not much, it won't solve our problems, but better than nothing.
The future of cruise ships: a two-lane race
So where is all this taking us? On the one hand, mega cruise ships that offer endless activities and entertainment, but which present challenges in terms of sustainability and public acceptance. On the other hand, smaller and more luxurious ships that offer a more personalized, sustainable, exclusive and very expensive experience.
As with air travel, current cruise ships will perhaps be “the middle ground” between new, even larger low-cost cruise ships (20.000 passengers? More?) and small ships bringing six-star experiences to the oceans.
We are likely to see continued growth in all of these types of experiences. And as always, the market will have the final say. With the industry of the sector that seeks to attract 4 million new travelers by 2025, the battle for the future of cruise ships has just begun.
And you, which ship would you choose to sail on your next trip? The choice, as always, is all yours. And your wallet.
