Ship Technology has listed five of the companies that trended the most in Twitter discussions related to cruise, using research from GlobalData’s Travel and Tourism Influencer platform.
The top companies are the most mentioned companies among Twitter discussions of more than 92 cruise experts tracked by GlobalData’s Travel and Tourism Influencer platform during the second quarter (Q2) of 2022.
Companies trending in cruise discussions: The top five
1. Carnival Corporation & Plc – 583 mentions
Carnival offering VIFP Club loyalty programme to retain its loyal customers, Cunard announcing new designs aboard its new upcoming ship Queen Anne, and the company raising its daily crew gratuities, were some of the popular discussions in Q2.
Gene Sloan, a principal writer at the travel website The Points Guy, shared an article on Carnival Cruise Line offering up very important fun person (VIFP) Club loyalty programmes to retain its loyal customers. The loyalty programme brought some valuable benefits at its higher-level tiers, such as priority access to several services and onboard venues, the article detailed. The programme also allows customers to reach a high-level tier more easily, earning points in the simplest ways. There are five tiers to the VIFP Club programme, namely Blue, Red, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond based on customers’ number of sailings and the points earned that range up to 200 or more points, the article noted.
However, unlike other rival cruise lines, Carnival did not offer discounts on sailings, shore excursions and beverages, free cruises for top-tier customers, or onboard bonuses such as free drinks in private lounges, the article further highlighted.
Carnival Corporation & Plc (Carnival) is a leisure travel company headquartered in Miami, Florida, the US. The company offers services through a portfolio of global, regional, and national cruise brands that specialises in selling cruise products, services, and vacation experiences. The cruise brand portfolio comprises Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK).
2. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd – 287 mentions
Residents of the Spanish city Palma de Mallorca protesting against Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas emitting toxic smoke over the city, the company extending its health regulations for North American and European cruises, and the cruise company to offer thousands of cruise jobs to people in Antigua and Barbuda, were popularly discussed in the second quarter.
James Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer, shared an article on the residents of Palma de Mallorca protesting against the arrival of Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas cruise ship at the Mediterranean port, as it emitted toxic smoke over the city. The reality, however, contrasted with the cruise line’s extravagant marketing of the ship as the ‘World’s Newest Wonder’, which housed two advanced emission purification systems that supposedly removed 98% of the sulphur emissions, the article detailed.
Reports suggest that The Wonder of the Seas belonged to the newest generation of cruise ships that is categorised by its size. Palma protestors tweeted images of the cruise ship, stating that it polluted, overcrowded and was detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the population. Palma is the first Spanish port, and the second after Dubrovnik in the Mediterranean, to limit the number of cruise ships to a maximum of three in one day, out of which only one can be a megacruiser with over 5,000 guests and crew, the article noted.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) is a cruise vacation service provider headquartered in Miami, Florida, the US. The cruise offers onboard activities, services and amenities including dining, simulated surfing, swimming pools, sun decks, beauty salons, and exercise and spa facilities. Its major brands include Silversea Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Azamara and Celebrity Cruises.
3. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd – 178 mentions
Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet returning to full passenger service this year, the cruise company reporting its first quarter earnings and $1.0bn losses, and its most popular Norwegian Escape having completed its first voyage to the Eastern Mediterranean since 2015, were some of the popular discussions in Q2.
Doug Parker, producer and voice at the travel podcast CruiseRadio, tweeted on the Norwegian Cruise Line completing its full fleet restart service, nine and a half months after its first ship began sailings after the industry shutdown. The line’s first ship to return to service after a 500-day pause was the Norwegian Jade, on 25 July 2021, from the port of Athens. Since then, the cruise is trying to return to full passenger service, the article highlighted. In May 2022, the final vessel, Norwegian Spirit, set sail on a 12-night voyage from Papeete, Tahiti to Honolulu, Hawaii.
The cruise experienced a $100 million dry dock in early 2020 due to the pandemic. It would now be sailing across the south Pacific into mid-June, the article detailed. The Norwegian Spirit has had the most widespread renovation the company’s history, with the ship now featuring 14 new venues, more and upgraded staterooms, increased public areas, and a fresh hull art, the article further noted.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH), formerly NCL Corp Ltd, is a cruise lines operator headquartered in Miami, Florida, the US. The company offers a company offers Freestyle Cruising, a distinct style of cruising that allows guests the freedom and flexibility to experience a resort-style atmosphere. It also operates cruises under the brand names of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
4. MSC Cruises SA – 107 mentions
MSC Crociere’s subsidiary MSC Cruises introducing new stay and cruise packages this summer, and the company announcing the christening of its new MSC Seascape cruise ship in New York City in December, were some of the popular discussions in the second quarter.
Cruise Addicts, an online source for cruise news and reviews, shared an article on MSC Cruises introducing new stay and cruise packages this summer, thereby allowing customers to make the most of their vacation, both on land and at sea, by offering a complete end-to-end experience. For example, the line’s guests for East Mediterranean voyages would have the benefit of spending up to two days either in Venice, Italy, or Athens, Greece prior to embarking on their seven-night vacation at sea, the article detailed.
The offering is also expected to be rolled out in late summer 2022 for the line’s US sailings from Miami and Port Canaveral/Orlando, along with New York being added in the summer of 2023, the article further highlighted. The new package included up to two nights’ stay in a four-star hotel with breakfast, a half-day city exploration tour, luggage transfers from the hotel to guest cabins on the cruise ship, and private ground transportation to the ship’s boarding port. In addition, air travel could also be booked via the cruise line and included in customers’ stay and cruise packages.
MSC Cruises SA (MSC Cruises) is a cruise services provider headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The company offers services such as theme cruises, shore excursions, onboard, and spa and wellness services. It also offers special occasion services such as ceremonies, anniversaries and honeymoons services, airport shuttle services and hospitality services.
5. Holland America Line Inc – 69 mentions
Holland America Line opening sales for new voyages in Australia and New Zealand starting September, and the cruise line offering a celebration sale as its fleet returned to full service in June 2022, were some of the popular discussions in Q2.
Seatrade Cruise News, an online source for cruise information, tweeted on Holland America outlining 2022 Australia and New Zealand return. According to Beth Bodensteiner, HAL’s chief commercial officer, the cruise line expected increased optimism that the entire region would be back to cruising in the fall, with guests waiting almost two years to take their dream cruise. The pent-up demand for cruises to Australia and New Zealand led the cruise line to take this decision, the article further noted.
The new journeys aboard Westerdam, HAL’s final ship to resume operations in June this year, are expected to be offered from 25 September and will continue through 13 March, along with new Southeast Asia cruises beginning in February after a Singapore dry dock in January, the article detailed.
Holland America Line (HAL) is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & Plc headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the US. The cruise line’s fleet includes 11 modern classic ships offering over 500 sailings every year across all seven continents.
