Over two days of discussion at Seatrade Cruise Global 2026, cruise industry leaders have highlighted the evolving role of destinations and the industry’s long-term growth trajectory in panel sessions focused on key issues facing the industry.
Held under the theme ‘Beyond the Horizon: Leveraging cruising’s strength and scale to drive innovation’, the first day of the conference brought together representatives from cruise lines, port authorities and tourism organisations to examine how destinations are influencing the cruise experience.
“Destinations are central to how value is created across the entire cruise ecosystem,” said Chiara Giorgi, global brand and event director for Seatrade Cruise Global. “The decision to dedicate the opening day of Seatrade Cruise Global to this topic reflects a broader industry shift toward deeper collaboration with communities, more intentional experience design and a recognition that what happens ashore is as important as what happens onboard.”
The opening keynote featured Jason Montague, chief luxury officer at Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, who highlighted the role of destination strategy in shaping demand and differentiation. The discussion reflected on a wider shift towards integrating experience design, partnerships and community engagement into destination planning.
Morning sessions explored the relationship between time spent ashore and its impact on economic outcomes, guest satisfaction and demand. In a panel moderated by Roger Blum of Cruise & Port Advisors, speakers including Russell Benford, vice president of government relations for the Americas at Royal Caribbean Group; Karin Plettner, vice president of global ports and destinations strategy at Carnival Corporation; Marie-Andrée Blanchet, director of cruises and port ecosystem at the Port of Quebec; Juan Trescastro, vice president of global destinations at Virgin Voyages, and Dona Regis-Prosper, secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, discussed collaboration with local communities.
A separate session moderated by Shannon McKee of Access Cruise included Justin Poulsen, head of itinerary planning, destination experiences and ground handling for Explora Journeys; Leyla Oner, president and CEO of Tura Turizm; Maria Tauschke, head of shore operations for TUI Cruises; Laura Vlad, vice president of itinerary, destinations and onboard revenue at Aman at Sea and Virginia Quintairos, managing director of Intercruises. The discussion focused on the role of personalisation, technology and sustainability in shaping guest experiences beyond the vessel.
Afternoon sessions addressed the role of authenticity in destination development. In a panel moderated by David Selby, managing owner of Travelyields, representatives from Azamara, MedCruise, the Port of Taranto and Hurtigruten discussed approaches centred on local culture and heritage. The ‘Welcome Ashore’ session included contributions from stakeholders in Alaska, Greece and The Bahamas, outlining the impact of cruise tourism on employment, small businesses and community development.
The day concluded with a session on infrastructure and long-term destination planning, moderated by Tom Spina, president of Tom Spina Consulting. Participants from Carnival Corporation, Port Everglades, Royal Caribbean Group and Alaska Railroad Corporation examined how investing in port and landside infrastructure could help ports and destinations to manage capacity, guest experience and environmental considerations.
On day two, the event continued with the ‘State of the Industry’ keynote, moderated by CNBC correspondent Contessa Brewer. Panellists included Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation; Jason Liberty, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group; Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division; John Chidsey, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; and Bud Darr, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
“Cruising, ultimately, is about reducing friction so that people can enjoy the hospitality that we give them,” said Weinstein. “With our crew onboard, the food that we give them, the entertainment that we provide and the places that we take them. And our destination partners are a huge piece of that. That's why they cruise.”
Speakers referenced continued global demand and fleet expansion, alongside challenges related to infrastructure, regulation and evolving customer expectations.
“The new generation of cruisers have somewhat different values and are willing to spend money on somewhat different experiences than in the past,” said Darr. “The industry is evolving to satisfy that need as well as the existing customer base. We're also finding a remarkably higher level of people that had never cruised before that really want to, and I think that means our message is getting through.”
Discussion topics included the global orderbook, access to new markets, development of private destinations and sustainability considerations.
Panels during the second day also addressed regional and segment-specific developments. A European cruise CEO session considered the impact of tightening environmental regulations, including emissions controls and European Union policy developments, alongside operational adjustments such as year-round deployment and infrastructure planning.
In the river cruise segment, executives discussed increased vessel orders and demand, with a focus on capacity management, itinerary development and long-term supply and demand balance across key waterways.
The expedition cruise segment was also a key topic, with discussion centred on geographic expansion, evolving guest expectations and the adoption of lower-impact technologies.
“Sixty years ago, the father of our founder led the very first non-scientific expedition to Antarctica with 53 travellers, and back then it was equivalent to a mission to the moon,” said Natalya Leahy, CEO of Lindblad Expeditions. “He started the whole segment. In this experiential travel sector – it's not where we go, it's about how we go.”
The ‘New Presidents’ panel brought together senior executives from across cruise segments to discuss approaches to attracting new customers, responding to changing preferences and managing competition. Topics included the use of artificial intelligence, onboard product development and deployment strategies.
The event also included announcements related to fleet investment. Holland America Line outlined ‘Holland America Evolution’, a multi-year programme to refurbish six ships, involving vessel-wide upgrades and the introduction of features from its Pinnacle-class ships. American Cruise Lines, meanwhile, confirmed continued expansion of its domestic fleet, including the planned launch of American Encore, which is expected to be the first riverboat christened in Idaho, with deployment in regions including the Columbia and Snake rivers.
Seatrade Cruise Global 2026 continues at the Miami Beach Convention Center until 16 April, with more than 13,000 registrants and 650 exhibitors attending.