157 must also reflect the season and fulfil guest expectations. The main challenge in long-haul regions, particularly when extending seasons, is airlift, not infrastructure. For our Mein Schiff brand, this means ensuring sufficient flight capacity, while Hapag-Lloyd Cruises focuses on premium business-class arrangements to meet guest expectations. Ultimately, it is the destinations, tour operators and wider cruise networks – rather than the ports alone – that play the decisive role in adapting successfully to new cruise concepts. Can you share any examples of especially effective destination partnerships? Tauschke: We see excellent cooperation in regions such as the Baltic and Norway, where associations like Cruise Baltic, Cruise Norway and Cruise Europe actively foster exchange and collaboration. Local shore excursion agencies and cruise networks add further value through tailored programming. Are there any particular ports that are well placed to take advantage of TUI Cruises’ changing approach to itinerary planning? Tauschke: From a TUI Cruises perspective, ports and regions close to our main German source market are especially well positioned. The Baltic, Norway and Northern Europe offer the proximity and flexibility our guests value, while the Canary Islands and the Caribbean appeal for longer cruises or seasonal escapes. Success, however, depends on understanding one’s source markets. For example, summer itineraries in the Middle East may be attractive from an airlift perspective but are less suitable for German-speaking guests due to high temperatures. Conversely, winter cruises in the Gulf of St. Lawrence can thrive when targeted at the right market. What advice would you give to ports and destinations that want to increase their appeal to cruise brands? Puttich: Destinations should first focus on building a strong seasonal product for their most natural source market – based on geography, accessibility and guest expectations – and then gradually expand to others. Overall, the cruise industry holds significant untapped potential. At TUI Cruises, we see great value in collaborating closely with the destinations, local networks and our shore excursion partners to think creatively, monitor market trends and shape new opportunities to drive growth together. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ expedition guests expect unique excursions, such as being able to see seals up close in Antarctica PLANNER PERSPECTIVE “ Destinations should first focus on building a strong seasonal product for their most natural source market” Marcus Puttich Photo: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
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