1 For today’s cruise guests, a port is no longer simply somewhere to stop. It is often the reason for choosing a voyage in the first place: a chance to spend longer in a destination, meet the people who live there and bring home a story that is entirely their own. That shift runs through this issue. “A port is not simply a destination; it is an integral part of the overall value proposition of an itinerary,” says Davide Truscello of Costa Cruises, in our keynote interview on page 6, where he explains why itinerary design and commercial planning cannot be separated. Then, in our Marketwatch section on page 12, we share details of late departures and overnight stays that cruise lines are adding to their itineraries for 2027 and beyond. Of course, understanding that guests appreciate longer stops is just part of the work of an itinerary planner. The next step is to identify which destinations are the most appealing and what’s on offer to guests when they arrive. Throughout this issue, we find out how cruise line executives approach this challenge. From Luke Clarke of Swan Hellenic catering to the “intellectually curious” to Viking UK’s Wendy Atkin-Smith highlighting the “rich history, culture, architecture and natural beauty” of Northern Europe and the Med, we get valuable insights on route planning. Explora Journeys’ Captain Francesco Di Palma, Mystic Cruises’ Michael Braathen, Victory Cruise Lines’ Shelly Hartfield, HX Expeditions’ Lasse Roebers and Uniworld’s Chris Townson are among those who share how they choose destinations, work with local communities and plan for unpredictable conditions. Ports have their say too. We discover more about the infrastructure being built to keep pace with growing ships, and how destinations and operators are managing visitor numbers together. Regular readers will be accustomed to this welcome message coming from our executive editor, Jon Ingleton, who has been the voice and heart of the Cruise & Ferry magazines since the late 1980s. We recently lost Jon and this issue includes a tribute to him, written by our publisher and his brother Toby, on page 24. We are privileged to be carrying Jon’s legacy forward and maintaining the exceptional standards of journalism he inspired in us all. Alex Smith Editor, Cruise & Ferry Itinerary Planning More than a port of call Foreword 2027 £24.00 Follow Cruise & Ferry: Head of editorial Rebecca Gibson Editor Alex Smith Editorial team Richard Humphreys, Laura Hyde Cruise industry advisors Claudine Pohl, Jason Gelineau Head of media sales Shelly Palmer Publication manager Kimberley McLean Account managers Marie-Emmanuelle Dagri, James Luscombe, Benedict Pask Publisher Toby Ingleton Production manager Stuart Fairbrother Design Bruce Graham, Libby Sidebotham Cover image courtesy of Viking Website development Chris Jackson Circulation Sophia Brinkley Advertise info@cruiseandferry.net Subscribe subscribe@tudor-rose.co.uk www.cruiseandferry.net/subscriptions Published by Tudor Rose 6 Friar Lane Leicester LE1 5RA Tel: +44 116 2229900 www.tudor-rose.co.uk ISSN 1367-2657 (Print) ISSN 2635-0394 (Online) Printed in Great Britain by The Manson Group. © 2026 Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including by photocopying, scanning, downloading onto a computer or otherwise without the prior written permission from Tudor Rose Holdings Ltd. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. Readers should take appropriate professional advice before acting on any issue raised herein. All wording in the Featured Ports & Destinations section is based on content provided by the companies profiled. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject advertising material and editorial contributions. The publisher assumes no liability for the return or safety of unsolicited art, photography or manuscripts.
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