Cruises in 2002 ­
Despite 9/11, a growing business

By Fred McCague

• The cruise industry has shown remarkable resilience and flexibility in the months since September 11. In the immediate after-math of the collapse of the World Trade Center, the New York Passenger Ship Terminal was closed and remained closed for months. They diverted ships for Bermuda and New England/East Canada to Boston Philadelphia and other ports.
  
  On November 10,the new 142,000 gross ton Adventure of the Seas arrived in New York for its naming ceremony, led by representatives from the Fire Department of New York and New York Police Department in a ceremony on the ship at Pier 88.
  
  A special two-day cruise for firefighters and police officers followed. Scheduled cruise service to New York City resumed January 7 with the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth 2. Like the rest of the travel/tourism industry, the cruise lines suffered some serious difficulties in the immediate aftermath of September 11.At the same time,it showed the flexibility of its floating assets. Many ships originally scheduled to sail in Europe, especially the Eastern Mediterranean, were shifted to other routes, while quick decisions were made for the oncoming winter and summer months.
  
  Two already-struggling carriers, American Classic Voyages and Renaissance Cruises could not service the immediate crunch and went out of business. Quick decisions last October lead to Princess Cruises rescheduling the 1,590-passenger Regal Princess from Europe to be home ported in San Francisco for this summer, while Holland America Line switched the 1,300-passenger Amsterdam from Europe to a Seattle home port for this summer. Both ships are now on the West Coast maintaining regular services to Alaska.
  
  In the aftermath of this, by November P&O Princess of London and Royal Caribbean of Miami announced a merger, which would create the world 's largest cruise line. Carnival Corporation currently the largest operator, including Holland America, Costa Cruises and Cunard has put in a competing bid for P&O Princess.
  
  At time of writing, both proposals are still on the table and both are still wending their separate ways through the antitrust regulatory mazes of Europe and the United States.
  While the corporate shuffle continues, the major carriers continue to absorb new tonnage at a hectic pace. The major lines will add eleven new ships this year. Nine of them are full-length Panamax or post-Panamax ships carrying between 1,850 and 3,000 passengers.
  
  A strong push has been to cruiseships within driving range of their customers. This has led, especially on the Gulf and East Coasts, to expanded services and a broader range of embarkation ports. While accelerated by the events of September 11, this trend has been growing for a number of years.