Cruise industry now ‘stronger’ than in the past

Ben Bouldin, the chairman of Clia UK & Ireland, has said that the UK cruise industry is stronger together than we’ve been in the past.

Speaking at the annual Clia Conference, Bouldin, who is also Royal Caribbean International’s EMEA vice-president, said that the cruise industry’s response to the pandemic was already being cited as best practice.

He said: “We’re a more robust, more resilient industry and we’re perhaps stronger together than we have ever been in the past.”

Bouldin added the industry had proved to itself and “many governments” that it was able to adjust and pivot when needed.

“We have introduced new protocols to keep our guests safe that is something that we have done incredibly well,” he said, adding that the cruise industry had “come back stronger than ever”.

He highlighted comments made by Stuart Nash, New Zealand’s tourism minister, who said people will read about the sector’s pandemic response “for many years to come”.