TABLE OF CONTENTS By the end of the chapter the reader should be able to:
Understand how the cruise industry interfaces with shipping in general
Reflect on the commercial nature of shipping
Consider the legal environment for the cruise industry
Identify the role of international maritime organizations for cruise operations
In Chapter 1 the development of the cruise industry was described from a historical perspective. This chapter seeks to take a more holistic view of the contemporary nature of shipping so as to develop a greater depth of understanding about the cruise industry in context. There are many constraints for operators in the international shipping arena that are in place to ensure certain safeguards exist. Therefore, the legal environment is also examined to highlight critical factors. Legal issues are paramount for a number of organizations that have vested interests in either developing the legal framework or in supporting operators to comply appropriately. For this reason, an overview of the major maritime organizations is provided to illustrate their importance and involvement for the cruise industry and the maritime industry.
The cruise industry is a type of passenger travel that arose phoenix-like after the Second World War, when jet planes were introduced as mass transportation vehicles to replace the stately and seemingly invincible transatlantic liners (Dickinson and Vladimir, 1997). Over the last three decades, the renaissance of cruising has been relentless and, for the large cruise corporations, it has also been highly lucrative. A number of issues yet remain that...
