How do cruise lines decide where to go? Take a peek behind the scenes

Moving a vessel around the world requires years of precision planning, and always having a Plan B.

Ever wondered how a ship manages to be at a set port at a set time, and why there’s not a fleet of other cruise ships vying for the same spot on any given day? From a cruiser’s point of view, the scheduling seems to work like clockwork, but behind the scenes it takes years of precision planning.

Scenic group vice president of ocean deployment, Claudius Docekal, says Scenic is already deep in the planning stages for 2028-29 and beyond.

“In the planning stages we start with data, conducting in-depth analysis of market trends, seasonal patterns and guest preferences, alongside a careful assessment of potential destination experiences and operational feasibility,” Docekal says.

As an example let’s take luxury 228-guest expedition vessel Scenic Eclipse II, which, as you read this, is making her way to Australia. Right now, she is in Indonesia sailing on the 16-night Southeast Asia Cruise and soon she will be in the Kimberley. Later in the year, the ship will voyage to East Antarctica, retracing the path of early explorers in one of the most remote parts of the planet. After that, she will journey through the South Pacific, uncovering hidden islands and rarely visited communities, before crossing all the way to the Panama Canal. Then she sails in Central America and the Caribbean before heading across to explore the Mediterranean.

On mapping out a year’s worth of itineraries Docekal says that once a rough deployment plan is in place, the next crucial step is securing berth space and operational clearance at each port.

“With global port infrastructure under increasing pressure due to a growing number of vessels, early engagement is key. We work proactively with port authorities and local agents from the earliest stages of itinerary planning to ensure we secure the most desirable berths and timings,” he says.

A hallmark of the Scenic Eclipse experience is taking guests to smaller or emerging destinations that don’t typically welcome larger cruise ships. According to Docekal, in these cases they work together with local communities, maritime authorities and ground partners to ensure all the necessary infrastructure, permissions and guest services are in place.

“This enables us to safely deliver immersive and authentic experiences in some of the world’s most untouched and enriching locations,” says Docekal, who is looking forward to sailing on the 19-night Treasures of French Polynesia & the Marquesas Islands itinerary from Tahiti to Panama.

Obviously contingency plans are sometimes needed – due to, say, weather conditions out of anyone’s control – and this is something they factor in from the start when designing the deployment, Docekal says.

“We carefully study alternative options in advance and have plan B (and plan C) in place wherever possible,” he says.

“We always aim to deliver an alternative that matches – or even exceeds – the original plan. That said, safety is paramount, and in rare cases, port cancellations may be unavoidable.”

Originally published as How do cruise lines decide where to go? Take a peek behind the scenes