Focus: Cruising

Each spring, Travel Weekly's editors step back to focus on issues affecting the blue-water and river cruise industries. A key issue for ocean cruising continues to be the impact of emerging technologies on communications and interactions among agents, cruise lines and consumers. In river cruising, the buzz is about historical vessels and newbuilds returning to America's inland waterways. Travel Weekly editors Michelle Baran and Donna Tunney tackled these issues for our annual Focus: Cruise issue.

• Focus on Cruising: For oceangoing lines and agents, social media and trust are at the heart of an evolving partnership 
  
  It wasn't so long ago when the typical relationship between a cruise line and a cruise agent was strictly a two-party deal. The cruise line would offer a product, the agent would sell it to a client, and there was no reason to expect any communication between the supplier and the buyer. Read More 

• Focus on Cruising: Homegrown heritage is key as American Queen sets sail once again on the Mississippi 
  
  When the American Queen is rechristened on the Mississippi River this week, the paddlewheeler's passengers will be treated to a nearly lost piece of Americana. But the starring roles will played by a crew that represents the potpourri of culture and diversity that lines the banks of this country's great inland waterways. Read More