Strength of Cruise Market Spurs New Niche Startups
The continuing strong demand for cruise vacations and the positive outlook are once again attracting new players into the market and driving the formation of niche offerings. The COVID-19 pandemic and the economics of operating cruise ships largely drove small players from the market, but the strength of the industry is once again creating interest for new companies.
Much of the focus on 2026 will be on the entry of the luxury hotel brands into the market. Ritz-Carlton started the trend, launching cruise ships in 2022 with a smaller ship called Evrima, followed by two larger cruise ships. The much-talked-about Four Seasons yacht cruise ship launches this spring and will be followed by the sailing yacht Orient Express Corinthian, but also emerging are new players seeking to reopen the Spanish cruise market and yacht cruising in the Greek Islands.
Vice President of Sales for Corazul Cruceros, Alex Busquets, says Spanish cruises largely left the market after the collapse of the two Spanish cruise brands, Pullmantur, which closed during the pandemic, and Iberocruceros, which was operated by Carnival Corporation until 2014.
Busquets told The Maritime Executive that their research showed only 10 percent of Spanish cruisers stayed with the industry. He says they found that 90 percent of the customers had gone back to hotels and resorts, but they believe the interest in cruising remains strong.
Corazul was announced last month and plans to start operations in July, offering a uniquely Spanish product. He said the Spanish culture centers around socializing and outdoor activities. The new cruise product will be tailored, he says, to their style with numerous outdoor activities and music to appeal to Spanish customers. Dinner aboard the ship will be served at 8:30 pm and 10 pm, also to reflect the Spanish culture.
Onboard, the primary language will be Spanish, followed by Portuguese, and then English. They will tailor programs to families, another important part of the Spanish culture. They also look to attract young people to their cruises.
During the northern winter, they will relocate to Brazil, similar to what the previous companies had also done. Busquets says their research showed strong demand and limited capacity in Brazil. They believe there will be a positive market for a Spanish product tailored to Brazil. At 69,000 gross tons and a capacity for approximately 2,000 passengers, Busquets says the ship is ideal for their target market.
Their ship will be named Buenavista, and eagle-eyed observers quickly identified her as the former Oriana of P&O Cruises, built in 1995 at Meyer Werft in Germany. P&O sold the ship in 2019 to the Chinese, who relaunched her as Piano Land. The ship has passed a critical age barrier for the Chinese market, and its operators, Astro Ocean, are merging with Adora Cruises, but the owners are not saying whether they chartered or sold the ship. Astro Ocean says plans for its operations will be announced in due course. Corazul is deferring to the Chinese, but unconfirmed reports are that they have a charter with an option to buy the ship.
Busquets reports the Chinese owners liked the European style aboard and made very few changes, which will make it easy to bring the ship back to Europe. They plan a quick refresh and changing things such as the Chinese signage before launching in July. He says other elements can be updated as they go forward.
Corazul has strong expectations. They note it is currently harder to find second-hand cruise ships, but they say the intent is to acquire more ships.
Blue Zephyr will offer a new spirit of yacht cruising in the Aegean (Blue Zephyr Cruises)
Another niche player announced recently, calling itself Blue Zephyr Cruises. The company plans to launch in May in the Aegean, saying it will bring a new spirit to yacht-style cruising. They will offer touches of Greek culture, with, for example, an outdoor taverna, while saying the ship is all about luxury, with spaces designed for calm and privacy.
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The ship was built in Italy in 1991 as one of the first class for a firm called Renaissance, which was one of the early modern entrants in yacht cruising. At just 4,200 gross tons, she has just 57 suites with a capacity of just over 100 passengers. For a time, she was sailing in Scotland and the Hebrides and was more recently owned by an Australian tour company operating as the Caledonian Sky. The ship was fully renovated in 2025 and starts her next career as Blue Zephyr this spring.
The company says its product will feature carefully crafted itineraries exploring the most beautiful destinations of the Aegean Sea. Using a small yacht cruise ship, they will be able to get into out-of-the-way destinations away from the large ships for the mainstream brands.