Maritime sensitive forecasts, meteorological operations and decision making in the cruise ship industry

Royal Caribbean Group, a corporation that oversees 5 separate cruise line brands with a total of 67 ships located across the globe, faces unique marine forecasting challenges on a daily basis. Cruise ships, unlike maritime shipping vessels, cater to vacationing guests, not containers or cargo. Because of this, thresholds for wave heights and wind speeds are much more tied to passenger comfort and minimal vessel roll. This presentation will explore the interesting challenges of moving people by sea, and the tools and methods that guide decision making when choosing route avoidance and port cancellations due to weather.