Introduction

Before one can get into the intricate commercial details involved in operation of a fleet of cruise ships, one must first understand the definition of the term itself. Cruise ships are normally passenger ships that clients use to go for voyages or for leisurely trips. Consequently, cruise ships form a major component of the tourism industry. Most cruise ships operate in such a way that they can come back to their original ports; that is, they move in a circle. This is sharp contrast to ocean liners that move from one port to another without returning to their original port. The Cruise ship industry mostly focuses on North American and sometimes European clients. Clients in the Asian Pacific areas are usually served by older ships. (Terri, 2007)

Cruise ships make up a huge part of the global economy; this especially true when trips to be made involve the entire world. Statistics show that in the year 2001, there were about 167 cruise ship fleets. In the year 2005, there were about 200 hundred cruise ships; it has been projected that by the end of this year, the number will have increased by about thirty five percent. Most of the passengers who take up or enjoy services offered by cruise ships come from North America. It has been estimated that there are about seven million passengers who have boarded cruise ships in 2006. (Business Research and Economic Advisors, 2002)

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