Europe is the new growth market for the cruise industry. Not only are the Europe-based cruise lines growing their capacity by introducing new ships, the U.S.-based cruise lines are also sourcing more passengers in Europe and dedicating ships to European markets.

Both Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International are deploying ships year-round in Europe.

From dining with the chefs to design-your-own cupcakes and Indonesian tea time, there are many new and unique offerings at sea when it comes to cuisine.

“There’s so much happening in food and beverage,” Frank Weber, Royal Caribbean’s vice president of food and beverage operations, said quite aptly.

Elevator bars, ice bars, martini bars, wine machines, onboard breweries, master mixologists, and more, the cruise industry beverage scene continues to be as innovative as ever.

The Oasis of the Seas and soon to-be-launched sister-ship, Allure, feature the Rising Tide Bar. A full bar that doubles as an elevator, the space moves between the Royal Promenade and Central Park, underlining the possibilities of a 225,000-ton ship.

“Not only are the ships getting much bigger, the designs are also more relevant, making it easier for passenger to relate based on their land experiences,” said Andy Collier, managing director at SMC Design in London.

At Tillberg Design in Sweden, Fredrik Johansson, partner and senior architect, attributed the progress being made to cruise lines hiring more people from hotels and resorts that bring fresh talent and ideas to the table.

The cruise industry is again in transition. The latest generation of ships is setting new standards for shipyards, which at the same time have to comply with the new IMO rules for the next generation of ships, already evolving due to the Novel Design Concept approach.

Discussions years ago that led to the IMO’s Safe Return to Port rules also began encouraging naval architects to consider new technical approaches for cruise ships.

As we start on a new year, the cruise industry has sailed through one of the most challenging economic climates of recent times. But the large (publicly traded) companies did not only sail through 2009, they also managed to post net income, contrary to the rest of the leisure industry and many other industries and companies. Last year stands as a tribute to cruise line management and thousands of employees ashore and on the ships that ensured that the product delivery did not diminish. Their energy, passion and attention to detail did not waver.

Cruise Industry News has invited some of the leading cruise destinations in the Caribbean to participate in a roundtable discussion on 2010 and beyond. While bigger ships, traffic numbers and infrastructure development plans in the region look very promising, a shaky economy has reduced passenger spending and there is no shortage of challenges in the months and years ahead.