In a practical sense, cruise companies regard the world as a series of sectors that meet various market needs. For the largest brands, this creates opportunities to configure operations to take account of:
Seasonality, weather patterns, and optimum conditions for cruising
Sales and marketing
Supply and servicing of ships
This chapter considers the influence and effect of geography on the cruise industry. Passenger comfort and safety are directly affected.
Because of geography, climate, and seasonal variations. Many stories are told of severe weather conditions in specific locations. For example, the Bay of Biscay, the Cape of Good Hope, the Bay of Bengal, and the North Atlantic have reputations for providing extremes of weather for seafarers or navigators.