ABSTRACT
Cruise ports are gaining importance with the growth in cruise shipping and businesses. Cruise activities are part of the agendas promoted by port authorities and other port-managing organizations to link their port with visible benefits for the local economy. All these contribute to the use of different cruise itineraries and reduction in the high level of concentration of the global cruise port system which has been observed in the past. The services offered to cruise lines at a cruise port differ depending on the function of the port along an itinerary. The services expected to be on offer at a transit port are a subset of those available at home ports. The optimal design and planning of cruise ports and their terminals underline long-term arrangements between ports and cruise lines. When securing the long-term commitment of one or more cruise lines, the cruise port is encouraged to provide adjustments to its operations.
