A refreshing – even surprising – level of unity has been shown by the cruise industry in the face of one of its greatest-ever challenges. But as the full cost implication of the emerging regulatory environment becomes clear, each individual company is searching out the best way to protect its own bottom line.

Strong demand for airlift and anxiety over possible flight delays are prompting cruise lines to place one- or even two-day ‘buffer zones’ between their clients’ flights to ports and their ships’ departure dates. What revenue-earning opportunities does this trend present for cruise destinations, Maria Harding asks – and how can they make the most of them?

Economic impact figures can, just like share prices, go down as well as up. The difference is that their publication never carries that warning which accompanies all share-based investment options to alert the unwary to the downside.