Cruise Operators Are Partnering With Brands to Help Rebuild Their Reputations

The cruise-ship business has faced rough seas in the past year or so. From the Norwalk stomach virus to passengers falling overboard to last year’s memorable “Poop Cruise,” the floating vacation needs a PR boost. Over the past several weeks, that’s exactly what ship operators have been trying to do—by luring land-based brands aboard. These partnerships (such as Carnival’s Dr. Seuss at Sea program for 2014) not only help combat the perceived sameness of the megaships, but they also get something other than trepidation into travelers’ minds.