Cruise shipping supply chains and the impacts of disruptions: The case of the Caribbean

Cruise shipping supply chains have unique characteristics where product and service providers accommodate stringent requirements related to the nature of the cruise product. Since cruise ships are floating resorts that must be resupplied during their short port rotations, they require customized procurement practices. The sustainability of such practices is investigated through the lenses of contract dynamics among actors, including sourcing patterns, consumption patterns, pricing, and delivery patterns. The disruptions caused by hurricanes in the Caribbean underline the challenge the industry is facing at reconciling the risks of climate change with sustainable cruise supply chains.