Is Cruising Inclusive Enough for Black Travelers?

For many, it’s a dream trip, but Antarctica was never on Stephanie Jones’s travel agenda. Partly due to the cold and partly because it feels predominantly white—not just in terms of its snowy scenery.

“I can’t count the number of family and friends who asked, ‘Antarctica? Why would anyone want to go there?’” Jones chuckles. “Honestly, I had the same question.”

She only began to think about traveling to Antarctica after receiving an invitation from Hurtigruten Expeditions, a Norwegian cruise line. Jones, who founded Black Cultural Heritage Tours offering tours highlighting Black culture and history in the U.S., is among six Black travel professionals who joined Hurtigruten’s Black Travel Advisory Board (BTAB) in early 2022. This board was created to help Hurtigruten expand its usual customer base through marketing and community engagement. Through BTAB, Hurtigruten Group aims to spark discussions that could transform the expedition cruise industry’s poor track record in attracting Black travelers. According to Board member and Black Travel Alliance president Martinique Lewis, this challenge is exacerbated by the lack of concrete statistics—much of the evidence is anecdotal.

“When it comes to Black travelers in the cruising world, there are no definitive statistics,” Lewis explains. “We lack data on what our community is doing, their travel destinations, and their spending habits related to cruising. This is something we aim to address for the industry.”

Another challenge: Hurtigruten’s objectives extend beyond just fostering a welcoming environment for Black cruisers; they also seek to uncover any unconscious biases present in hiring practices or product development across the company and the cruise industry at large.

“While some sectors of the travel industry are leading the way in diversity and inclusion, the cruise industry lags significantly behind, particularly the expedition cruise segment,” states Anders Lindström, head of public relations at Hurtigruten Group.

For instance, none of the BTAB members had ever set foot on an expedition ship, despite being avid travelers. Lindström has discovered that this is partly due to their feeling of underrepresentation in that space. He encouraged them all to experience it, and while Jones accepted the invitation, she had her own concerns and hesitations about the trip.

“If you haven't had exposure to certain experiences or seen yourself or women like you engaging in these experiences, it leaves you uncertain,” she states.

When Lewis was invited to take part, she recognized it as a chance to set a new standard for the industry.

“I realized the enormity of the task and the potential impact it could have,” she remarks. “I understood the importance of Black individuals seeing themselves represented in cruising—not just in the Caribbean, but in locations like the South Pole, North Pole, and Galápagos.”

Hurtigruten isn’t the only cruise line recognizing its oversight regarding Black travelers. Since the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, there has been a heightened focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the cruise industry.

One such initiative came from Celebrity Cruises, which launched the All-Inclusive Photo Project in March 2022. This databank of images and videos aims to tackle what Celebrity acknowledges as a “lack of diversity in travel marketing imagery.”

“As global brands, we have a significant platform to be a catalyst for positive change. We acknowledge that there is more work ahead and we hope to inspire others to join us on this crucial journey,” said Celebrity Cruises’ chief marketing officer Michael Scheiner in a statement regarding the image bank, which features photos of models and athletes with disabilities, individuals of color, nonbinary and transgender models, and LGBTQ+ activists, among others.

River cruise line AmaWaterways also aims to enhance diversity among its guests by “offering a warm and authentic welcome to all travelers,” states Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. This year, the river cruise company introduced a new Soulful Epicurean Experience river cruise itinerary in France, focusing on Black history and culture in Paris and Provence. The 2023 departure sold out almost instantly, and AmaWaterways is set to announce two new dates for 2024.

Karst adds, “We take great pride in . . . creating products within the luxury cruise sector tailored to meet the interests and needs of specific travelers, including people of color.”

It's not purely charitable. In the cruising industry, excluding Black travelers means missing out on potential revenue. In 2019, Black American travelers spent over $109 billion on travel and related expenses. While the exact percentage spent on cruising remains unmeasured, the BTAB aims to rectify that.

Patricia Yarbrough, also a board member, doesn’t require statistics to affirm what her 43 years in the industry have demonstrated: Black individuals enjoy cruising, and when cruise lines tailor their offerings for them, they will respond.

Through her travel agency, Blue World Travel, based in California, Yarbrough has been organizing cruises specifically designed for Black travelers. On her full-ship charter Festival at Sea cruises, guests can partake in the traditional African American card game bid whist (instead of bridge), experience African head wrap demonstrations, and enjoy deejays featuring music from Black artists.

Yarbrough founded Festival at Sea in 1992, believing that larger ocean cruises often overlooked the needs of Black travelers in terms of entertainment and inclusivity. "It wasn’t political; it was simply about getting value for your vacation," she states.

Her inaugural cruise attracted 250 guests as a partial ship charter, but within five years, she was filling entire ships. Last August, her 2023 sailing completely booked a full charter of the 3,000-passenger Celebrity Equinox in just 10 hours. Her latest venture, Friends of Festival at Sea, initiated in 1999, brings culturally rich Black-focused offerings to a luxury cruise experience. These voyages have taken Black cruisers to destinations like Italy, Brazil, and Southeast Asia, often partnering with Regent Seven Seas Cruises and always featuring their own deejay, dance instructor, and dominoes—elements that help create a familiar atmosphere for predominantly Black travelers aboard.

Most of Yarbrough’s cruises are centered around the Caribbean, a region where her clients see themselves reflected not only on the ship but also in the communities they visit. This contrasts with Hurtigruten’s typical offerings, which primarily focus on Norway and other Northern European destinations. However, there is optimism that a dedicated effort from the BTAB and Hurtigruten Group will create a welcoming environment for those who may have never considered venturing beyond what feels familiar.

The growing recognition of Hurtigruten’s initiatives may help catalyze the necessary change. In December 2022, the group was honored with Global Traveler Magazine’s 2022 Outstanding Diversity & Inclusion Travel Award. The BTAB also earned two gold Magellan awards from the industry publication Travel Weekly in the Accessibility/Inclusivity and DEI Marketing Initiative categories.

Lindström acknowledges that the accolades may be premature since the board's efforts are just beginning, but he views it as a sign of the industry's eagerness for tangible change.

Some cruise ship guests also appear ready for this shift. On Hurtigruten’s Antarctic voyage in February 2022, during which the BTAB was present, meaningful discussions highlighted the importance of diversity aboard cruise ships, Jones notes.

“A profound discussion about racism occurred between an older white man from the South and my daughter,” Jones remembers. The man inquired if he could touch her daughter’s hair, which many Black individuals find offensive. “[My daughter] recognized it as a teachable moment, leading to a significant discussion about racism in America. It turned out to be a constructive conversation.”

This kind of intercultural exchange has the potential to create enduring shifts in how individuals perceive the world, leaving a lasting impact well beyond their cruise experience.

At present, the Advisory Board is concentrating on the upcoming year. They have recently renewed their mandate for 2023, setting up three subcommittees focused on research and marketing, diversity hiring and supplier development, and customer engagement and strategic partnerships, all tasked with facilitating significant changes.

While the initial year has been dedicated to introducing the board to Hurtigruten’s offerings, 2023 will provide an opportunity for the board to become more involved in the cruise line’s operations.

“They will be positioned to offer recommendations and set objectives across various aspects of our operations, from marketing strategies and communication styles to hiring practices and onboard experiences,” states Lindström.

This summer, the BTAB, which includes Kareem George (founder of Culture Traveler), Naledi Khabo (CEO of the Africa Tourism Association), and Rue Mapp (founder of Outdoor Afro), will be onboard the newly relaunched Svalbard Express route in Norway. After their journey, board members will meet at Hurtigruten’s headquarters in Oslo for discussions with CEOs and senior management.

Jones will be present. In fact, after her Antarctic cruise, she has begun sharing the “gospel” of expedition cruising with her friends.

“Many Black individuals were curious and asking questions,” she shares. “Now that they’ve witnessed the incredible experience my daughter and I had, they’re interested in pursuing the same adventure,” she notes, expressing how the trip sparked her curiosity about what other experiences she might explore. “I can confidently say it was the most transformative journey I’ve ever had while traveling.”