Cruise Xperience Innovation (CXI), the latest summit from the organisers of Cruise Ship Interiors (CSI), has revealed its inaugural programme of content, sponsored by Journey.
Cruise Xperience Innovation Summit Americas 2025 (CXI Americas 2025) will be held from 3 to 4 June at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The event is co-located with Cruise Ship Interiors Design Expo Americas and Hotel & Resort Design South.
“Connecting the dots between seamless guest experience and the wow moments that are the cornerstone of many cruise brands’ strategies, the conference will include speakers from Virgin Voyages, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises and many more,” says CXI.
Insights, innovation & networking
The content programme at CXI Americas 2025 begins with Frictionless guest interaction for improved guest experience. This session will discuss how cruise brands are implementing personalisation and bespoke experiences. Speakers include Cristina Fernandez, senior director, digital product strategy, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
Day two starts with New concepts in immersive experiences on cruise, which explores this key topic as hospitality design across the globe seeks to raise the bar on interactive experiences. The schedule for the second day also features Beyond the Plate: Experiential dining and Interactive signage+.
The panel discussions will be accompanied by hybrid networking and content sessions, which will be held around the show floor. In one lunch and learn session, delegates will be invited into a conversation between a cruise line buyer and a supplier as they explore ways to develop technologically powered immersive entertainment.
The cruise ship guest experience sector is driven by its suppliers, which develop innovative products that meet the industry’s unique requirements. In Battle of the Brands on 3 June, attendees interested in learning more from suppliers can see a head-to-head pitch battle in the CXI Conference Lounge.
Key speakers will include Marisa Christenson, director F&B operations and development – Holland America Line, Ronnie Farzad, principal – Spark Cooperative, Katy Harris, director creative experiences – Carnival Cruise Line, and Charles Steadman, director, F&B experience and partnerships – Virgin Voyages.
See also: Virgin Voyages’ experience strategy: redefining cruising
The summit is co-located with CSI Americas, the only exhibition and conference dedicated to connecting the buyers and suppliers within the cruise design space.
The cruise ship interiors sector is quickly evolving, and the newbuild order book saw growth of approximately 50% during 2024 and Q1 of 2025. This industry-leading event includes a conference with tracks for interiors and for guest experience, content-led networking and more than 300 exhibitors that bring expertise across every element of hospitality design.
Earlier this year, Hotel and Resort Design South (HRDS) announced the launch of its inaugural Future Leaders programme. This celebrates the next generation of hospitality design leaders from the Southern States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
