According to top cruise executives on today’s State of the Industry panel at Cruise Shipping Miami the value of cruising will weather the tough economic storm. There’s no doubt the economy is in tough shape yet cruise executives remained optimistic that they will weather this storm as they have done in the past.

“The cruise industry is poised to get through these hard times and will come out stronger in the end,” said Rick Sasso, chair of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Marketing Committee and president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA. Sasso stressed the value of cruising as the reason. “‘The value component is a more powerful message today than ever before.”

“We need to stay strong on the value message,” said Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. Sheehan said initiatives like job loss insurance and reduced deposits are helping skittish consumers book a cruise vacation.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ CEO Gerry Cahill said having more cruise ports within driving distance is helping consumers, especially families, make the decision to book a cruise. Cahill said Carnival’s 17 North American homeports has helped the company during the economic crunch.

Celebrity Cruises CEO Dan Hanrahan noted that the average booking window at Celebrity has shortened quite a bit since last year, but he said it’s a temporary situation. “I think the consumer needs to see that the economy is starting to recover,” he said. “When the consumer gets that confidence I think you’ll see the booking window extended again.”

Holland America CEO Stein Kruse blamed the media for consumer fears with the nightly reports of economic gloom and doom. “We’re being told to be scared. We’re being told there’s a crisis. There are unprecedented levels of foreclosures. The fact is that more than 90 percent of Americans have jobs and pay their mortgages. Our best times are ahead of us and we should not forget about that.”