Several interlinked factors contribute to the decision of a cruise line to deploy a cruise ship in a particular cruise region and develop itineraries including a number of ports. Beyond the presence of a port that is capable to host home-porting activities, and several cruise ports in a reasonable geographical distance that allows calling more than few destinations within a 3-7 days cruise, these factors include the length of the cruise itinerary that might develop, the existence of destinations generating the interest of cruisers. They also include port-specific criteria, such as the levels of safety and security at the ports of the region, the operating costs resulting from the deployment selection, and itinerary planning, and not least the days of the week that a cruise ship might commence her itinerary and/or visit a port of call.