Royal Caribbean Swaps Ships for 2027 Season in Southampton

Royal Caribbean Swaps Ships for 2027 Season in Southampton

Royal Caribbean International confirmed that the Freedom of the Seas will replace the Mariner of the Seas for the 2027 season out of Southampton.

As previously reported by Cruise Industry News, the Freedom was expected to serve the British market after having its deployment for the timeframe cancelled.

Originally set to offer itineraries from Miami during the summer of 2027, the 3,960-passenger vessel is slightly larger than the Mariner and entered service in 2006.

According to statements sent to booked guests, the Freedom will offer cruises departing from Southampton on the same dates as the Mariner.

Some of the original itineraries were reportedly adjusted, with selected ports of call being changed or dropped.

Sailing from its new homeport, the ship will offer a series of cruises to Northern and Western Europe between May and October 2027.

“As part of our ongoing itinerary planning process, which sometimes requires flexibility due to scheduling, port agreements or operational needs, the Mariner of the Seas will be redeployed for our summer 2027 season,” Royal Caribbean said in its statement.

“We know how much effort goes into planning your vacation and apologise for the inconvenience,” the company added.

Passengers are being offered three options, which include moving their reservations to other cruises in the company’s portfolio.

In this case, the company will waive the non-refundable deposit change fee, but guests will be responsible for any price difference.

Royal Caribbean will also allow passengers to cancel their reservations and receive a full refund of any portion of their cruise fare.

Guests who do not wish to cancel or reschedule will be automatically moved to a like-for-like stateroom onboard the Freedom of the Seas.

While Royal Caribbean did not confirm a new deployment for the Mariner of the Seas, the ship is now set to offer a trans-Atlantic crossing to the Mediterranean ahead of the summer of 2027.

The 17-night repositioning voyage sails from New Orleans on April 24, 2027, and features destinations in Morocco and Spain before ending in Barcelona. Ports of call set to be visited include Casablanca, Tangier and Málaga.

Royal Caribbean International Cancels More Calls at Labadee

Royal Caribbean International Cancels More Calls at Labadee

Independence of the Seas in Labadee photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr

Royal Caribbean International is canceling additional visits to Labadee, its private destination in Haiti.

In different statements, the company has confirmed that its ships will no longer be visiting the port of call over the next few weeks.

After suspending visits to Labadee earlier this month, the company has decided to evaluate the situation in Haiti on a continuous basis, said Royal Caribbean International’s President and CEO Michael Bayley.

“We’ll continue to suspension on a rolling basis with three days advance notification for our guests sailing on itineraries impact and changed as we monitor and evaluate the situation in Haiti,” he explained in a social media post.

Newly affected sailings include Independence of the Seas’ March 21 departure. Instead of going to Labadee, the four-night cruise will now visit Grand Turk on March 23.

The April 6 sailing of the Symphony of the Seas has also been impacted and will now include a visit to Falmouth, Jamaica on April 12.

For its April 7 departure, the Oasis of the Seas will now be visiting St. Maarten instead of Royal Caribbean’s private destination in Haiti.

Other vessels affected by the cancellations include the Adventure of the Seas, the Mariner of the Seas, the Explorer of the Seas, the Grandeur of the Seas and the Odyssey of the Seas.

Serving as a private destination for Royal Caribbean International ships since the 1980s, Labadee is located in Haiti’s Cap-Haïtien region.

After receiving significant upgrades in 2009, the fenced-off resort offers various features, including a flea market, a roller coaster, and a zip-line.

In addition to several beaches, Labadee also has a two-berth pier capable of receiving some of the world’s largest cruise ships.

In addition to Royal Caribbean, the destination is also scheduled to host ships from Celebrity Cruises during the 2024-25 winter season.

What We Know About Royal Caribbean’s Free Test Cruises

Thanks to https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/ 

Significant demand was born as a result of Royal Caribbean International’s announcement for the search of volunteers to go on its first test sailings prior to returning to sea in the U.S.

So much that a form has been created to sign up, which saw more than 150,000 hopeful cruise lovers leave their details.

“It's a good feeling knowing that so many people want to get back on ships,” said Vicki Freed, senior vice president for sales, trade support, and service at Royal Caribbean International, on Dec. 8 in response to the demand.

The company has also launched a website for potential volunteers to sign up.

Cruise Industry News breaks down what is known about the sailings. 

What are they?

The test sailings are part of the new Conditional Framework by the CDC, which came in place of the "No Sail" order. They will include the company having a number of trial cruises using employees and volunteers as stand-in passengers to test safety and health protocols. 

Trial sailings are said to be monitored by company officials, a third-party class society, as well as the CDC.

When will they take place?

Likely the first quarter of 2021, possibly even January. Here’s a quote from Freed at Virtually Yours forum organized by Cruise Planners:

“We don't know exactly when the test sailings are going to happen – we think in Q1, and we're hoping for January.”

Which vessels will be taking part?

Industry sources previously stated that they expect the Mariner and Navigator of the Seas, the company's recently-refurbished "short Caribbean" ships, to be the vessels pressed into service.

On what itineraries?

Freed said in November that the first cruises will be short sailings to CocoCay, which would allow the company to operate in a bubble on its own private island.

Who gets to go?

More than 150,000 people signed up, according to Royal Caribbean International, so it will be tough to choose from them. Apart from cruise line workers and CDC staff, the cruise line is likely to choose volunteers among its most loyal customers.

"We haven't figured out our protocols yet for the volunteers but certainly loyalty status will be a key selector," said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean Cruises’ president, and CEO during the International Cruise Summit that took place on Dec. 1-2. “Our top tier has the name of Pinnacle and they've cruised with us a gazillion times … they'll be amongst the first to receive the invitation."

Freed said on Dec. 8 that the company’s travel partners will be invited, too.

What about safety?

Royal Caribbean is working on ensuring they are conducted safely and in compliance with the regulations.

“While we review the requirements proposed by the CDC and consider when we can host our simulated trial sailings, we are gathering information from those who have shown interest on our Volunteers of the Seas Facebook page. Our priority is to ensure that we can exercise our comprehensive set of measures in a safe and healthy manner while making sure we provide a memorable vacation experience,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

Yet a lot of information is still to be released about the sailings.

“We will be announcing more as we get more information,” Freed said. “So, we look forward to it; we're looking forward to it.”

Two More Cruises Cancelled Due to Hurricane

Two more cruises have been cancelled due to Hurricane Dorian, as the storm slowly moves toward Florida.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, which sails from Palm Beach to Freeport, announced its Sept. 5 sailing aboard the Grand Celebration has been cancelled, making it three cancelled voyages for the company due to the hurricane.

Royal Caribbean International confirmed the Mariner of the Seas' Sept. 2 sailing from Port Canaveral has been cancelled, after initially being delayed by two days. The ship was set to return to port from her August 30 sailing on Wednesday and is now expected back to port on Thursday, Sept. 5. Royal Caribbean is expected to issue another itinerary update midday Tuesday.

Cruise Lines Make More Hurricane Adjustments

The three major cruise lines announced more itinerary changes due to Hurricane Dorian following Thursday's itinerary change news, and more adjustments are expected to follow on Friday as the storm develops.

Carnival

The Carnival Paradise will now leave Tampa early on August 31, with Carnival asking guests to arrive at the cruise terminal between 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

For the Carnival Miracle, with the anticipation of a potential port closure on Sunday, this sailing will now operate as an eight-day sailing, departing on Saturday evening. 

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean has modified more sailings as a result of the impact of Hurricane Dorian.

Guests aboard the Navigator's August 30 sailing are now returning to Miami on Sept. 4 as opposed to Sept. 2, meaning the ship's Sept. 2 sailing will leave two days later.

The Empress will see guests get multiple days added to the itinerary. Unable to return to Miami this Sunday, the cruise now will add a call to Roatan, spend two days at sea, call in Nassau and then return to Miami on Sept. 4.

The Mariner will also get two days added to its current itinerary, returning to Port Canaveral on Sept. 4 as opposed to Sept. 2.

Norwegian

The Norwegian Breakaway will extend its port time in Cozumel until Sept. 1, giving guests a chance to disembark and return home or remain onboard if they choose.  Guests who choose to end their cruise in Cozumel will receive a 25% future cruise credit.

The  Norwegian Sun departed from Port Canaveral, Florida Thursday, August 29, 2019, as scheduled. The calls to Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay and Freeport, Bahamas have been cancelled. Instead, the ship will spend a day at sea on Friday, August 30 and will call to Cozumel, Mexico on August 31. She will remain at sea on September 1 and is scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on September 2.

Royal Caribbean voyages to double the fun at the private island

CocoCay's waterpark opened earlier this year.

Royal Caribbean International has added nearly 40 sailings in the coming year that will feature two stops at its Perfect Day at CocoCay private island.

The four-day cruises on Navigator of the Seas from Port Canaveral and Mariner of the Seas generally sandwich a stop in Nassau between the two visits to nearby CocoCay. 

Royal Caribbean will sail three Navigator cruises that stay at CocoCay late into the night.

Entertainment will include traditional Bahamian-inspired activities, including a Junkanoo Jam Up Party, an island barbecue and performances by a calypso band and fire dancers, topped off with fireworks. 

Both Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises are preparing to offer private beach attractions in the Bahamas that provide evening activities.

Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay Drives Rate and Short Market

“To describe Perfect Day as a home run wouldn't do it justice. It really resets the bar in the short cruise market,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises, on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.

Fain highlighted Perfect Day CocoCay as part of Royal Caribbean’s strength to adapt to an ever-changing business environment.

“We continue to do well because we continue to adapt our product to the changing desires of our current and future guests and the changing environment which we operate,” Fain added.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said that through 2020, 11 Royal Caribbean ships will call at the private island that now features an expansive water park. 

“If you may recall, we put Mariner, Navigator and Independence through Royal Amplified and we completely changed the product offering in the short cruise market and literally put the biggest best ships in that short market, which is about 20-something per cent of the entire American cruise market,” Bayley said. “So we already started to see demand increasing for those products because they are truly great products.”

Bayley said that since May when the new experience opened, the company has taken around 350,000 guests to CocoCay.

“It's now rated the number one resort globally for Royal Caribbean. It's knocking it out of the park in terms of truly delivering a phenomenal day. The guest satisfaction is extremely high. And so the demand that we're seeing is coming from all segments. It competes very well with Orlando,” Bayley said, adding that 40 per cent of guests in the short cruise market was new-to-cruise.

“We’re seeing both significant increase in volume and of course that's driving rate,” Bayley noted.

Navigator of the Seas Arrives in Miami Following Huge Refit

Royal Caribbean International’s newly amplified Navigator of the Seas is in Miami following a $115 million refit aimed at the important short-cruise market.

Among the features are new waterslides, a new poolside area, new retail and restaurants and much more.

“We have really dialled up the adventure and Caribbean vibes in ways that will make Navigator of the Seas the ultimate getaway to take from Miami,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Independence and Mariner of the Seas, the first two modernized ships in our Royal Amplified program, have quickly become standout hits, and Navigator builds on this momentum with a combination of new, exciting features and signature Royal Caribbean offerings that will surprise and delight guests cruising with us for the first time and those who have vacationed with us before.”

The Navigator of the Seas is the third ship to be reimagined as part of the Royal Amplified modernization program, an investment of more than $1 billion in the cruise line’s fleet and part of the booming drydock market.

The effort spans 10 ships in four years and touches every facet of the guest experience with the introduction of a wide range of new thrills and Royal Caribbean staples meant to appeal to every generation, the company said. 

Beginning Friday, March 1, Navigator will sail five- and 9-night Caribbean itineraries through May 2019.

The ship will then set course for The Bahamas with three-night weekend and four-night weekday cruises, including visits to the cruise line’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Beginning May 2019, each sailing onboard Navigator of the Seas will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay

Reimagined Navigator of the Seas Will Introduce New Onboard Adventures

PHOTO: Perfect Storm pool deck on Navigator of the Seas (photo courtesy Royal Caribbean)

A newly modernized Navigator of the Seas will debut February 24, 2019, and, onboard, passengers will find a number of new adventures available.

Royal Caribbean’s $115 million upgrade includes a new Caribbean poolscape, two waterslides, a new blow-dry bar, and Insta-worthy nightlife and dining opportunities.

"Each Royal Caribbean ship brings a new adventure uniquely designed to deliver on our guests' preferences from A to Z," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "After launching our Royal Amplified modernization program with Independence of the Seas and then redefining short getaways with Mariner of the Seas, we are challenging ourselves to take it to the next level. Every detail matters, and we've mapped out an unmatched combination of innovative features and experiences for this top-to-bottom transformation of Navigator of the Seas."

Top Deck

A pair of new waterslides dominates the newly refurbished top deck of Navigator of the Seas. The Blaster is the cruise line's first-ever aqua coaster and the longest waterslide at sea, and the Riptide is the industry's only headfirst mat racer.

The entire poolscape has been modernized with a Caribbean theme and includes a Splash Pad for children, as well as signature Royal Caribbean features like the FlowRider surf simulator and a rock-climbing wall.

Guests can also enjoy Lime and Coconut, a two-level signature bar that offers sunset views, live music and cocktails. Grab-and-go dining also features Mexican street fare at El Loco Fresh and American fare at Johnny Rockets Express.

New Dining and Nightlife

Guests will be able to grab drinks and a bite to eat at several new establishments. The Polynesian-inspired Bamboo Room, which made its debut on Mariner of the Seas, will be serving up kitschy-cool cocktails onboard. Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade is the place to catch the game. There will be 50 big-screen TVs, tabletop games, tournaments, trivia, a new Owner's Box VIP room, and a menu of classic bar fare with a twist alongside ice-cold brews.

For good eats, passengers can visit Jamie's Italian for a taste of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's rustic Italian dishes. New England-inspired dishes like lobster, crab claws, local fish and just-shucked oysters can be found at Hooked Seafood.

Coffee-lovers will be happy to note that there will also be a Starbucks onboard for pick-me-ups.

Amped-up Family Adventure

Families will have a lot to look forward to when it comes to sailing onboard the Navigator of the Seas. Royal Caribbean hits such as glow-in-the-dark laser tag with Battle for Planet Z in Studio B, mini-golf and the Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium will keep kids busy.

A reimagined Adventure Ocean youth program includes an open, free play space with organized activities. Teen areas have a hidden entrance and include a living room-style hangout as well as outdoor areas.

When the Navigator arrives in Miami, she will sail five- and nine-night Caribbean itineraries before offering three-night and four-night sailings to the Bahamas, including Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, starting in May.

Royal goes big with Mariner of the Seas' makeover

The Skypad is a new bungee/trampoline/virtual reality attraction on the top deck of the renovated Mariner of the Seas. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst

Royal Caribbean International is raising the bar on short cruises from South Florida, starting this summer with the Mariner of the Seas, fresh off of a $120 million Royal Amplified refurbishment.

The upgrades mean that not only will the 3,114-passenger Mariner be the largest ship in the three- and four-day market, it will be one of the most full-featured.

Previously, Royal Caribbean devoted ships such as the Majesty of the Seas to the short-cruise product. These ships were generally among the smallest and least modern in its fleet. Although guests rated the Majesty well, it wasn't because of its hardware.

"Majesty was older, and it didn't have the chills and the thrills this one does," said Christina Pinto of Expedia CruiseShipCenters in Boca Raton, Fla., after a tour and ice show on the Mariner for travel agents last month.

The package of improvements had already been in the market for several weeks by the time the launch took place. 

"I've had good feedback from people who have sailed already," said Roberta Schwartz, a Cruise Planners franchisee in Plantation, Fla.

Among the new features, one of the most visible is the Skypad trampoline/bungee/virtual reality combination on the top deck that figures to be Royal's rock climbing wall for the coming decade.

Housed in a 30-foot, perforated sphere made of marine-grade aluminium, the brightly painted Skypad is an intriguing structure to anyone seeing the ship from a distance, especially lit up at night.

Within the Skypad are four bungee harnesses fastened to the sphere and suspended over one-person trampolines. Riders can bound up and down on the trampolines safely guided by the harnesses, either with or without a set of virtual reality goggles that add a fourth dimension to the already rich experience.

The Skypad is part of a makeover of the rear of the sports deck that also includes the addition of waterslides and a FlowRider surfing simulator.

Another attraction at the top of the ship is the Observatorium, an escape room game in the former chapel that gives groups a limited amount of time to decipher clues and get out of a locked room. 

Farther down, the Mariner has gained two new bars. One, Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade, is a version of a feature first added to the Symphony of the Seas, a newer, larger ship. The other, unique to the Mariner for the moment, is the Polynesian-themed Bamboo Room, a tiki bar on the Royal Promenade. It's a retro hangout with umbrella drinks to spare and certainly an upgrade over the retail space previously there.

The Mariner of the Seas features a new ice show, “Ice Under the Big Top,” in Studio B. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst

And in the depths of the ship, in Studio B, Royal has developed Escape From Planet Z, a laser tag game. That's in addition to a terrific new ice show, "Ice Under the Big Top," excerpts of which were previewed for agents.

Before the show, Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service, said the Mariner is positioned to draw more new-to-cruise guests. "We need to get people who have never thought about a cruise vacation to kind of take a test drive with us, and we thought to put this magnificent hardware in the short-cruise market would do exactly that," she said.

After three weeks in service, Royal was sourcing a higher percentage of first-time cruisers on the Mariner than on any other ship, she said.

Part of that might have to do with pricing and perceived value. "It's almost like having a brand new ship but at old prices," said Kyle DeDomenico of Cruise Planners in Boca Raton.

Beyond attracting those new to cruise, another function of the Mariner is to serve as a delivery vehicle for Royal's vastly improved CocoCay private island, which is being upgraded with a waterpark, a pier, a wave pool and several other attractions.

Freed warned that the prices won't last.

"Right now the prices are very low for all of the ships that are calling at CocoCay, but once we start to ramp up, the prices will go higher because it's such a great attraction," Freed said. "So if you have clients that are thinking about 2019, book them now because they won't find prices like you currently see."

The Mariner will be the short cruise offering from Miami through May when the next ship to receive Royal Amplified upgrades, the Navigator of the Seas will take its place. The Mariner will then be redeployed on short cruises from Port Canaveral.

Tiki culture takes a cruise on Mariner of the Seas

Tiki culture takes a cruise on Mariner of the Seas

Tiki culture takes cruise Mariner of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International's latest bar concept, the Bamboo Room, is a throw-back to the tiki bars that were popular after WWII. The bar, which seats 49 and has a Polynesian theme, was added to the Mariner of the Seas and will be retrofitted to most of the ships getting the Royal Amplified upgrade package, including the Navigator, Oasis and Allure of the Seas. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst

Classic Rock Cruise Setting Sail in 2019

PHOTO: Royal Caribbean International renders Mariner of the Seas' upper aft deck additions. (photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International)

Classic rock fans rejoice.

The inaugural On The Blue cruise will sail to the Caribbean in 2019 and feature several world-famous bands.

The five-night voyage aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas will depart from Miami, Florida, February 10-15, 2019, and will visit Nassau/Paradise Island, Bahamas, and Labadee, Haiti.

The Classic Rock Cruise will be hosted by Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues and feature musical performances and events. Some of the artists playing during the voyage include The Zombies, Dave Mason, Steve Hackett, Alan Parsons, Procol Harum, Al Stewart, Wishbone Ash, POCO, Vanilla Fudge, Colin Blunstone, Danny Seraphine, Rick Derringer, Randy Hansen, The Young Dubliners and more acts to be announced.

Tickets for the On The Blue cruise will go on sale March 14 at 1 p.m. ET, and prices start at $1,099 per person based on double occupancy. Government fees, taxes, and gratuities are additional and mandatory for all passengers, regardless of age.

The Mariner of the Seas features two huge music venues and is undergoing a makeover worth more than $100 million. Scheduled to be completed this summer, it is the biggest facelift in the history of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

The ship will feature new dining concepts, a bungee trampoline experience dubbed Sky Pad, the FlowRider surf simulator, The Perfect Storm waterslides, The Bamboo Room tiki bar, the family-style Jamie's Italian restaurant by Jamie Oliver and more.

For more information, reach out to your local travel agent.

New Features for Mariner of the Seas in Short Cruise Market

Royal Caribbean International today announced the details of a $90 million refurbishment on the Mariner of the Seas, as she moves into the Caribbean short cruise market and is redeployed from the Asia and China market. 

Service starts from Miami with a three- and four-day cruise program in June, with the ship sailing to Nassau and CocoCay. 

"At Royal Caribbean, we believe in the constant pursuit of adventure and that every weekend is an opportunity to experience something new and live life to its fullest," said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "With the new Mariner of the Seas, we invite travellers to weekend like they really mean it and make the most of a quick getaway than they even thought was possible."

Among the highlights is the Sky Pad, a brand new virtual reality, bungee trampoline experience on the Mariner of the Seas.

Guests will strap in and put on a virtual reality headset, which the company said will " transport them to another time and planet to bounce over moon craters or compete in intergalactic games. The out-of-this-world experience is for guests of all ages, and also can be enjoyed without virtual reality headsets, for those who prefer to look out over the ocean as they leap toward the sky."

Other additions include The Perfect Storm, a duo of racing waterslides called Cyclone and Typhoon, and a glow-in-the-dark laser tag experience in Studio B, where friends and family can team up to play "Battle for Planet Z."

Mariner will offer Puzzle Break: The Observatorium, a new escape room experience.

The company is also adding the FlowRide surfing simulator to the ship.

New food and beverage options include Jamie's Italian, Starbucks and Izumi Hibachi & Sushi.

No Concerns in the Caribbean for Royal

No Concerns in the Caribbean for Royal

Oasis of the Seas

The new Symphony of the Seas will help propel the Caribbean to a record year of cruise capacity.

Despite the uptick in ships and passengers, capacity and pricing is not a concern for Royal Caribbean International.

“After the hurricanes in September, we saw that softness for about four to six or seven weeks but that recovered and picked up and we're in a good booked position for Q1,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, on the company’s Q4 2017 earnings call. “And overall we're feeling pretty good about the Caribbean for 2018.

“We’re fortunate because we've got the Symphony of the Seas coming into the Caribbean towards the end of the year. We have also got Celebrity Edge and we're introducing Mariner of the Seas after an extensive modernization and revitalization and we're putting that product into the short market, so that’s quite a lot of volume that’s coming into that market. We're actually very excited about what that product’s going to do, the bookings are going very well and it’s still outside of its typical booking window because it’s a short product. So overall, we're feeling okay about the Caribbean.”

As for the booking window, the company opened 2019 deployment four months earlier than in previous years.

Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, noted the booking window continues to impress.

“Now you may recall that a year ago I said and I'm quoting, that the booking window has stretched as far as we will ever want and I don’t expect to announce another record level bookings a year from today,” Fain said. “Well I wasn’t terribly accurate, here we are a year later and we're announcing another record level bookings.”

CFO Jason T. Liberty advised that other companies in the Caribbean marketplace may have pricing challenges, but those incidents are not indicative of the entire market.

“There are occasions sometimes when a new product enters the market from competitors and they may have some challenges initially and you may see some fairly aggressive pricing going into the market,” he said. “That can be disruptive but it's very localized.”

Mariner of the Seas getting massive makeover

Mariner of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International plans a major improvement in its short-cruise product, starting with a massive makeover of the 14-year-old Mariner of the Seas.

Speaking to a conference of Cruise One/Dream Vacations and Cruises Inc. agents aboard the Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean president Michael Bayley said the line will spend over $100 million on the ship.

Plans call for a six-week drydock in Cadiz, Spain, in March and April. Bayley said it is the most money Royal Caribbean has ever spent renovating a ship.

"I'm calling it a modernization, not a refurbishment," Bayley said. "We're going to be adding concepts and redoing concepts," he said.

When the work is finished, the 3,114-passenger Mariner will sail three- and four-day cruises from Miami. The ship is currently sailing in Asia.

The move will coincide with the June 2018 opening of the newly constructed dock at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, which will play a major role in the Mariner's itineraries.

Bayley hinted there is more reinvestment yet to be disclosed. "It is attached to the Mariner and it is attached to the idea of boosting up the shore experience," he said.

He said that the combined ship-shore package will be a "game changer" in the short-cruise market.

In May 2016, the Empress of the Seas started sailing short cruises after a $50 million renovation. That ship is now doing four-, five- and six-day cruises from Tampa on Caribbean itineraries that include Cuba.

The only other cruise line to spend more than $100 million in a single refurbishment was Carnival, which refitted the Carnival Destiny and renamed it the Carnival Sunshine in 2013 at a cost of $155 million. 

Royal Caribbean building another ship for Asia deployment

Royal Caribbean International said a ship it is building for delivery in 2019 will be deployed in Asia.

The first of the line's "Quantum Ultra" vessels will be the "next evolution of the groundbreaking Quantum class," Royal Caribbean said. Two Quantum-class ships, Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, currently sail in China.

As part of a series of deployments announced for 2019, the Mariner of the Seas will reposition to a new home in Miami, embarking on a "Global Odyssey" from Asia that features three long sailings from Singapore to Dubai; Dubai to Barcelona; and Barcelona to Miami.

The Global Odyssey opens for sale on May 2. Voyager of the Seas will have its first full season in Singapore in 2018-19, offering cruises throughout Southeast Asia.

In addition, 2018-19 brings new 10-night open-jaw itineraries between New Zealand and Melbourne or Sydney on the Radiance of the Seas. During the winter, the Ovation of the Seas will reposition to Sydney for its longest season in Australia, reclaiming the title as the largest ship based in the region, Royal Caribbean said.

Royal Caribbean signs deal with China's Forbidden City Imperial Palace to showcase Chinese culture on Ovation of the Seas

Royal Caribbean and the Chinese Imperial Palace Museum (the Palace Museum) held a joint press conference today at a signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement in the Forbidden City’s Jianfu Palace. 

As part of the agreement, experts from different research fields selected by the Palace Museum will be invited to give lectures of Chinese history and culture to guests on Ovation of the Seas. 

The Palace Museum also will provide professional consultation of the ship’s interior décor and art program. In addition, signature pieces from the collections of the Imperial Palace Museum will be on display to promote the traditional culture and arts of China. Paintings and art pieces created by artists from the Palace Museum will be available for guests to purchase at auctions held onboard.

Ovation of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship that debuts in April, will be the first to homeport in China immediately after its delivery and will begin service from Tianjin beginning June 2016.

The signing ceremony officially launches the “2016 – Let’s Ovation” campaign in China and marks the countdown to Ovation of the Seas’ maiden voyage in China.

“We are proud of the extensive collection of art and relics that represent the imperial treasures of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and it is our goal at The Palace Museum to showcase the traditional Chinese culture to people all over the world,” said Shan Jixian, Director of the Imperial Palace Museum. “This partnership with Royal Caribbean International and our programs on Ovation of the Seas will help to further these objectives. We are excited to promote the rich heritage of the Forbidden City and China to the guests of the world’s largest global cruise line and we hope to continue to expand on these efforts.”

Dr. Zinan Liu, President of North APAC and China, Royal Caribbean International said: “Cruising is becoming increasingly popular with Chinese travelers and Royal Caribbean’s award-winning and state-of-the-art ships with features found only on Royal Caribbean are very appealing to those consumers looking for a high quality vacation experience. Quantum of the Seas has been very well received by our Chinese guests and we are excited to now bring Ovation of the Seas to Tianjin. Sailing two of the world’s newest and most technologically advanced ships in China demonstrate our leadership and commitment to the market and this partnership with the Palace Museum showcasing China’s rich heritage will bring yet another unique element to our vacation offering.”

Ovation of the Seas will be officially launched in April 2016, when she departs Southampton for Tianjin, China on a 53-day Global Odyssey. She will begin her first homeport sailing season in China from Tianjin in June 2016. Ovation of the Seas, together with Quantum of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, will make up the largest fleet of any cruise line sailing in China.

Anthem of the Seas Now Sailing in the U.S.

Anthem of the Seas enters New York

Anthem of the Seas sailed past the Statue of Liberty and around Manhattan on a night of such warmth and clarity that it was hard for me to realize the month was November. I sat in the ship’s beautiful conservatory and marveled at how welcoming such a huge vessel could be.

A ceremony marked the arrival of the Royal Caribbean International ship in the U.S., and Anthem made a glowing entrance. The onboard entertainment, dining and accommodations incited the same excitement seen in the U.K. for the vessel earlier this year. Americans were particularly enthusiastic about features such as the large virtual balconies in the inside staterooms, where people with live-streaming “windows” saw more dolphins and whales on the transatlantic crossing than many of those with balcony staterooms.

Doug Grau, director of sales for the Western U.S. for Royal Caribbean, says the active lifestyle activities available onboard — from a skydiving simulator to circus school — are an especially good match for Western travelers, who tend to be energetic and outdoors-oriented, falling within Royal Caribbean’s psychographic. The top-flight entertainment, including the amazing “We Will Rock You” Broadway musical, tribute bands and cabaret shows, is also a particularly strong draw for the West. 

“There is huge interest in Western states for Anthem (Quantum-class) and Oasis-class ships, and 30 percent of Royal’s sales coming out of the West is for these ships,” Grau said.
However, Grau finds a gap between agent experience and demand. When he talks to agent groups and asks how many have sailed with Royal Caribbean, most have; however, when he asks how many have been onboard during the past few years, only a handful respond affirmatively. Grau notes that when Mariner of the Seas came to the West, it was the first time many agents had seen the ship — and it was nearly 10 years old.

At the rate that the line’s ship design and customer experience has changed, this means Western agents are missing out on the modernized Royal Caribbean, Grau says.

“If you aren’t selling these ships, your customers are buying them elsewhere,” Grau said. “I tell them it is well worth the investment to attend the East Coast Cruise 360 sessions and inspect a number of recent ships. Large ships scare a lot of agents, who are afraid their clients will be caught in long lines and tied up for hours when embarking. We’ve done everything possible, both in terms of design and technology, to make the experience human-sized and comfortable. We have more rooms that hold 80 or 90 people than ever before.” 

These efforts are paying off. At Anthem’s embarkation on Nov. 4 in Cape Liberty, N.J., Royal Caribbean representatives with iPads checked passengers in as they were dropped off at the port. Common questions I heard from guests were, “Is that all?” and “What do I do now?” The answer: “Go right to your stateroom and enjoy the ship.” 

My own check-in experience, complete with credit card scan and photo ID, which I had not done in advance, was five minutes from start to finish — considerably shorter than check-in on ships less than a quarter the size of Anthem. 

During Anthem’s first cruise from the U.S., Royal Caribbean announced an order for a fifth Quantum-class ship to be delivered in fall 2020.

“It is such a pleasure to announce the order of another Quantum-class ship as we are welcoming Anthem of the Seas to North America," said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 

Fain says although there have been some tweaks in food, drink and entertainment, the Oasis and Quantum ships cross international markets with ease. 

"These ships have been received with excitement by passengers and crew and have performed exceptionally well across the globe,” he said. “We fully expect that momentum to continue as we add to this innovative class." 

Royal Caribbean gets leg up in China with Ctrip deal

By Tom Stieghorst

The sale of the Celebrity Century to the Chinese travel agency Ctrip opens a second way for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL) to develop a passenger business in the world’s most populous country.

Starting next year, the 19-year-old Century will sail for a new venture owned by Ctrip, a Shanghai-based online travel agency (OTA) that also supplies travel products and services.

In a statement, Ctrip said an affiliate will own the Century and that the affiliate will form a joint venture with RCCL to manage the ship’s operations. The companies have a memorandum of understanding to set up the venture “and potentially broaden the relationship,” the statement said.

While RCCL will recognize a $20 million loss on the ship’s disposal, company Chairman Richard Fain nevertheless called the sale “an excellent business opportunity for both Royal Caribbean and Ctrip” that will generate “strong value for both companies’ shareholders.”

RCCL had previously decided to get rid of the Century, the last remaining ship in Celebrity’s Century class. At one point, it appeared bound for a French cruise line owned by RCCL that operates two other former Celebrity ships.

RCCL already is marketing several ships to Chinese passengers, including the Mariner and Voyager of the Seas. It is raising the ante in the Chinese market next year by deploying its newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, for year-round sailings from Shanghai.

Having the Century in China at the same time will offer a lower price point on a smaller ship for the new joint venture, which will take delivery of the ship in April after it completes its scheduled cruises for Celebrity.

Matt Jacob, an analyst with ITG Research in New York, said the sale of the ship into a less-developed market makes sense at this point in its life.

“Royal Caribbean is looking at this deal as allocating its ships in the best possible manner,” Jacobs said. “They believe the Chinese market represents a great opportunity, and this is another way to get exposure to that market.”

As Europe has evolved over the past decade, older tonnage sent there is competing against new ships. But that’s not the case in China.

“There’s an opportunity to take a ship that might not be viewed as competitive in the more saturated markets and position it for the Chinese market where the requirements and desires of that clientele at this stage are not as developed or as stringent,” Jacob said.

RCCL did not disclose the sale price, but one analyst estimated it at $157 million.

If the price was at or above the market for such ships, disposal at a loss could still be a win, Jacob said. “Although they’re taking an accounting loss, this I imagine is the highest-yielding use they have for that ship at this time.”

Ctrip offers RCCL established connections to Chinese consumers. Founded in 1999, it provides hotel reservations, transportation ticketing, packaged tours and corporate travel management in China.

In 2012, Priceline invested $500 million in Ctrip, calling it the “clear leader in online travel in China.” The OTA offers an English-language version of its website to promote U.S. travel to China and is already active in selling cruises to Chinese passengers.

In announcing the acquisition of the Century, Min Fan, vice chairman and president of Ctrip, said, “As the largest cruise agency in China, Ctrip has sent over 120,000 guests to cruise trips so far and acquired more than 10% of market share in China.”

Addressing this deal specifically, he added, “Ctrip will capitalize on our strong brand, large customer base and superior service quality, as well as our partner’s extensive cruise operating experience to generate great value to our customers and shareholders.”

The Ctrip deal resembles one RCCL formed with German travel conglomerate TUI AG in 2009. The two companies formed TUI Cruises after TUI acquired the Celebrity Galaxy, another Century-class ship, to cater to the growing German market under the name Mein Schiff (My Ship).

TUI Cruises later acquired the Celebrity Mercury and this year took delivery of its first newbuild, the 100,000-gross-ton Mein Schiff 3.

RCCL’s deal with Ctrip is in the early stages and hasn’t gone beyond an agreement to jointly manage the Century. An RCCL spokeswoman said the companies are still in discussion about what else their cooperative venture might entail.

Peter Whelpton, a consultant in Gainesville, Fla., and a former RCCL executive, said that in his experience, Chinese companies prefer becoming partners with U.S. businesses rather than selling them services.

Whelpton said he was part of a group that raised money in China to start a cruise line there. “Everything we attempted to do in China, we were told, ‘We’ll be your partner,’” he recalled.

Whelpton added that RCCL is pursuing a familiar model by selling the aging Century to a foreign buyer. “They started the same way with Pullmantur,” he said.

The Century will continue its scheduled sailings through the March 22 itinerary. A final 15-night trip from Dubai to Rome is being changed to a 14-night sailing ending in Singapore. From there, the ship will be renovated and altered for the Chinese market before redeployment later in the year.