Royal Caribbean Says 48 ‘Symphony of the Seas’ Passengers Test Positive for COVID-19

Symphony of the Seas in San Juan Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean Group said on Monday 48 people on its Symphony of the Seas cruise ship tested positive for COVID-19, fueling concerns that the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus could put a damper on a recovery in the cruise industry.

The cruise operator said it had 6,091 guests and crew members on board the ship, which ended a week-long cruise in Miami on Saturday after setting sail on Dec. 11.

The passengers who tested positive were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, Royal Caribbean said in a statement, adding that six guests were disembarked earlier in the cruise and transported home.

Royal Caribbean said 95% of the community on board were fully vaccinated, while 98% of those who tested positive were also fully vaccinated.

Symphony’s future itineraries are not impacted, it added.

New Royal Caribbean Ship Leaves on Sea Trials

The wonder of the Seas Royals 5th Oasis Class cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean International's new Wonder of the Seas has departed on sea trials from Chantiers de l'Atlantique where she is under construction.

The Oasis-class ship will now spend a few days at sea, testing systems and performance with teams from the shipyard, vendors, class society and other stakeholders aboard. 

Originally set to debut this year, the Wonder will now enter the cruise market in 2022 and become the biggest cruise ship in the world, and the fifth Oasis-class ship in service after the Oasis, Allure, Harmony and Symphony of the Seas.

The ship is being deployed to China and will be the first Oasis-class ship to sail in Asia. She could arrive in the market as soon as spring 2022 should those plans hold. 

Royal Caribbean: Cash Flow Positive in Six Months

Independence of the seas photo credit Dave Jones 

The Royal Caribbean Group expects to be cash-flow positive in about six months, Jason Liberty, senior vice president and CFO, said on the company's Q2 earnings call.

Liberty noted that the third and fourth quarters of this year will continue to be “painful” and cautioned that 2022 will not be a normal year although trends to normalcy should be picking up during the year.

Going from four ships in service at the end of April, the group now has 29 out of 68 ships sailing and will introduce seven more this month.

By the end of the year, Liberty said, 85 per cent of the Royal Caribbean fleet should be sailing.

As for the newbuilds, Liberty said they will be introduced on 10-month delays from when they originally were expected to enter service.

Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, noted how Royal Caribbean is focused on operating their cruises safely and safer than other vacation alternatives, while still exceeding pre-pandemic guest expectations, and doing so in a fiscally prudent manner.

He underscored that their safety protocols are working and that the ships allow them to control the environment to an unusual extent: 100 per cent of the crew is vaccinated, and in July, 92 per cent of the passengers were vaccinated.

“We have had people test positive, but since people around them have been vaccinated, it means these have been isolated cases,” Fain said. “The vaccines are the ultimate weapon and they work.

“In light of the Delta variant, we have strengthened our protocols further.

“Cruises have become the example of how best to deal with COVID-19,” Fain added.

Thomas Cook rolls out Symphony reservation system

Thomas Cook has announced the successful roll-out of the first phase of its new reservation system, with all its winter 2013-14 charter products now sold on the new web-based platform.

The new system, labelled ‘Symphony’ and which has gone live in less than a year, will replace TOS, and Thomas Cook said it “marks a significant milestone” in its IT modernisation programme

Anite’s @com modern browser-based system is quicker and easier for agents to use, said Thomas Cook, and enables component-based holidays and dynamic packaging, alongside package holidays, to be booked from a single selling platform.

Uli Sperl, product and yield director for Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, said: “A new, modern reservation system will make us more competitive by keeping us ahead of a rapidly-changing marketplace.

“It’s a huge step-change and allows many more complex bookings to be completed easily, such as weddings and groups. 

“Symphony is also great at allowing customers and agents to manage bookings through the holiday life-cycle, accessing a holidaymaker’s booking from whichever channel they contact us, providing industry leading service.”

Symphony is now being used by thousands of users across Thomas Cook, following an education programme of e-learning, classroom training and Anite-led workshops.

The next steps in the roll-out of the system will see all Thomas Cook’s summer charter products, including Neilson and Club 18-30, go on sale in May 2013 for the summer 2014 season.