Europe’s legendary libraries rank among some of the world’s most famous buildings.
25.04.2024 - 21:49 / skift.com / Michael Bayley / Jason Liberty / Elizabeth Casolo
Some cruise stereotypes are going overboard as Royal Caribbean Group executives witness a boost in younger travelers.
During Royal Caribbean’s first-quarter earnings call, President and CEO Jason Liberty said nearly half of the company’s cruise guests are millennials or younger. The demographic gained 11 percentage points of share compared to 2019.
Liberty attributed some of Royal Caribbean’s exclusive destinations — like Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas — to this growth.
“One of the incredible things that we’re seeing out of destinations like Perfect Day — and we’ll see this in the Royal Beach Club in Nassau — is how it’s drawing in new-to-cruise (passengers) and millennials,” Liberty said.
Executives said that Caribbean sailings remain most popular, hitting 55% of Royal Caribbean’s deployment for this year. Royal Caribbean International, one of the company’s brands, will also dispatch its upcoming Utopia of the Seas ship to the Caribbean. The ship intends to rival land-based vacations, all while seizing demand for private destinations, such as Perfect Day.
“Utopia is not by accident,” said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean International president and CEO. “Utopia is sailing out of Port Canaveral… It really is another product that’s squarely in this competitive space of (land-based) vacations, and we’re seeing huge demand.”
Royal Caribbean is leaning into exclusivity. The company just broke ground on its new Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in Nassau, slated to open in 2025. Royal Beach Club in Cozumel is expected to open in 2026.
Europe trails behind the Caribbean, fulfilling nearly a quarter of Royal Caribbean’s capacity in the summer. Despite changes in Israel and Red Sea itineraries, Royal Caribbean executives were confident in European bookings.
“We are currently booked nicely ahead of last year in both rate and volume,” Royal Caribbean CFO Naftali Holtz said.
As Royal Caribbean returns to its Chinese market this month — preparing to bring a second ship next year — the company is also deploying other ships to Alaska.
Royal Caribbean announced its strongest wave season yet. The period lasts from January through March, when cruises usually post their best early offers for the year. The first quarter’s net income was $360 million, following losses early last year. Total revenues reached $3.7 billion, up from $2.9 billion.
While customers who prebook skew a bit younger, Liberty said Royal Caribbean’s digital traction is steady across demographics. Customers arrange onboard activities earlier compared to last year, engaging in 10% more experiences per booking.
The Royal Caribbean mobile app attracts 94% of guests, according to Liberty. The app now allows both cruise and flight bookings.
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Europe’s legendary libraries rank among some of the world’s most famous buildings.
Four Seasons Palm Beach and a charity polo tournament featuring Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was the setting for the launch of Miami Polo Edition, the newest member of the Royal Salute Polo Collection. Royal Salute’s Polo Collection celebrates inspiring locations connected to the history of ‘The Sport of Kings’ by reflecting these destinations in expertly crafted 21-year-old blended Scotch whiskies. Four Seasons Palm Beach is a five star beachfront resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
You've likely heard that Copenhagen is an expensive city to visit. And while there's no way around this fact, there are many ways to make your krone go further as you prepare for the trip.
The culturally rich city of Copenhagen has plenty to keep visitors busy for many days, but it’s also ideally situated for day trips to a variety of other interesting and scenic destinations in Denmark and beyond, bringing to mind knitted wool sweaters, colorful snow-topped houses and warm hygge vibes.
Hard Rock International, Seminole Gaming, Royal Caribbean International, and Celebrity Cruises are joining forces in a global partnership deal that will let travelers take advantage of perks and discounts across all four of the powerhouse brands.As part of the massive deal, millions of customers who are members of each brands’ loyalty and casino rewards programs will now have access to “reciprocal benefits.” The loyalty programs include Unity by Hard Rock, Royal Caribbean’s Club Royale, and Celebrity Cruises’ Blue Chip Club. Moving forward, members of all of the programs will earn reciprocal benefits anytime they play, stay, dine, or shop at participating Hard Rock locations or sail on any Royal Caribbean or Celebrity ships.“We see this as a marriage made in heaven,” Jeff Hook, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Seminole Hard Rock Support Services, told TravelPulse during a recent interview."If you’re customer of Hard Rock, now you don’t just have benefits with Hard Rock, you also have benefits with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. And conversely if you're a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity member, you now have benefits with Hard Rock.”
Over the past few years, Copenhagen has become a wildly popular destination. Some come to visit the Little Mermaid and walk in the footsteps of Hans Christian Andersen, others to have a bite of the famous food scene, but all are impressed by Denmark's capital.
Over the last few years, the mass-market cruise industry's larger-than-life mega-ships — outfitted with loud waterparks and more dining options than you could eat in a week — have dominated the spotlight.
Solo travel was one of the top trends to emerge from Forbes Travel Guide’s 2024 Summit.
It’s about to get easier for frequent travelers to ball out on a cruise or a high-end casino vacation thanks to a new partnership between Hard Rock International and both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.
Do you know what $900 could buy you? More than three years of Netflix's premium plan, a new Gucci purse, or 2,059 spicy chicken McNuggets.
To each their own Genoa. One of the main Mediterranean seaports, with good connections to Milan and just a short distance from the Alps, the city has surprises in store for every type of traveller. A trip to Genoa is an opportunity to amaze friends, partners and family – and to enter a different world. A romantic Genoa for couples
Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, April 26. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.