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Business Insider

I went on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship and saw why bookings are surging to record highs

Posted: March 20, 2024 | Last updated: March 20, 2024

• Royal Caribbean has been increasingly targeting multigenerational families.
• The cruise line's president and CEO said its new Icon of the Seas megaship is a "great example."
• I went on the world's largest cruise ship and saw how it could appeal to younger and older guests.

Royal Caribbean has a secret to its smashing success.

No, it's not its cruise ships' water parks or Broadway-style shows.

It's you, your parents, and your young children. Or, as the industry calls it, "multi-generational families."

In 2023, Royal Caribbean's bookings hit an all-time high ahead of the launch of its newest ship, the Icon of the Seas.

Interest has yet to wane: The three strongest booking weeks in the company's history were at the start of 2024 and "wave season," when cruise lines typically roll out flashy discounts to incentivize reservations .

Sure, its achievement is in line with the rest of the mass-market cruise industry.

Companies such as Carnival and Norwegian have also seen wild success over the last year, with some now running low on cabins and others charging fares surpassing pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

But Royal Caribbean's success, in particular, could be due to its shifting attempt to win over families .

Great timing: More people want to cruise with their kin now.

The trade group Cruise Line International Association called multigenerational cruising one of the top 15 trends in a September 2023 report, noting that 73% of responding cruisers said they're traveling with at least two generations of family members .

Royal Caribbean says these travelers are its bread and butter.

Like other cruise lines, the company now aims to poach families considering land-based vacations. Think of the US theme-park capital, Orlando.

"We've started this transition from being a traditional cruise vacation to being a multi-generational family option that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Orlando and Las Vegas," Jason Liberty, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, told investors in February.

To do this, Royal Caribbean has been "acutely focused" on this family segment, Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told investors on the same call. "And I think Icon of the Seas is a great example of that," Bayley said.

On paper, it’s easy to see how the world’s largest cruise ship appeals to young children.

I joined the ship's complimentary, three-night preview sailing on January 20.

Its flashy, kid-friendly amenities — a short list of which includes a six-slide waterpark, a theme-park-like thrill ride, and a mini-golf course — consumed most of my time .

But if you pay close attention, you might notice the little designs and amenities that make it a great option for parents and grandparents too.

The water park is a good example.

Not every adult would love the 46-foot-tall drop slide. But children and their parents could gleefully go a few rounds on the multi-person raft slides .

Activities such as the rock-climbing wall, the mini-golf course, and the Crown's Edge thrill 'ride' are all near the water park.

Grandparents could spend an hour playing mini-golf with their grandchildren.

But if they prefer to sit out, they can watch their little ones from the adjacent covered lounge, where they can sip on a drink and pick at finger foods instead .

Or they can head to the adult-only infinity pool and bar behind the mini-golf course and water park.

A "family vacation" doesn't mean the family has to stick together for the entire trip.

Instead, on Icon of the Seas, adults can lounge around the ship's de-facto pool club, mai tai in hand, while their children spend their afternoon running around the activity-filled deck .

Like most cruise ships, bars are littered throughout the 1,198-foot-long, 20-deck vessel.

There's even a watering hole in the one neighborhood designed for toddlers, Surfside.

Large candy-shaped decals line Surfside's walls while a giant flamingo grounds the outdoor space. In between, there's a carousel, small dry and water playgrounds, and a pay-to-play arcade .

But just because your toddler can't drink doesn't mean you can't, either.

For supervising adults, Surfside has a watering hole: Lemon Post, which flexes lemonade-stand-inspired alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.

The bar has great views of the water playground, so parents can sip while their kids play.

Across the way, there's also an all-day brunch restaurant where children eat for free, creating several spaces for multigenerational families to spend time together .

One of the ship’s seven pools has a swim-up bar.

Children can splash around while their grandparents unwind with a cocktail. Are you sensing a theme yet?

Or, like most other cruise ships, parents can head to the spa after sending the young ones to the children's and teen's clubs .

To my surprise, the cruise ship’s shows could also delight travelers of all ages.

I have vague childhood memories of hating cruises — and cruise shows. I remember them being tacky, boring, and plotless.

I wanted an exciting performance. Where are the dramatics?! Where are the plot twists?!

I didn't ask to be fidgety or sleepy during these shows, but the singers doing boring and campy covers of oldies hits surely helped me do both. (Can you tell I was later diagnosed with ADHD?)

Fortunately, the shows on the Icon of the Seas were good.

Two decades later, I still don't love most song-and-dance performances.

But I'll admit, the Icon of the Seas' shows were spectacular enough to win me over. The rendition of the Broadway hit "Wizard of Oz," which featured a flying bed and "monkeys," would've delighted kid me .

And I have no doubt even the most bored kid would also love 'Aqua Action!'

At times, I found the striking display of divers, nine-foot-tall robotic arms, and synchronized swimmers a bit cringey — especially the segment where the swimmers danced with flashlights.

But it was still an impressive show of acrobatic talent — enough to delight attendees of all ages.

If your children enjoy Cirque du Soleil-like acts, they will surely like "Aqua Action!"

In terms of dining, parents and their parents could be charmed by the ship’s plushest offering, the Empire Supper Club.

A meal at the Empire Supper Club — meant more for adults than children — includes several courses, cocktail pairings, and live music. At $200 a person, it's the most upscale restaurant on the ship.

Yes, there's a dress code. And yes, kids are allowed, as well .

The ship’s seemingly never-ending access to alcohol and the opportunity for fine dining could appeal to most parents and grandparents.

The family-oriented waterslides could be a big hit with all demographics as well.

But in my opinion, the most subtly successful way the ship targeted multigenerational groups of guests was through the proximity of relaxing lounges to children-oriented amenities such as the water park .

So far, targeting these diverse age groups has been paying off: The new ship has been a massive success.

The Icon of the Seas' fares have been "double or triple" Royal Caribbean's previous new ship launches, Liberty told investors in February .

These high rates don’t seem to impact reservations. Bookings for the new vessel have also been 'phenomenally strong,' Liberty said.

The company saw a record-setting booking day when it opened reservations for Icon of the Seas in October 2022 — over a year before the ship's launch.

A few months later, Bayley called the ship the "best-selling product in the history of our business."

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Why Royal Caribbean isn't going all in on massive cruise ships despite the wild success of its new Icon of the Seas

• Royal Caribbean International has unveiled a swath of giant cruise ships over the past few years.
• Its CEO said its new world's largest ship, the  Icon of the Seas,  is its "best-selling product" ever.
• But the cruise line doesn't plan on going all in on megaships forever.

Earlier this year, guests at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay private island were the first to revel at the historic sight of the world's largest cruise ships, Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, docked side-by-side.

The vessels towered over their communal dock like skyscrapers, casting a dark shadow over their relatively tiny shared pier.

Together, they can accommodate about 19,250 people.

At 1,196 feet long and weighing 248,663 gross tons, the Icon of the Seas is a sight to behold. When it launched in late January, the giant vessel upstaged its eight-foot shorter predecessor, the Wonder of the Seas , as the world's biggest.

At the time, it was no surprise: Every new Royal Caribbean ship seemed to dethrone another Royal Caribbean ship for this title.

But not for long.

The company's smaller ships, important for diverse trips, are aging.

The company is synonymous with its mega vessels. And they've been mega-hits: Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, has repeatedly called the Icon of the Seas the "best-selling product" in the company's history.

Related stories

Royal Caribbean is set to launch four more megaships by 2028 — representing about a third of its total fleet. So far, most of the megaships' scheduled sailings are in the Caribbean.

The other 21 smaller vessels tend to have more specialized itineraries, Patrick Scholes, the managing director of lodging and leisure-equity research at Truist Securities, told Business Insider.

Given their trimmer sizes, these vessels can operate more sailings outside the Caribbean , which often reel in high fares and customer satisfaction for the company, Jay Schneider, the chief product-innovation officer at Royal Caribbean Group, told reporters in January. Think of the Mediterranean, Alaska, and South Pacific itineraries — the latter are especially important as the cruise line continues to ramp up business in Asia.

But these destination-flexible cruise liners are aging as Royal Caribbean continues to unveil their giant counterparts. The company launched its four oldest Vision-class ships, with a maximum 2,730-guest capacity, between 1996 and 1998.

They're tiny and old compared to the 2-month-old, 7,600-guest Icon of the Seas .

Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean plans to return to the basics: smaller cruise ships.

Despite the cruise line's success with mega-vessels, Schneider said Royal Caribbean is now considering a new class of ships that would start "smaller" — noting that he was "careful to say small, but less-than-large."

"The reality is, families want to go on vacations not just in the Western and Eastern Caribbean where a ship like Icon can get into," Schneider said. "They want to stay with our brand and journey to different destinations that require more versatility in ship size."

Desirable destinations such as French Polynesia and Venice, Italy, have limited visiting cruises , including size restrictions, to curb pollution and overcrowding. But, as Schneider said, small-vessel-enabled specialized itineraries are also important to travelers.

Giant mass-market floating resorts also often attract first-time cruisers, enamored by their family-friendly water parks and Broadway-style shows. But after a few good vacations at sea, these no-longer-new-to-cruising guests might start craving quieter ships or more bespoke itineraries.

"Alaska cruises tend not to be the first-time cruiser," Scholes told BI. "I don't really see Icon of the Seas doing a Norwegian Fjord or Alaska trip."

Plus, "there's probably only so much demand for these giant ships," Scholes said.

Royal Caribbean has already succeeded in the first part: bringing in a swath of new cruisers with its megaships. Now, it has to retain them.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

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• Royal Caribbean International

2021 New RCCL Concierge and Hotel Director List

By helengirl , August 10, 2021 in Royal Caribbean International

Recommended Posts

Hi fellow sailors! I am so excited to be cruising for the first time since Covid on Independence, this Sunday, August 15 (woohoo!). I have confirmed the concierge is Junior Flores and have researched him?her? (I am assuming him, but that might not be right!) and see that he is an old timer concierge. Does anybody have any feedback on him? Is he either of the men in the attached picture (this is what showed up on Google images but they look like stock photos so probably are not him!). Does anyone know who the hotel director is and what his/her email would be? Thanks and happy sailing!

Would love if we can keep a running concierge/hotel director spreadsheet going since sailing is resuming :)

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smokeybandit

Well there is this from pre-covid

As people start to cruise, please post information on this page.  

46 minutes ago, helengirl said: Hi fellow sailors! I am so excited to be cruising for the first time since Covid on Independence, this Sunday, August 15 (woohoo!). I have confirmed the concierge is Junior Flores and have researched him?her? (I am assuming him, but that might not be right!) and see that he is an old timer concierge. Does anybody have any feedback on him? Is he either of the men in the attached picture (this is what showed up on Google images but they look like stock photos so probably are not him!). Does anyone know who the hotel director is and what his/her email would be? Thanks and happy sailing!   Would love if we can keep a running concierge/hotel director spreadsheet going since sailing is resuming 🙂

The gentleman on the left is Reyno (last name starts with a V), a former concierge, who is now a Genie.  He is in a lot of the pictures on the RCI website that deal with Genies and the top suites.  

Michael Landry on Ovation.

23 minutes ago, SherriZ366 said: The gentleman on the left is Reyno (last name starts with a V), a former concierge, who is now a Genie.  He is in a lot of the pictures on the RCI website that deal with Genies and the top suites.  

he looks so sweet!

Billy Baltic

29 minutes ago, smokeybandit said: Well there is this from pre-covid    

+ 1. Why start another thread when one exists?

1 minute ago, Billy Baltic said: + 1. Why start another thread when one exists?

Few posters search for existing threads.

Symphony…Norman De Ocampo and Ken Degrace. Suite lounge.

32 minutes ago, smokeybandit said: Well there is this from pre-covid    

Bonanza posted on that post "Symphony…Norman De Ocampo and Ken Degrace. Suite lounge." on August 1, 2021

1 minute ago, Biker19 said: Few posters search for existing threads.

agreed, but that post is sooo old and you have to handle 143 pages of posts to find stuff! Anyone want to start a google doc spreadsheet? I will if no one else does but it won;t be for a couple of weeks minimum

1 minute ago, helengirl said: but that post is sooo old and you have to handle 143 pages of posts to find stuff!

Age of thread/posts should make no diff if the thread is managed like the Captains one, where every couple of pages the whole list is published.

3 minutes ago, helengirl said: Anyone want to start a google doc spreadsheet?

This is the old one that accompanied the concierge thread

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Pz4Im5qh4cqd1zE5A9srLm3wGd0_SNZwTdbLTa59EF4/edit#gid=0

2 minutes ago, helengirl said: agreed, but that post is sooo old and you have to handle 143 pages of posts to find stuff! Anyone want to start a google doc spreadsheet? I will if no one else does but it won;t be for a couple of weeks minimum

If you could please start the Google Doc spreadsheet, that would be fabulous.  A few silent partners and I kept the spreadsheet current prior to COVID.  A suggestion -- limit the access to updating the spreadsheet only to the people doing the updating.  If you don't, people post nasty stuff on the spreadsheet like "Piss of the Seas" or mess up the sheet because they aren't familiar with spreadsheets and Google Docs.  People wanting concierge updates will get a "read only" version.  

Updates should be posted on this thread and then the managers with access can update the Google Doc Spreadsheet.  

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said: This is the old one that accompanied the concierge thread   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Pz4Im5qh4cqd1zE5A9srLm3wGd0_SNZwTdbLTa59EF4/edit#gid=0

This is the one my partners and I maintained prior to COVID 

Dexter Fraser is the Suite Concierge on the Allure (August 2021).  

1 hour ago, lazydayz said: Dexter Fraser is the Suite Concierge on the Allure (August 2021).  

And Elaine Santana is the Diamond Concierge.  

I am new to this posting stuff, so excuse me if this posts twice!

Current RCCL Concierge Hotel Director List.xlsx

Oh I just read on another thread about someone allegedly being banned from ?sailing? for keeping such a list, so I am going to bow out of continuing it. Happy sailing everyone!

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