Royal Caribbean International News

Royal Caribbean Group announced to has tapped Bert Hernandez to succeed Barbara Muckermann as president of its Silversea brand.Most recently serving as senior vice president, international, Hernandez has been with the Royal Caribbean Group for the past 20 years. He previously served as president of China operations for Royal Caribbean International and was chief operating officer for the group’s former luxury cruise line, Azamara.Muckermann is departing Royal Caribbean Group after 14 years with Silversea to pursue other opportunities…

Royal Caribbean Group has suspended cruise visits to Labadee, a secluded peninsula in Haiti, for the next seven days following months of escalating gang violence in the country, a senior company executive said in a Facebook post on Thursday.The company will continue the suspension as required with three days advance notice to guests sailing on impacted itineraries, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said.Violence by powerful armed gangs had gripped Haiti, causing thousands to flee their homes, after anti-government protests broke out early in February.The violent cl

Royal Caribbean Group announced it has entered into an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique to order a seventh Oasis Class ship for delivery to its Royal Caribbean International fleet in 2028.“While we eagerly anticipate the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas this summer, we’re already dreaming up her sister ship and the next installation in the brand’s extremely popular Oasis Class,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.

The world's largest cruise ship is set for its maiden voyage on Saturday, but environmental groups are concerned that the liquefied natural gas-powered vessel - and other giant cruise liners to follow - will leak harmful methane into the atmosphere.Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas sets sail from Miami with capacity for 8,000 passengers across 20 decks, taking advantage of the surging popularity of cruises.The ship is built to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which burns more cleanly than traditional marine fuel but poses greater risks for methane emissions.

Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku on Monday delivered the world's largest cruise ship, the 248,655 GT Icon of the Seas, to U.S.-based Royal Caribbean International.The 365-meter-long cruise ship has 20 decks (including 18 guest decks) and surpasses the previous world's largest, Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class Allure of the Seas. With 2,805 staterooms, Icon is able to carry 5,610 passengers at double occupancy, or up to 7,600 passengers if every cabin is maxed out—another cruise industry record.

Royal Caribbean Group is removing Israel from its 2024 itineraries due to the Israel-Hamas war, according to an email sent to travel agents on Thursday seen by Reuters, making it the second major U.S. cruise operator to alter its plans over the conflict.The Miami, Florida-based cruise operator is modifying itineraries as late as October 2024 for its Royal Caribbean International unit that stops in Israel, the email said.Travel has declined sharply across Israel and the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank.

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea is transporting American citizens fleeing war between Israel and Hamas.Sailing at the request of the U.S. embassy in Israel, the Rhapsody of the Seas arrived at Israel's Haifa Port on Monday morning, loaded an unknown number of passengers and departed en route to the Port of Limassol in Cyprus.Many flights departing Israel have been canceled, leaving countless trapped inside the country as violence rages on."The U.S. government is assisting U.S. nationals and their immediate family members with a valid travel document to depart Haifa via sea for Cyprus on October 16, 2023," the U.S. embassy in Israel said in a recent security alert.“Royal Caribbean Group is actively supporting the U.S.

Glamox launched new range of energy-efficient indoor lighting for vessels and offshore installations, with an eye on style.The AL40 LED range of indoor luminaires is specially designed to light the interior of vessels and offshore installations. The luminaires are designed to provide comfortable and glare-free lighting for locations where crew and passengers spend a lot of time. This includes offices, cabin corridors, staircases, crew cabins, control rooms, and the bridge. On an offshore rig…

Emergency responders are searching for a cruise ship passenger who reportedly fell overboard in the Singapore Strait.At about 7:50 a.m. on Monday, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Singapore was notified that a passenger onboard a Cyprus-flagged passenger vessel, Spectrum of the Seas, had fallen overboard while enroute into Singapore.MRCC Singapore, operated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), is coordinating the search and immediately issued navigational safety broadcast to vessels in the Singapore Strait and vessels in port to keep a lookout for the missing person and report any sightings to MRCC Singapore.The cruise ship is currently berthed in Singapore and is supporting investigations.The 169…

Meyer Turku Group has published its 2022 financial results indicating a positive turnaround on the previous year.The Group’s turnover was 1.30 billion euros, up about 200 million euros on 2021. The loss for the financial year was 15.6 million euros, which was less than the previous year's 17 million euros.Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer comments on the result: "During 2022, we were particularly affected by the difficult availability of materials and overall increased costs, especially on materials and financing.

Royal Caribbean Group announced Laura Hodges Bethge will take over as president of its Celebrity Cruises brand, succeeding Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, who will transition to vice chair, external affairs for Royal Caribbean Group, effective May 1.Hodges Bethge, currently Celebrity Cruises' executive vice president, shared services operations, has been with the company more than 23 years and has held senior positions in many different areas including product development, hotel and marine operations, sales, marketing, product innovation, market development and investor relations.

Barbara Muckermann, currently chief commercial officer at Silversea Cruises, will become the company’s next president and CEO, and will join parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s executive committee, effective January 1.Muckermann will succeed Roberto Martinoli, who will assume the role of senior advisor to Royal Caribbean Group president and CEO Jason Liberty.She becomes the second woman to lead one of Royal Caribbean Group’s three wholly-owned brands, and joins Celebrity Cruises president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, and Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley.

One of the world's largest cruise companies Royal Caribbean Group announced it has signed a declaration with the aim to chart the way forward for innovative and sustainable shipbuilding in Finland.The declaration, signed with the Finnish government, represented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE) and shipbuilder Meyer Turku Oy, has been signed with the goal to advance innovation, strengthen competitiveness and bolster the maritime industry's ecosystem, U.S.

Finland's Meyer Turku shipyard has floated out what it says is the world's largest and Royal Caribbean International’s most environmentally friendly cruise ship, Icon of the Seas.During the upcoming weekend, the ship will be moved to the outfitting dock, where its now fully assembled hull will be finished into "a magnificent cruise ship" during next year."Outfitting of the ship is a challenging job, the end result of which is to build an unprecedentedly versatile vacation possibilities on the ship.

Royal Caribbean has unveiled new design details for what is set to be the world's largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas.The 250,800 GT vessel, the first in Royal Caribbean's new Icon-class, is being built by Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku, who began construction in June. First announced in 2016, the mega cruise ship is scheduled for delivery in October or November 2023.The 1,198-foot-long Icon of the Seas will have 20 decks (including 18 guest decks) and will be bigger than the world's current largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class Allure of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Group this week revealed it will be the industry's first cruise ship operator to implement SpaceX’s Starlink for onboard broadband internet service for guests and crew fleetwide.The cruise giant said on Tuesday it will immediately begin installing Starlink high-speed, low-latency connectivity on all Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises ships, along with all new vessels for each of its brands going forward. Initial installations…

Cruise operator Royal Caribbean Group (RCL.N) on Thursday reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss as bookings rebounded and travelers splurged on cabanas, spa treatments and watches while onboard.The world's second-largest cruise line operator is the latest company to report good results as travelers, free of restrictions related to COVID-19, spend heavily on rental cars, airline tickets and hotels."Despite concerns about the U.S. and global economy, high inflation and amid geopolitical uncertainty…

Finland-based cruise shipbuilder Meyer Turku saw its full-year 2021 net loss widen, despite a somewhat higher turnover compared to 2020. Still, the company said it was a "satisfactory result in the midst of a protracted pandemic."The company's turnover was EUR 1.08 billion. It is somewhat higher than in the previous year, but the result for the financial year was a loss of EUR 17.0 million, Meyer Turku said.Tim Meyer, CEO said: “Exceptional times lasted longer than expected. The global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as labor and material mobility, affected our operations as well.

Arnold W. Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation & PLC, has been selected as the recipient of Seafarers’ House International Golden Compass Award for 2022. The award is given each year to those who have achieved distinction in the maritime world, those whose vocation or avocation has been the sea, or those who have ministered to or otherwise assisted seafarers.Donald grew up in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans with 27 foster brothers and sister. His parents’ generosity made a significant impact on his life.

An ailing crewmember was medevaced from the cruise ship Serenade of the Seas, 80 miles west of Tampa, Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.A Serenade crewmember reported to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders the man was suffering from abdominal pain, and a Coast Guard flight surgeon recommended the man be brought ashore.An Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew medevaced the 34-year-old man and flew him to Tampa General Hospital in stable…

Cruise operators Royal Caribbean Group and Viking Cruises canceled sailings to Russia on Wednesday, joining their rivals and many Western brands in suspending operations in the country after its invasion of Ukraine.Celebrity Cruises, owned by Royal Caribbean, said it was removing Russian port city St. Petersburg from upcoming itineraries, adding that it would visit other Scandinavian ports in its place.Silversea Cruises also said it would re-route summer voyages scheduled to stop in Russia and Ukraine, while Royal Caribbean International said it had canceled its visits to St.

Chris-Marine USA, LLC reports it has been chosen by Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) to supply critical engine maintenance machines for several Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises vessels throughout 2022.The Scope of Supply includes over 65 Chris-Marine machines such as CPM (Surface Grinding Machine), VRL (Valve Seat and Recess Lathe), VSL (Valve Seat Lathe) and DGL (Deglazing Machine) which are critical to proper engine maintenance on board the ships.“We are very proud that Royal Caribbean Group has selected us as one of their partners in engine maintenance…

Port Everglades once again welcomes the largest cruise ship in the world. Royal Caribbean International's Wonder of the Seas docked at her homeport, Port Everglades, this weekend for her inaugural season beginning March 4. This is the fourth Oasis-Class ship to make its U.S. debut at Port Everglades.Built by French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the new 236,857 GT cruise ship takes the title of world's largest from its 228,081 GT sister ship Symphony of the Seas, in service since 2018.