Royal Caribbean has followed a bigger-is-better approach in recent years. The cruise line continually outdoes itself to claim the title of “the world’s largest cruise ship.”
It’s an honor currently held by Wonder of the Seas, but that ship will soon cede the title to Icon of the Seas, the cruise line’s first Icon-class ship. Royal Caribbean will follow the launch of Icon of the Seas with another Oasis-class ship, Utopia of the Seas, which will not claim the title but will still be one of the largest ships at sea.
After Icon and Utopia, Royal Caribbean’s (RCL) – Get a free report the order book contains only large ships. There is at least one other Icon-class ship on order and the cruise line hasn’t built a smaller ship in more than a decade.
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This is something that has upset many of the cruise line’s biggest fans. Oasis and Icon class ships are limited in the ports they can stop at. Older, smaller ships have more options, which many longtime cruisers appreciate.
Returning passengers benefit from the amenities offered on larger, newer ships, but they would prefer cruises that don’t stop at ports like Nassau and Cozumel, which can accommodate the larger ships.
This currently forces Royal Caribbean customers to choose between sailing on newer, larger ships with all the amenities, but limited ports of call, or on older ships that offer less, but can stop in more of ports.
It’s a situation that has led passengers to call on the company to build a new class of smaller ships. It’s a message that Royal Caribbean seems to be listening to.
Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
Royal Caribbean plans smaller ships
Royal Caribbean clearly knows how to build smaller ships. The latest ship in the company’s Celebrity Cruises brand. Celebrity Ascent has about two-thirds the passenger capacity of Wonder of the Seas. That’s still about twice the size of Royal Caribbean’s Vision and Radiance class ships.
Many longtime Royal Caribbean fans enjoy sailing on smaller ships. They may lack some features offered by larger ships, but they offer a more intimate experience where passengers get to know the crew members well.
Royal Caribbean has announced a return to building smaller ships, but has yet to announce any. This is something the cruise line’s CEO Michael Bayley addressed after being asked about it on social media.
“Mr. Bayley, you said years ago that Royal Caribbean was going to bring out smaller ships to go to the smaller ports that people want, but the ships are getting bigger and bigger – and it’s repetitive for CocoCay. It’s time to listen to the guests who have remained loyal for over 30 years. People want different ports,” Thomas Budzyn asked on Facebook.
Bayley responded to him in a surprisingly frank manner, which was first reported by the Royal Caribbean Blog.
“The Royale team is working on a new class and I hope that if all the necessary obstacles are overcome, we will be able to announce something this year. It’s a journey. Remember, Serenade just sailed the Ultimate World (Cruise) with 274 days of global adventures! Lots of new ports,” explained the CEO.
Royal Caribbean is thinking big at the moment
Although Royal Caribbean has now acknowledged that it is at least considering building smaller ships, this will take at least a few years. The cruise line will welcome Icon of the Seas, the world’s new largest cruise ship, to its homeport of Miami on January 9.
Icon will make regular stops at CocoCay, the cruise line’s newly developed private island. This is something Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty talked about at the cruise line’s conference. third quarter earnings call.
“With each new ship, we have raised the bar in the travel industry while enhancing what our customers already know and love. Hideaway Beach will also debut in January 2024, just in time for the arrival of Icon of the Seas. Hideaway Beach is our newest ship. ultimate adults-only beachfront paradise at Perfect Day at CocoCay,” he shared.
The new CocoCay space already seems to be a great success.
“Pre-cruise sales for Hideaway Beach and premium offerings exceed our expectations,” he added.
