Articles tagged “royal caribbean”

The Philippines wants cruise dollars. But Boracay, which has reopened after some rehabilitation, does not. The island is a key cruise stop but can carry only so much. Tourism authorities and cruise lines should work out the sums.

These were the 10 biggest deals in travel in 2018. Were they the smartest decisions? We'll know in a few years. Hospitality-related acquisitions dominated our list; the online travel agencies made some big investments, but were absent as big buyers.

Celebrity Cruises wanted its newest ship to be transformational for the brand and for the cruise industry. With reimagined staterooms, technology, and even hot tubs, the cruise line is following through on that goal.

Royal Caribbean is investing left and right in technology, new ships, new features on land, and even an entirely new brand. That means costs are up, but the company expects to see those investments pay off.

Royal Caribbean Cruises wants to be a bigger player in the luxury and expedition cruise space. One surefire way to do that, now that it owns a majority stake in Silversea: build more ships.

It's not often these days that a cruise company singles out China as a highlight; the market has been too volatile. But for Royal Caribbean Cruises, China was one of several positive pieces that added up to an unexpectedly good quarter.

It's probably good news that the first move Royal Caribbean made after closing its majority stake in Silversea was announcing improvements to its fleet. We'll be curious to see what those upgrades include — and how the experience changes for passengers.

Cruise lines are confident that people will fill the ships they order, and shipbuilding yards are packed with business for years to come. Will Wall Street shake off its worries that demand won't keep up?

Buying Silversea will certainly improve Royal Caribbean's offering in the luxury and expedition sectors. Will it be happy as a majority shareholder, as it says now, or will it eventually want complete control?

No one doubts that Cuba will continue to grow as a cruise destination. The question is how that growth will be managed — and whether the island can cope with the influx of additional daily visitors.