Allure of the Seas

Ask Adam Blog Series – May 2011 Answers

We’ve just completed our third month of our “Ask Adam Blog Series”. You can view March’s Answer blog here and April’s Answer blog here. Again, a big thank you to everyone who has contributed questions, they have been enjoyable. If you’d like to ask a question for June’s Answer blog please do so on our facebook discussion page.

Now let’s get to the questions.

Why don’t you plan stops on certain ports for the whole night?
-Marcia G

Thank you for your feedback. You are right, a day might not be sufficient time to experience all there is to see in some of the wonderful cities that we visit around the world. The process of determining how much time to spend in each port as well as which ports to call on is complex and one that our Deployment and Itinerary Planning team put a lot of effort into.

Many factors go into this including operational considerations such as how far the port is from other ports and if we stay later would we still be able to reach the next port of call. Usually if we spend more time in one port then we will spend less time in another port. Or in the case of an overnight it could mean not including another port on the itinerary. The Deployment team has to balance these considerations.

While the majority of the ports we call are day calls there are some ports such as St. Petersburg, Russia offered by Jewel of the Seas; Venice, Italy offered by Voyager of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas; and Istanbul, Turkey and Haifa and Ashdod, Israel offered by Vision of the Seas where we have sailings overnight in a port. Outside of Europe we offer overnights in a few other cities such as Buenos Aires, Honolulu, Dubai and Sydney. An additional consideration for many destinations is the option to extend your trip on land with a Cruisetour before or after your voyage. This is most popular for our Alaska sailings on Radiance of the Seas between Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, Canada.

Thank you also for giving me an opportunity to mention our boutique sister brand Azamara Club Cruises. This deluxe two ship brand specializes in interesting itineraries featuring overnight stays in a variety of ports. You may find an upcoming itinerary to your liking on either Azamara Journey or Azamara Quest.

Why aren’t there military discounts on Oasis of the Seas cruises? Let me take it one step further, why aren’t there military discounts on all Royal Caribbean cruises?
-Shannon H.

We offer special rates to United States and Canadian military on select sailings, so please keep an eye out for sailings that offer these fares. At this time, we currently offer military discounts on over 100 sailings throughout the brand, on many different itineraries, including several Oasis and Allure sailings.

When searching for a cruise on RoyalCaribbean.com, be sure to click on “See if you qualify for exclusive rates” and then “check” the U.S. Military or Canadian Forces option.

Why can we not use our celebrity cruises towards Royal Caribbean?
-Patrick K. and Barbara M.

Currently we are not combining the Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises loyalty programs but we appreciate the feedback and will take it into consideration in the future.

Just so everyone is clear, the brands do provide reciprocal recognition to each other’s loyal guests while they are onboard. So let’s take the example of a Diamond level member of Royal Caribbean International’s Crown & Anchor Society who has not previously cruised on Celebrity Cruises. When this Diamond member takes her first Celebrity Cruise, she will receive onboard recognition as if she is Celebrity’s equivalent of Diamond level. This reciprocal recognition has been in place for several years.

Why are there no listings for Allure or Oasis of the Seas for Fall/Winter 2012?
-Ed B.

On May 5th, we announced our new deployment schedules for Oasis and Allure. Both ships now have Caribbean sailings available to book through September 2013. You can view the sailings listed here.

I read on a forum that maybe in the future Royal Caribbean Cruise Line build a third sister ship of Oasis of the Seas. True or False?
-Marco M.

Marco, I’m glad you are enjoying our deployment in Italy. At this time we do not have plans to build a third ship in the Oasis Class. Recently we signed a letter of intent to build the first of a new generation of Royal Caribbean International cruise ships. We are using the code name, “Project Sunshine”. While there is a lot I can’t disclose about Sunshine, there are some things that I mentioned in a recent blog post.

Why are the hulls of Allure and Oasis of the Seas light blue instead of white?
-Dale M.

Dale, glad you enjoyed your recent cruise on Allure of the Seas. The hulls of Oasis and Allure are painted a very light blue. Please note that I am not in favor of gender stereotyping and do not always support blue for boys and pink for girls. On the other hand, I am a traditionalist and the ship will always be a “she.” We think the light blue looks terrific on her.

There was a lot of internal debate about moving away from the traditional white hull. Ultimately we decided that the Oasis-class ships are so unique that we wanted a somewhat different hull color. The difference is most visible when the sun is shining directly on the hull (never a bad thing!). At other times you have to look pretty closely to notice much of a difference from the rest of the fleet.

What do all the employees get to eat onboard the ships?
-Alexander B.

We continually hear from our guests that they want to know more about crew life while onboard. We offer a selection of freshly prepared meals in the crew dining area everyday generally in accordance with a 14 day meal cycle. We have a list of menu requirements for each meal of the day to ensure that the selection is satisfactory. The list is much more extensive than pasta with oil and does not include food from the guest dining areas. In fact, we also make a point to prepare foods from many different ethnicities which are very familiar to our International crew members. By the way, any crew who wish to voice concerns or suggestions about their food or any other aspect of life onboard are able to do so to a committee of their peers who have regular discussions about shipboard life with the officers onboard.

Why do some of the Royal Caribbean ships have a car onboard in the Royal Promenade?
-Brad T.

The first car was on Voyager of the Seas and was a donation by Richard Fain, our CEO and Chairman of the Board. A couple of years ago Richard posted a blog about the cars in the Royal Promenade, and I’d prefer that you read the post so you can get a sense of his enthusiasm, love of ship building and classic cars.

Link to Richard Fain’s Blog Post

Why won’t Royal Caribbean Cruise Line bring up a newer/bigger ship to sail out of Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ?
-Kathleen G-M.

We believe that Explorer is a great fit for the Northeast region and we are happy with her there. We will introduce some new itineraries for Explorer. Specifically Explorer will offer 7 night cruises to Bermuda for the fall of 2012 which she has not had before.

For the New Jersey and Baltimore region I do want to point out that Enchantment is now deployed on a year round basis from Baltimore. We just completed the first winter season. This provides a number of new options for the region.

Also, in the fall of 2012 we will bring a new ship to the Northeast region. Brilliance of the Seas, which is part of the beautiful Radiance class, will offer a new program of open-jaw sailings between Cape Liberty and Quebec City as well as round-trip Quebec City sailings. We are very excited about this program as it is very unique and gives guests an opportunity to see the wonderful Canada Atlantic destinations and the dynamic city of Quebec.

I would love to see a cruise of the pacific coast. Maybe starting in San Diego, with possible stops in Catalina Island, Monterey, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, then back to San Diego. Is there any possibility this can happen in the future since there is no more cruises being offered to Mexico in the West Coast?
-Delia G.

Thanks for the feedback. We will continue to review this as an option but do not have any immediate plans to offer a Pacific Coastal cruise.

We hope everyone enjoys reading these answers, and if you have a question that you haven’t seen yet please feel free to share your question in this month’s discussion http://on.fb.me/jpzblX.

BY:Adam|10th June, 2011 3 Comments

Find out which Splendid Ship Won Ship of the Year in South America!

Captain Bill and I are just wrapping up a considerable schedule of ship visits to Splendour of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. It was a great opportunity to see how all three ships were doing in South America.

Prior to joining Splendour in Buenos Aires, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with Captain Zini (Allure) and his wife Anja. They were great tour guides and Buenos Aires is an amazing city. As Adam will attest because he always teases me, I am quite the food critic when it comes to steak. I definitely had the best steak I’ve ever had in Buenos Aires - every meal was a great experience.

The ship visits were a great opportunity to see a full immersion product come to life. Portuguese is the primary language spoken onboard, and the entertainment and dining are reflective of the local culture. There is a great atmosphere onboard, and the pool deck is the central gathering spot with lots of music, dancing and even a poolside barbeque. We also have a large number of Brazilian crew members and they do an amazing job and are very engaging and really deliver our signature GOLD Anchor service.

The timing was great to start with Splendour, as we were able to announce to the crew that Splendour was Ship of the Year! It was also good timing because we were able to review all the exciting plans for her extensive revitalization in November of this year. We had our colleagues from the New Build department and architects join us for this leg of Anchored in Excellence (AIE) so we could confirm all the locations of the new venues and ensure we finalized all our plans. Splendour will have an extensive 28 day dry dock in November, and the revitalization scope includes everything from fully refurbished staterooms, to the addition of 124 balconies, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi, a Park Café, and Pervasive Wifi, a Diamond Club, a nursery, an upgraded Concierge lounge and an outdoor Movie Screen.

Mariner was making her way around the Horn and had the opportunity to do a few extra sailings in South America during Carnaval. This was definitely an experience! Mariner is getting ready for her transatlantic crossing for her first ever European season. There is a great spirit onboard as the crew is really looking forward to visiting new ports.

The final leg of our AIE experience was a visit to Vision of the Seas. The ship is doing great, and is currently the number one performing ship in our fleet. It was great to see the Captain, Srecko Ban, who learned to speak Spanish during his time on Enchantment, also learning Portuguese now. The guests loved it!

BY:Lisa Bauer|31st March, 2011 4 Comments

Find out how Guest Blogger Peter J. Compton Sang His Way to the Top of Cruise Ship Entertainment

Adam Goldstein asked me to think about how the entertainment offered on our ships has evolved since I joined the Cruise industry. As I reflected on this I started remembering that when I was a young man I was a California Dreamer “Boy Singer” living in Los Angeles trying to be the next Jack Jones (If you don’t know who Jack Jones is think a taller, better looking Michael Buble… just kidding Michael). The only problem was there already was a Jack Jones so when I was offered a gig on a cruise ship sailing from Miami, I jumped at it. I had never been on a cruise ship so I really wasn’t prepared for what I discovered.

After I boarded my assigned ship I walked off three times looking for the show room! The ship had originally been a combination cruise ship and car ferry sailing between South Hampton and Gibraltar where the sea could be pretty rough. The “stage” also served as the dance floor. Railings were built around the dance floor in case people lost their balance in the heavy seas on the way to Gibraltar. The effect was that the stage looked like a boxing ring with a very low ceiling. I remember I was considered a bit of a prima donna because I asked for a black out after “my big closing number”. The Cruise Director at the time said “Sure you can have a black out. Just reach up and turn the toggle switch off”. Since the ceiling was so low it wasn’t too hard!

Needless to say cruise ships and entertainment facilities have come a long way since the early 1970s. Today’s vessels are not your father’s cruise ships! But it took a while to get here. I eventually moved to Royal Caribbean International where the first generation of ships, and the rest of the industry for that matter, had relatively limited entertainment facilities. The ceilings were quite low and the theatrical equipment minimal. The theaters were multipurpose lounges for shows, dancing and activities. The best site lines, or best “seats” in the house for viewing the shows, were FROM the stage. By the next class of ships, however, we started to upgrade.

The Sovereign class ships introduced large theaters with good sight lines and better facilities. Thanks to these enhancements and growing management commitment to entertainment productions onboard, the shows were produced with elaborate sets and costumes including video walls and featured larger casts. Royal Caribbean Productions was born in 1990 committing us to in-house produced shows designed specifically for our ships and guest demographics. Prior to that we staged shows by outside producers which were also playing elsewhere and not designed for our audiences. Following the Sovereign class ships each new class of ship introduced even more theatricality and we continued to evolve our commitment to our entertainment product. The Vision class ships introduced orchestra pits, enhanced show automation, and even better sight lines and back stage facilities.

Who knew then that we were headed for the Voyager Class and ultimately the Oasis class ships which would feature more elaborate theaters, introduce ice shows, parades, Aqua Theaters or that we would enter into partnerships with the likes of DreamWorks and iconic Broadway producers for Chicago, Hair Spray and Saturday Night Fever? The journey through the evolution of our entertainment facilities and programming was an exciting creative trip made possible by the relationships developed with visionary architects, designers, creative staffs, consultants and a committed senior management who encouraged and supported us with the necessary resources along the way.

The lines between entertainment and guest activities have blurred and merged delivering exciting personal experiences through land based quality sports facilities, full court basketball, rock climbing walls, FlowRiders, zip lines, mini-golf courses and yes - Presidential table tennis facilities.

The ideas for all these innovations are the result of many creative minds with the help of serendipitous occasions during the process. One of my favorites, for example, includes when we introduced concepts to our management team for activity in Studio B, our onboard Ice Skating rinks. We mentioned we might even do some limited glice skating as a demonstration for our guests. When Richard Fain saw this he said ”No way! If you are going to do that we will have a REAL ICE RING there” Needless to say my staff and I would never have had the nerve to ask for the first ice rink at sea.

The same sort of surprise occurred the first time we saw the drawings for the aft space of the Oasis of the Seas. The architects had placed a pool in the open deck. Everyone in the room upon seeing the suggestion for the first time shouted that it looked like a perfect amphitheater. This space, of course, became the focal point AquaTheater for the Boardwalks onboard our Oasis and Allure cruise ships.

This story, quite naturally, leads to an exploration and discussion of all the great talent, personalities, designers, and entertainment concept development teams who have brought all these spaces to life. The introduction of those talented characters (and I mean characters in the most respectful and fun way) is a story I’ll save for another time!

BY:Peter J. Compton|24th March, 2011 4 Comments

5 Distinct European Flavors Everyone Should Try Once

Introduction by Adam Goldstein

As we have been reporting, we will have eleven ships cruising in Europe this summer visiting 85 ports in 34 countries which provides so many opportunities to visit this fascinating region of the world. In this blog entry, I have asked Patrick Schneider, Director, Shore Excursions, to update you on some of the highlights of the tour program that will be offered for guests visiting Europe this summer. Patrick is one of the leaders in Craig Milan’s Land Operations group.

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Guest blog by Patrick Shneider

My primary responsibility as Director, Shore Excursions, is to oversee a team of Account Managers who identify and develop the tour programs offered worldwide on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. I am passionate about providing our guests the opportunity to experience amazing cultures around the world, to try new things they never thought they would and to simply escape from their day to day routine. As a former Shore Excursion Manager onboard Celebrity Cruises, I spent several seasons cruising in Europe and learned to love this wildly diverse region for its culture, history, architecture, and people. In my current role, I travel to Europe periodically for onsite inspections and always find a new place to visit or a new experience to try, regardless of how many times I’ve been there before.

Since there are so many things to see and do in Europe I wanted to use this blog to share some of my destination and tour recommendations to help first time and returning visitors select ports and cities. While there are many options for exploring Europe during a cruise vacation, from exploring on your own to hiring a tour guide, my following recommendations highlight great tours that we offer.

Whatever you decide, the main point is to take advantage of the unique occasion to experience something different, and learn all sorts of new things!

First-time visitors to the amazing city of Rome, Italy via the port of Civitavecchia will undoubtedly want to experience the famous landmarks they’ve read and heard about. Rome has an atmosphere and mystique around it, which envelopes its visitors. It has such a deep and interesting history that even if you have visited the city before, you can go back and see something new. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience one of Europe’s most influential cities! Venues in Rome can be split into religious and secular options with some qualifying as both. The “Rome, the Eternal City” tour offers a religious overview of the city with visits to the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and Colosseum while our “Imperial Rome” tour offers a secular perspective with stops at the Colosseum, Roman Forum and St. Peter’s Basilica. Guests who are returning to this port may want to experience something outside of Rome. The “Olive Oil Tasting & Scenic Drive” is perfect for guests who would like to take in the flavors and history of Etruscan Italy and enjoy the taste of typical Italian products, all homemade in a typical farmhouse located in the beautiful countryside of Tuscania. And for the chef (or want-to-be chef), try your hand at making three types of pasta on the “Pasta Making Experience & Lunch” tour before enjoying a five-course meal with several courses of pasta. Having just returned from a trip to Italy, believe me that there is nothing like Italian pasta. Well, except fresh mozzarella or pizza or wine or homemade olive oil or….

Corfu, Greece is on an island and is the most westerly point of Greece. For me, Corfu is a perfect example as to why the Greek Islands are so sought after as a premier vacation destination. It is full of beautiful scenic views, and has an air of relaxation around it. Even if you just go into the town and walk around, you can feel your stress just melt away. One of the highlights of Corfu is the Achilleion Palace, built by the Empress Elizabeth ‘Sissy’ of Austria in 1891 and later owned by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. And one of the most beautiful spots on the island, celebrated for its unique and natural beauty, is the Bay of Paleokastritsa, known as the Capri of Greece. Both of which can be experienced on the “Achilleion Palace, Paleokastritsa & Old Town” tour. Guests looking for a more low-key experience will love the beaches of Corfu found in the “Dassia Beach Hotel Package.”

Guests returning to Europe will find the country of Israel fascinating. It is hard to compare this country with any of our other destinations, when you think of the number of different cultures that have inhabited the region. What I found most surprising and interesting during my visits were all of the different phases the area has gone through – and that you can explore all of these from the ports we visit. Royal Caribbean International visits two ports in Israel to provide guests with a comprehensive experience of the country. The most popular activity from Haifa, Israel is to visit Galilee, the scene of Christ’s youth where Jesus was baptized, preached and performed many of His miracles. Other popular sites include the River Jordan, the Mount of Beatitudes, the Church of Multiplication, and Nazareth, which are all visited during our “Nazareth and Galilee - Jesus Ministry” tour. Guests looking for another unique spiritual tour will enjoy learning about Kabbalah on a tour to its birthplace during “The Saffed Kabbalah Experience.”

From Ashdod, Israel, the most popular destinations are Jerusalem and Bethlehem. On the “Jerusalem & Bethlehem” tour, guests will travel to Jerusalem to visit some of the most sacred sites in the world, including the Garden of Gethsemane, the Western or Wailing Wall and the Church of Holy Sepulcher. In Bethlehem, guests will visit the Church of the Nativity. Return visitors will be fascinated by The Dead Sea & Massada excursion. Here visitors can soak up the history of the moving site where Jewish zealots held Roman armies at bay for three years followed by a visit to the the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

Guests who are looking to take full advantage of the two days in Israel can book the “Grand Overland” tour which features Galilee and Jerusalem and many of the sacred sites I mentioned earlier, as well as lunch in a kibbutz and an overnight stay in Jerusalem with an optional tour of the Old City at night.

Guests cruising in Northern Europe will find the ancient city of St. Petersburg, Russia rich in cultural heritage and a masterpiece of architecture. I have to confess that St. Petersburg is one of my favorite European destinations. While its history is not as long as some of the cities in the Mediterranean, it is very rich and displays one of the most impressive periods of the Russian culture. It is simply fascinating to explore these venues and see how much influence and interaction this empire had with other countries. Additionally, the collection of art and artifacts found in these venues is just beautiful. As with most cities in Europe, one day is never enough to fully explore all they have to offer. With St. Petersburg, you’re in luck as many of our cruise itineraries here offer two days in port. Guests can visit their fancy of palaces, cathedrals, museums and much more. On the “Hermitage & Peterhof” tour, guests will visit the Peterhof Palace which is a testament to the pomp, pageantry and extravagance of Russia’s ruling class. Also on this tour is Yusupov’s Palace which became known as the place of Rasputin’s assassination. On the “St. Petersburg Cathedrals” tour, guests will visit St. Isaac’s Cathedral which is one of the world’s largest cathedrals, the Cathedral of Resurrection on Spilled Blood, which was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated, and St. Nicholas Naval Cathedral, which combines the Baroque style with elements of traditional Russian architecture.

Of course, no trip to St. Petersburg would be complete without a visit to the Winter Palace, which is home to the Hermitage Museum. This enormous complex is comprised of five buildings and displays one of the greatest art treasures in the world. Today, the museum contains more than 3 million exhibits, rivaling the Louvre and Prado in architectural, historical and artistic magnificence (after 10 visits to this fascinating museum, I’ve probably only seen 30% of its displayed contents). On the ”Exclusive Hermitage Museum with Gold Room” tour, the highlight is a visit to the Golden Treasury Room which contains the famous Scythian and Greek gold, numerous royal gifts, and a collection of Western European jewelry made by the most prominent jewelers of the time. Guests looking for a perspective on today’s Russia will enjoy the “Local Life Experience: Metro Ride, Kuznechny Market” tour. Or take advantage of the opportunity to visit the home of the Kremlin on the “Journey to Moscow” tour.

I’ve only talked about five of the 85 ports we’re visiting this summer in Europe – if I had unlimited time and space, I could go on for hours about all there is to do in these ports (fortunately for you, that’s not the case). For more details on the tours I referenced and the hundreds of other tours we’re offering, you can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com/ShoreEx.

BY:Patrick Schneider|15th March, 2011 No Comments

A Day in the Life of a Royal Caribbean Cruise Director

Intro from Adam:

Many readers have requested to hear more about our crew, their backgrounds and their responsibilities. Since we also hear similar questions from guests onboard, I will ask select crew members to periodically blog about their experiences on our ships. I hope you enjoy the first post from Cruise Director, Ken Rush. Please let us know what other crew members or roles you are interested in hearing more about.
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I’m Ken Rush, a Cruise Director on Allure of the Seas and I can boast of being from the Courtesy Capital of the World - La Mirada, California. After studying acting, I pursued a successful career as a Master of Ceremonies for many major events including charity auctions, nightclubs and cabarets. In the fall of 1984, I took a cruise aboard the Azure Seas that changed my life. Within months I was hired as a Cruise Staff member. I was promoted quickly through the ranks holding several positions from Shore Excursion Manager, Production Manager to Cruise Director. I have been Cruise Director on numerous Royal Caribbean International ships and am very honored to have been chosen as part of the inaugural team taking out all of our new ships including the latest amazing, Allure of the Seas.

Many guests ask me, “Do I ever sleep?” and the answer is “Yes about 5 hours a day.” That’s not necessarily true, it’s more like 5-7 hours on a very busy day, like an average sea day onboard the “Ship of Entertainment,” Allure of the Seas. Our ship offers entertainment not only in the evening time, we offer entertainment all throughout the day.

As the Cruise Director, I am in charge of all of the activities and entertainment throughout the entire cruise and I am not just saying this, as much as I have enjoyed every ship I have ever worked on, we have really hit a home run in every aspect onboard Allure of the Seas with the many different shows we offer and the quality of the shows, which in my opinion (and many others) are terrific.

Also, a lot of people have no idea what is involved in being a Cruise Director as they think the only thing we do is host the activities and shows. There are many things to do behind the scenes; from office time which includes planning the cruises, creating the activities, music and entertainment schedule for the week, to budgets, finances, human resources and managing a team of 225 staff members, just to name a few but there is much more.

Here is an example of what a sea day looks like to the Cruise Director of Allure.

7:00am – Wake up and get ready for a busy sea day
7:30am – Office time – making sure everything is set for the day and to look ahead and plan future cruises.
8:30am – Meeting with the Hotel Director and all division heads to discuss business of the day and the entire week, the clientele and any concerns or questions everyone has.
10:30am – Call with the Miami office and my bosses in Entertainment and Guest Activities for a weekly check in.
11:00am – Record television show for guests
11:30am-12:15pm – Walk the ship saying hello to our guests.
12:15pm-12:30pm – A quick lunch
12:55pm – Close the “How To Train your Dragon” Family Ice show
1:15pm – Host the Belly Flop Competition in the AquaTheater
2:55pm – Close the next “How to Train your Dragon” Family Ice Show
3:00pm – 4:30pm – Walk the ship saying hello to our guests
4:30pm – Get ready for the evening
5:00pm – Attend and host the Platinum and Diamond party for our Crown and Anchor Society members who have sailed many times with us before.
6:00pm-6:30pm – Dinner
6:30pm-7:30pm – Office time – answer emails and do business calls.
7:30pm – Host OceanAria Aqua show
8:15pm – Close OceanAria Aqua show
8:15pm-9:30pm – Walk the ship and check in with the staff and musicians and support them in the shows and music sets they are hosting
9:30pm – Host next OceanAria Aqua show
10:15pm – Close OceanAria Aqua show
10:15pm-10:30pm – Run over to the Amber Theater
10:30pm – Host the Love and Marriage Game show
Midnight – Attend the Escape by Malibu party in the Solarium, support the team running the event and socialize with our guests.
1:00am – Go to bed and get ready for another full day tomorrow.

Typically a Cruise Director works for 4 months then has 2 months off and yes, during the 4 months on, we are really “on” with no days off and very limited time off but if you love people like I do and love your job like I do, it’s a wonderful life. And I must love it as I just celebrated 26 years with Royal Caribbean and I still enjoy every single day.

People also ask me, “What is the toughest part of your job?” and my answer is “To try and make every single person onboard happy.” Some say that is impossible and my response to that is, “that doesn’t mean I won’t try…..I only want all of our guests to have a wonderful cruise vacation and yes, I know that sounds like a planned response but I am very sincere when I say that because I truly mean that.”

BY:Ken Rush|4th March, 2011 32 Comments

Pushing the Envelope: Guest Blogger Bill Martin Discusses How Royal Caribbean Stays Ahead of the Curve

 

I am the Chief Information Officer for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, which basically means that my desk is where the proverbial “buck” stops if it involves technology. Our IT organization is responsible for all of the technology onboard the Royal Caribbean International ships as well as those of her sister brands. We also have more than 40 shore side offices around the world that we operate.

2010 was a year of major technological innovation, from redesigned websites to the delivery of Allure of the Seas, who along with her sister, Oasis of the Seas, are the two most technologically advanced ships at sea. It was also a year of awards, winning Information Week magazine’s top innovation honor in the category of customer intimacy. And 2011 is shaping up to be even bigger.

It’s difficult to talk about my role without recognizing the 500+ technology employees on our ships and on shore that make nearly half a billion dollars worth of technology assets work. We have an amazing team of technology professionals. Combine this team with the best operating teams in the industry and you’ve really got a powerful combination. It’s partnerships like this that create the many award winning innovations you’ll see on our ships. From facial recognition applications that eliminate the “Photo walls” where you had to look at almost every professional photo until you found yours, to interactive digital signs that let you know where the action is, it all comes together to make an amazing vacation experience even better.

Many in our organization refer to me as a “rogue CIO” (a moniker I wear proudly by the way). This doesn’t mean I break the rules, it simply means I press our teams to “push the envelope” of what can be done with technology. I am an avid user of technology, and trying new stuff is something we must do if we expect to stay ahead of our guest’s expectations. It’s this constant experimentation that gave me the nickname.

When Adam asked if I would write a guest blog post about going from “Res to glitches” (a cute way of covering my 27 year career here at Royal Caribbean), I was proud to take a shot. I won’t bore you with a lot of career details but suffice it to say that I have been very lucky at Royal Caribbean, finding the right opportunities at just the right time over the years, to maintain a career with the same company. That’s very rare these days, so I consider myself very lucky. As the phrase implies, I started in the call center taking reservations over the phone way back in 1984 while I put myself through college. Computer reservations in 1984 were very different … everyone agreed that seeing available staterooms in less than TWO minutes was a real step forward from the “berthing books”, but the system would frequently go down, so the computers could be a real pain! Today we measure down time in minutes per year. So I guess it has gotten a little better.

There have been many steps along the way, including stints in Accounting, Revenue Management, Customer Service, even running all of the call centers in North America, and finally, to my current role as CIO, which started a little over three years ago.

Funny side note about my current role, I called my brother to share the news of my move to the CIO role. His reaction? “ARE YOU CRAZY! CIO stands for Career Is Over!” He said I wouldn’t last two years in the role. I’m happy to report that Tom was wrong.

On a personal note, I have 4 children (ages 21 to 8 ) and have been happily married going on 25 years (I guess I have a thing for sticking around)! We love living in South Florida (even if it felt like Chicago this past December – Yea yea, spring time in Chicago We’re planning to vacation in Hawaii this summer but still have to convince the kids of this since they are hoping for another cruise on Allure! LOL

We produced a webisode about some of the technology highlights on Oasis and Allure. Take a look. It’s pretty ground breaking stuff.

BY:Bill Martin|25th February, 2011 10 Comments

What’s the Buzz Onboard Allure This Week? Find Out Which Celeb is Making Her Directorial Debut!

Allure of the Seas is living up to her reputation as the ’ship of entertainment’. This week, actors James Brolin and Jenny McCarthy are onboard directing and starring in two short films. It’s Jenny’s directorial debut and we are thrilled she is using Allure as the backdrop. During the cruise, some of the cast members taped candid interviews about their experience on Allure of the Seas and gave us the scoop on the projects that they are working on. We are pleased to share these with you.

Visit our YouTube Channel to watch the video clips and check out the photo album on our Facebook page to get a behind-the-scenes look. Of course if you “like” us on Facebook you will be able to keep up with all of our news.

BY:Adam|4th February, 2011 8 Comments

Falling for Falmouth: An Expert’s Guide to Discovering the Beauty & Adventure of our Newest Port!

As we have been reporting, our cruise ships will start calling on a new destination in February 2011 - Falmouth, Jamaica. Voyager of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to visit Falmouth on February 17th and Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas will begin calling in March 2011. We are excited to be part of the development of this new port of call. In this blog entry, I have asked Patrick Schneider, Director, Shore Excursions, to update you on some of the highlights of the tour program that will be offered for guests calling on Falmouth. Patrick is one of the leaders in Craig Milan’s Land Operations group.

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Guest Blog Post by Patrick Schneider, Director, Shore Excursions

My primary responsibility as Director, Shore Excursions, is to oversee a team of Account Managers who identify and develop the tour programs offered worldwide on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. As a former Shore Excursion Manager onboard Celebrity, I am passionate about providing our guests the opportunity to experience amazing cultures around the world; to try new things they never thought they would; and to simply escape from their day to day routine. My team and I travel to many of these destinations for site inspections (yeah, it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it!) and we’ve been visiting Falmouth regularly as the work progresses.

Falmouth once played a significant economic role as a trade and shipping center during the English colonial period. From the wharfs of Falmouth, sugar, rum and coffee were sent to England. Ships carrying African slaves and all kinds of fine goods arrived in Falmouth, dropping anchor in the bustling port town in order to serve the necessities of 18th Century colonial life (such as fine furniture, French wines and Chinese Porcelain).

This time period produced much of Falmouth’s historic district including the Court House, the Water Square and other public and private buildings, which makes this town one of the most important historically in Jamaica.

In the early 1830’s, shipping activity moved to deep-water ports and slaves were freed in Jamaica. Both events caused Falmouth to lose its main economic activity and over the years the town lost its luster and most building went into a state of disrepair.

Very little development has occurred in the town over the last 100+ years. However, about eight years ago, Falmouth Heritage Renewal, a Jamaican non-profit organization, was charged with the restoration of Falmouth’s main buildings. Since then, other Jamaican institutions along with the University of Virginia’s School of Field Architecture have also joined forces to help document and restore Falmouth’s historical buildings. Finally, the Historic Falmouth Cruise Port, a joint venture of the Port Authority of Jamaica and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is bringing international attention to this century long forgotten and ignored town. The Historic Falmouth Cruise Port is serving as a catalyst for the town’s rehabilitation and beautification as well as raising awareness of the importance of documenting and preserving Falmouth’s history for future generations.

In addition, and just as important to our guests, the new port will serve as a gateway to three well-known tourist destinations within Jamaica: - Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril. Guests will have many options for activities in Falmouth and in its surrounding destinations.

In February, we will have more than half of the site’s exterior complete and by mid-March almost all of the building exteriors are expected to be finished. Construction is scheduled to conclude by the first of June. Since the Falmouth Port facilities will still be under construction for initial ship calls in February we encourage guests to participate in an organized tour as the best way to experience Jamaica from this new port-of-call.

Long-time guest favorites, previously offered from Ocho Rios and/or Montego Bay, will continue to be available. These include visiting or climbing Dunn’s River Falls, swimming with dolphins, plantation/great house tours, river rafting, canopy tours, horseback riding, as well as several different beach/resort breaks. In total Falmouth, Jamaica actually has more tours available than any other port in the Caribbean!

There will also be get-away options in the parish of Trelawny where Falmouth is located, including a walking tour and a horse and buggy tour of the historic port of Falmouth. This will provide guests the opportunity to learn more about the history and culture of this unique part of Jamaica. One can also take a helicopter tour of either the local Falmouth area or over to Dunn’s River Falls for great scenery and photo opps. Guests will also have the opportunity to visit “Cockpit Country,” Jamaica’s largest remaining contiguous rainforest, via a 4×4 safari tour or a cave exploration adventure.

Jamaica is famous for its beautiful mansions and Good Hope Great House is a local example of these former working plantations. Good Hope Great House was built in the 1700’s and restored in its entirety, with paintings, antiques and the lush surroundings of a 2,000-acre working enterprise. Guests visiting the property can walk on the lands once owned by the largest planter in Jamaica, John Tharpe, and travel to the ruins where the water wheel and kiln still stand today. There will be several tour options available from Good Hope Great Estate including a horse and carriage ride, a tour of the great house and grounds, and will either include a fine dining experience of Caribbean cuisine, a traditional high tea experience or a taste of the wondrous spices of the Caribbean.

Our team handles the tour programs for over 400 ports-of-call and we offer over 4,500 tours worldwide. Every visit to these ports, whether for the first time or as a frequent visitor, offers an opportunity for new experiences. Falmouth will not disappoint.

BY:Patrick Schneider|3rd February, 2011 30 Comments

Taylor Swift Shines in Concert onboard Allure - Guest Blog by Betsy O’Rourke

Four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Taylor Swift rocked the Boardwalk on Allure of the Seas with her stellar performance in the outdoor AquaTheater this past Friday, January 21st in Cozumel, Mexico. The concert was the first stop of her world tour featuring her biggest hits along with selections from her new album, Speak Now.

The anticipation on the ship all week long was palpable! Guests onboard participated in Taylor Swift-themed events during the cruise including a Taylor Swift Look - A - Like Contest, Trivia Contest, Taylor Swift Karaoke and other activities- all for the chance to score concert passes! In addition, 12 tickets were auctioned off to raise funds for Make A Wish Foundation, raising $8,750.00. Guests who didn’t get seated in the AquaTheater could watch the live performance in the main theater as well as Studio B, the ice skating theater.

Several guests dressed up for the occasion, wearing beautiful dresses and hair and make up to mimic Taylor Swift’s signature look with long wavy blond hair and bright red lips. The boardwalk balconies were all filled with fans waving signs and wearing branded t-shirts to show their love for Taylor. Literally everywhere you looked, there were guests dancing and singing along with Taylor as she serenaded the excited crowd. Two oversized video screens ensured that everyone had a great view of the event.

She wore a beautiful shimmering silver sheath dress and danced across the stage, even going into the audience to hug some fans and express her gratitude for their devotion. Her lively spirit was contagious, with fans of all ages on their feet cheering wildly with every new song.

Click on the photo to view more pictures of Taylor Swift’s performance onboard Allure!

Her management team was a delight to work with and sailed with us for the whole week, entertaining their biggest corporate partners, many of whom had never cruised before. These executives were with companies including Sony, Comcast, Cover Girl and others. By all accounts, they were blown away by Allure of the Seas and the onboard experience and of course, the concert!

If you’re curious as to how it came about that Taylor Swift started her world tour on our ship, all you need to do is meet our Director of PR Tracy Quan. She was the mastermind behind the idea. Literally every area of the ship’s operations was involved in the flawless execution of this very special event. Watch the performance highlights below and share your thoughts with us here or on Facebook.

BY:Betsy O'Rourke|25th January, 2011 2 Comments

Sometimes No News is Good News! Part 3: No Such Thing as a Quiet Day

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Guest blog by Captain Hernan Zini, Captain, Allure of the Seas.

There was a lot of good energy all throughout the ship. And like the rest of the ship, Chief Electrical Engineers Vito and Dragutin were as busy as ever. Small details pending in owner work like IT installation, CCTV cameras, digital signage and electronic mustering systems among others, all required the assistance of our Electrical team. Not to mention our propulsion system is entirely electrical, they really have to Move it, Move it!

We knew that we would be ahead of schedule due to the high speed used to successfully avoid all the different storms, so we decided to stop the last day of our crossing just outside Freeport and use the time to do the final calibration and testing of our DP system. This day was named as the “Quiet Day”, with the aim of allowing the entire crew to relax and recharge their energy before the busy inaugural period started.

The DP is a system used for dynamic positioning that is highly accurate and sophisticated. The calibration and test was mainly electrical and while the majority of the crew was enjoying incredible weather in the Caribbean, the electrical team was working nonstop from early morning till midnight when 70% of the test was completed. I remember being on the Bridge at that time looking at the tired but still positive faces of Vito, Dragutin and Piotr (among others). I was thinking…so much for a quiet day for them…I called the tests off for the rest of the night. I needed them rested for our first arrival to Port Everglades next morning at 0700. The DP test was completed during our 1st sailing out of Port Everglades on another long evening for the Electrical team… you can’t help wondering… where they get their energy from?

The Refrigeration Team lead by Franco and David had a tough job. They are responsible for the Air conditioning Plant (AC). They scrolled every single AC duct of the ship at the yard and they worked hard to help STX deliver the best AC plant possible. One of the AC compressors broke just before delivery and getting it back in place was not an easy task, as matter of fact they are still working on it. The cleaning of the chilled water system is another never ending story with so many miles of piping; they really worked hard to get the systems as clean as possible before delivery and in operations.

The efficiency of our AC Plant is one of the single largest contributors to our much lower carbon footprint onboard. To achieve that, the AC plant needs a lot of hours for balancing. This is done normally after delivery, not to mention that the ship is transiting from a colder weather to the Caribbean, so that in itself requires daily adjustments. They are still adjusting the plant and getting ready for what we call a Tropical test, when we finally can test the performance of the AC plant in warmer weather. Most importantly for many of us, they are also responsible for keeping the right temperatures in our provision area, where we keep all the food onboard…one mistake and you can say good bye to your Caramel Frappuccino or your ice cream experience. The refrigeration team did a really “cool” job!

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The stories continue; equipment training, setting up drawings and documents in our offices, starting with our daily and weekly maintenance routines, going over the many non-critical alarms left in the system at delivery, checking a few leaks in some of our systems, organizing our stores and checking the final details on our 15,000 line items of spare parts ordered, there was a lot of work to be done.

No ribbon cutting, no glamour or grand openings, their stories are more silent. And in this environment you could argue that “No news is good news”. I will go further to say “No news is a job very well done”. Their job has supported in more than one way each one of all the other grand openings, whether it is an electrical installation on a particular venue, the temperature of our food stores, or navigating the ship slowly out of Port Everglades so the Divers can do their act in the Aqua Theater, the marine team has been an integral part of each one of our incredible product deliveries.

I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you and congratulations to the nearly 200 Marine Officers and Crew for their professionalism, passion and dedication. Safety and reliability is one of the most important pillars of our operation, and there is a very clear focus on that. But with their hard work they also support each one of the functional areas responsible for Delivering the WOW.

The marine crew has WOWed me!

My only request now is that they “Keep up the No News.”

BY:Captain Zini|31st December, 2010 2 Comments
 

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