Which New Voyager of the Seas Port is on Your Must-See List?

Voyager of the Seas is embarking on a new cruise itinerary this summer and many of her ports of call will be new to the Royal Caribbean International brand. 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 cruising on Voyager of the Seas this summer. Patrick is one of the leaders in Craig Milan’s Land Operations group.

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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. We have added several new ports to our cruise itineraries this summer, several of which are included on Voyager of the Seas’ sailings. I recently returned from a site inspection of many of these ports and wanted to provide an update on the experiences awaiting our guests this summer.

We conduct site inspections for several reasons and one of those is to visit new ports we’ll be calling to frequently in the coming months. The goal of a site inspection may vary but it’s often focused on reviewing the operation with the local tour operators who will be conducting tours for our guests. We visit the venues, port facilities, downtown areas, etc. that our guests will be visiting. We work with experienced and reputable tour operators and through collaboration with these professionals, it’s quite common to develop several additional ideas for tour products we believe our guests will find interesting.

During the recent site inspection, we visited five of the ports Voyager of the Seas will be calling on in 2011.

Koper, Slovenia is this modern-day country’s only commercial outlet to the Adriatic Sea. I’m excited about this port in particular, as it is relatively unknown to most of our guests, and it has so much to offer. The local population is thrilled to welcome our guests, and the town of Koper is such a wonderful experience right next to the ship. However, the port is just a gateway to so many other interesting and unique venues. It is quite a fascinating country, offering a new experience in Southern European cruise destinations. There are several interesting things for guests to visit, many of which are outside the town of Koper, including the town of Bled and Lake Bled, which have existed for over a thousand years. Or guests can visit the picturesque Karst region of Slovenia which is a short distance from the Slovenian/Italian border and is home to the Lipica Stud Farm, founded in 1580 and for over four centuries, has nurtured the tradition of breeding and selecting thoroughbred Lipizzaner horses. Or guests can explore the Postojna Cave which has well-kept paths making it a horizontal cave, and is quite impressive. There is also a unique tour available so guests can explore Slovenian heritage on display through various festivals in small towns. The tour will visit various festivals based on the local schedule. Examples of the festivals to be visited during the 2011 season are the Cherries Festival, Festival of Prosciutto & Wine, Festival of Plums, Fisherman’s Festival, Salt Festival, and Medieval Festival.

Located on the Adriatic coast in northeast Italy, Ravenna was briefly the capital of the Roman Empire and later the Italian capital of the Byzantine Empire. During this time, incredible mosaics were constructed throughout the city. Described as a symphony of color in Dante’s Divine Comedy, Ravenna’s well-preserved mosaics are some of the finest remaining in the western world and it is home to 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The history and significance of Ravenna is often overlooked, and the walking tours with the guides really bring it into perspective. It is also a gateway to two major Italian cities, Bologna and Florence (and Voyager remains in Ravenna long enough to for guests to visit to Florence, which is a first for ships in the Adriatic). Bologna, approximately 75 minutes from Ravenna, was once an ancient Etruscan settlement and within its walls the first university of the world was established in the 11th century. In its charming historical center, many ancient palaces and churches stand as a witness to the cultural relevance that Bologna has had over the course of time. I would categorize Bologna as a ‘don’t miss’ Italian city – once you have wandered its streets and understood its history (it has the two towers that are over 10 stories tall and date back almost 1000 years – right in the middle of the city!), you will want to come back to visit it again. Of course, one of my personal favorite attractions from this port would be the Ferrari and Lamborghini museums, with the added bonus of actually going onto the production floor of the Lamborghini factory and watching them assemble these famous cars by hand.

A principal harbor for over two thousand years, Bari, Italy is a charming city on the Adriatic coast. The old town, Barivecchia, is cherished for its medieval characteristics and buildings. For me, it is more about the region than just the town, however. What struck me most about Bari and the surrounding area was its ‘old school’ atmosphere of Italy. You can go to the downtown area and the women are still making pasta outside their houses, visit the unique trulli houses in Alberobello, and then there are olive tree plantations where some of the olive trees are up to 2,000 years old – and still producing olives. Imagine that – the region has been able to sustain these olive plantations through so many different civilizations.

For guests who may have visited Venice, Italy before, there are always new experiences to be had in the city that is composed of 117 islands in the Venetian Lagoon and held together by a series of canals. While Venice is a very well-known city, it is hard to understand it without exploring it thoroughly. It is a maze of pathways, with no vehicles driving around, just lots of people! As you explore, and think of the history of the city, why it developed, how it was developed (fascinating in its own right!), and how much influence it had on Europe’s development, you really start to feel the mystique. I do think there is a lot of value to taking a tour, and then spending time delving deeper into the towns, exploring the various squares and neighborhoods. We offer an after hours visit to the famous St. Mark’s Basilica, appropriately titled St. Mark’s Basilica After Hours. St. Mark’s is one of the most popular and visited sites in the city and is crowded with visitors during the day but it becomes a silent temple of worship as the evening falls and guests can experience this reverential peace. Most visitors catch only a glimpse of Venice which may provide a very superficial picture of the city. There is far more to see in Venice than the traditional sight of St. Mark’s and our Secret Venice Walking Tour will take guests deep into Venice’s intricate maze of hidden pedestrian passageways on a 2.5-hour guided walk, plunging into the bustle of everyday Venetian life.

Dubrovnik, Croatia is most famous for its old city and walls which have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Dubrovnik has recently become a highlight port for many European itineraries, and there is no question it is worth all of the hype. However, the villages near Dubrovnik give our guests a much more comprehensive understanding of the lifestyles of Croatians, as well as a great view of the amazing coastline. Visiting the old city is a must for first-time visitors and we offer multiple tours that include or entirely focus on the walled city, but our local tour operator has also put together some great full day options that enable our guests to see both the city and also experience other parts of the country. For returning visitors, the resort town of Cavtat is a charming example of a seaside town and the views along the Dalmatian coastline are fantastic. One unique way to experience this is on the Konavle 4WD Safari which allows you to explore areas of Dubrovnik, not often visited by tourists, as well as some of the most beautiful parts of the Croatian countryside. Or try the Bike Adventure in Konavle Valley for a scenic ride through the countryside, vineyards and along the Ljuta River.

I’ve only covered some of the highlights in this blog – each of these ports has much more to offer. Visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com/ShoreEx for more details on the tours and venues referenced in this blog as well as all the other exciting options available. Guests looking for a new and unique experience will have plenty to talk about after cruising on Voyager of the Seas this summer and experiencing all that these ports have to offer.

BY:Patrick Schneider|23rd May, 2011 No Comments

Ask Adam Blog Series – April 2011 Answers

After wrapping up the second month of our “Ask Adam Blog Series,” which we created as an open invitation to our guests to ask questions about Royal Caribbean International or me, I’m glad to share a new round of answers to your questions. Thank you to everyone who participated in April in the Facebook discussion and also thank you for your patience while I’ve been traveling and unable to respond right away. I value all of your comments and questions and look forward to seeing more of them in this month’s discussion.

Why is the merchandise on your ships never rotated or refreshed?
-Angela C.

We actually do have a regular conversation about variety of merchandise with our retail partners at Starboard who oversee the shops on our ships. We are very interested in trying new ideas but at the same time Starboard is very mindful of what our guests are actually buying. Merchandise assortments vary by each ship and depending on the itinerary or port of call they may be rotated. We have very limited space for our shops which impact the amount of variety we can offer. The merchandise offering is based on historical best sellers and products that most relate to the itinerary the cruise ship is offering. New merchandise is added each quarter based on stock levels or any new trends in the market place.

Within our beauty and fragrance shop we offer new launches of product based on when it is introduced to the marketplace. We work very closely with many major brands to offer special promotions and savings compared to US land based retail prices.

Do you have any plans to have single rooms on any ships, as NCL does, so that a person traveling solo doesn’t have to pay double just to get a vacation?
-Nancy S.

Our business model depends on having two or more people in a stateroom, so we have traditionally been focused on that. We do recognize that there is a demand from single travelers. That is why we are looking to create a few staterooms for single travelers during the revitalization of Radiance of the Seas. If that experiment works well we will look to create other limited opportunities around the fleet.

Does Royal have plans to make the ships entirely non-smoking?
-Ron K.

We are always reviewing policies and procedures, but at this time, there are no plans to change Royal Caribbean International ships to all non-smoking. The long-term trend towards more restriction of smoking is likely to remain intact.

Why are the photographs so expensive? Wouldn’t more people buy them if they were less?
-Glenda H.

We constantly review prices of the onboard photography services. We have not changed our base pricing in over 10 years. Despite increased costs our professional portrait prices have been $19.95 since 1995. We have found that because family photographs taken on vacation are so personal and trigger very strong emotions, that historically guests are very aware of the value of the services and appreciate the price structure. To be able to get a professional photograph taken at your convenience with no sitting fees and no purchase obligation, the price is considered to be very reasonable and consistent within the cruise industry, and in fact highly competitive with land based professional photo studios.

Our focus has always been to offer the greatest value on all our photo products and the package prices we offer on all our ships are a testament to this. In fact, our newest photography product ‘Get the picture!’ is the next generation of value offerings, where we offer a photo CD containing all of your professional photos taken onboard.

Why are European promotions not for those in Europe? Why can’t Europeans book their cruise directly on the website?
-Jane F.

Our promotions and offers are tailored for specific markets. While some offers on Europe sailings have been available to residents of the United States and Canada, there are other promotions that are available for residents of other countries, and exclude the US or Canada. We try to balance the tastes and needs of different markets when deciding what offers will apply to which markets.

With regard to Europeans booking their cruise directly on RoyalCaribbean.com, our website allows users to select their country of residence which provides local currency rates and offers, however some countries do not have an online booking engine. As you might imagine, giving all of the major markets the systems support to enable what we would like to provide these markets entails a lot of systems investment. We are in the midst of a major systems investment at this time to allow all consumers what we call channel of choice – the ability to make a booking with us in any way they please whether through professional travel agents, the web site or by calling Royal Caribbean.

That wraps up the “Ask Adam” Q&A for April. Once again I would like to thank everyone who submitted a question last month. If you have a new question for me I encourage you to share them in this month’s discussion: http://on.fb.me/jlepUG.

BY:Adam|17th May, 2011 6 Comments

Become One with the Wilderness and Explore an Alaska Cruisetour

In my role as Senior Vice President, Land Operations, I am privileged to oversee many aspects of our business designed to help you have the best vacation experience possible. This department includes our port operations team who assist you in embarking and debarking our ships, the Shore Excursions team who provide you with many opportunities to experience our ports during your cruise and our cruisetours team which offers you a combination land and sea vacation package designed to take your vacation to another level. The cruisetour products are what I’d like to chat with you about today.

Our cruisetour product is a combination cruise and land vacation package that takes you into the heart of Alaska, Canadian Rockies, Europe, Australia/New Zealand and Dubai, many of them can be taken before or after select cruises. With over 600,000 square miles of pure, unadulterated wilderness, Alaska is by far the most popular of all the destinations our cruisetours visit. In over 20 years of experience in the travel industry, no place that I have traveled is as stunningly beautiful or as captivating as the state of Alaska.

I’ve visited Alaska many times, and each time I discover even more of its splendor. To see the sun rise over snowcapped mountains that have a valley of green trees underneath is just indescribable. The beauty of the state is only matched by its people. They are warm and friendly, open to sharing stories about their life in Alaska to anyone willing to listen. It amazes me how well these residents care for their state. Those who live in Alaska love the land, the animals and its vast resources using only what they need for survival while giving back to the fragile, yet thriving, ecosystem. Since I spend a great deal of time outdoors cycling or swimming and enjoying our environment, I value that mindset.

For those of us that appreciate the outdoors and exploration, an Alaska Cruisetour that includes a visit to Denali National Park, the third largest national park in the U.S., is a must! The park has nearly 5 million acres of land surrounding the majestic Mount Denali (also known as Mount McKinley). We offer tours into the park varying from 3 - 8 hours in length so you can take in all of its sites from the mountains to the animals. In fact, during the 2011 and 2012 Alaska seasons 90% of our cruisetour packages venture into Denali affording you many opportunities to see the magnificent park no matter the length of your cruisetour vacation.

Our cruisetour packages also visit many other cities and towns in Alaska, such as Talkeetna, a small, quaint town best for exploring Alaska from the air with flight-seeing tours, by water with white water rafting, or by staying in town to enjoy the great restaurants and local lore – I prefer the Alaskan King Crab legs at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. Seward, an old fishing village, offers you the opportunity to explore and learn about the local marine life, especially at the Alaska SeaLife Center; Alyeska where you can check into the exquisitely appointed Hotel Alyeska and dine atop Mt. Alyeska amidst the stunning scenery surrounding you at the Seven Glaciers Restaurant. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time as this extraordinary dining experience is not to be missed. Of course we also visit Anchorage for those of us that desire a touch of city with our Alaskan wilderness.

Most people think the ideal time to visit Alaska would be early in the season, but there’s a little known secret I’ll share with you. The late season, which runs mid-August until mid-September, is also an ideal time to visit Alaska. During this time you are more likely to see animals, there will be fewer crowds, and there’s a very good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Our Alaska Cruisetours are a great value for all budgets, with our included features such as a Tour Director that acts as your personal concierge, smaller more intimate groups of guests traveling together, your hotel accommodations, all land transportation, and more! Whether you are ready to travel to Alaska this summer or looking to plan your 2012 Alaska vacation, we hope you will book an Alaska Cruisetour and explore this beautiful state by sea and land. Perhaps I’ll see you there on my next visit.

BY:Craig Milan|16th May, 2011 No Comments

Rush Hour on the High Seas: The Busy Life of a Maitre D’

Dominic Barr, Brilliance of the Seas. Dominic is a Maitre D’ (Restaurant Operations Manager).

Turn Around Day – Get ready for a busy day!!!

Turn around day begins with a pre-inspection at 6:00 am. This is our internal USPH inspection to ensure all my areas are in compliance with the United States Public Health rules and regulations. At 6:30 am, we begin the main inspection with a briefing from the Food and Beverage (F&B) Director in the dining room on deck #5. All the subdivision heads from the F&B team are present, which include the Executive Chef, the Bar Manager, the Windjammer manager, and the Galley Stewarding specialists. Areas are assigned to all parties to be inspected and I was assigned to inspect the Windjammer Café.

After we are finished with the inspection, we all report back to deck #5 for our wrap-up meeting. This is where we inform each other of our findings, of corrective action that was taken, and areas that need to remain a focus. After the wrap-up meeting is complete, we all remain in our areas and focus on the departure operation.

As usual, while the inspection and the wrap-up meeting are going on, the departure breakfast is being served in both the Main Dining Room and Windjammer Café. As expected, both of these areas are extremely busy. All guests are ready to go home, no matter how reluctant they might be to leave us! A walk around is done in both dining areas to ensure that there is sufficient man power present to take care of the guests’ needs.

Time to double check on all departure lounges and to check that there is still an ample supply of coffee and Danishes for our guests. The last morning of the cruise can be very hectic but it’s up to us to make sure our guests have a seamless vacation right until the end!

It is now 9:00 am, with the inspection, wrap-up meeting and breakfast service all complete…..it’s time to start all over again and get ready for the next cruise. The boarding of our new guests starts in less than 3 hours! It’s now time for me to go back to the office to review the emails that are needed for the start of the next cruise.

Once the dining room is reset after breakfast, the Senior Headwaiter calls me to do a brand quality walk around with him. We need to make sure all of our standards are in place before the boarding begins.

We check the Dining Room, to make sure all set up standards are followed and that all table numbers are visible for our guests so they can check where they are sitting. We make sure that the area is clean, the lighting is right, and the music is playing. Looks like the dining room is ready to welcome our new guests!

It’s now time to go onto the pier. We already have guests arriving and waiting to come onboard. We make sure that the refreshment table for our boarding guests is in place, and that the My Time Dining team is set up to assist guests with their dining arrangements. We also have a wine display table to assist the guests in getting their wine organized in advance for dinner. Everything looks to be in order!

It is now time to revisit the Senior Headwaiter and go around the different set ups that we have on boarding day. We pass by the “booking table” and the silverware kiosk, to ensure that the entire set up is situated to help assist those guests that would like to change or rearrange their dining room seating allocation. The beverage station is also in place, ready for our guests when it’s time to board.

We also need to check the wine display tables, again we make sure all of the set up is in place. This means having the correct collateral out, ready to sell the wine packages and individual bottles to our guests as they board or before or after they have lunch. At this time, I conduct a quick business meeting with the team and review our marketing plans for the voyage. We look at our pace for the month and set forth on various incentives and initiatives to ensure we meet our targets and guest’s expectations.

It’s getting closer and closer to the boarding time of our new guests. Time to pass by the Windjammer Café and meet up with the Windjammer Manager. The restaurant is getting set up and ready for our boarding day lunch. Deep cleaning is ongoing, but all is running (at present anyway) according to schedule!

It’s now approx. 11:00 am, and an announcement is made saying that boarding is about to begin. Finishing touches are going on, but all is in order.

Lunch items start appearing on the line in the Windjammer Café. The Executive Chef is there to supervise the opening of the venue. The Executive Chef, the Executive Sous Chef, the Windjammer Manager, and I all do a walk around of the buffet. This includes a food tasting of the different items on display so that all is, once again, in order for our guests.

Once the “all clear” is given, it’s time to open! “Welcome Onboard!” is heard throughout the venue as the staff welcomes our new guests onboard. It’s now approx. 11:45 am.

Back in the dining room, guests are starting to trickle through and check their seating arrangements. The Headwaiter is on duty and has already been provided email messages containing information required for this cruise. He is there to take requests and adjust whatever seating arrangements he can. I check to see that all is well….so far so good…no major issue right now.

It’s time again to check back in with the Specialty Restaurant Managers. I need to check that his displays are ready for the boarding day expo, the time where we get to showcase our products to our new guests. At this time, we review business expectations for the specialty venues. They are ready!

Time to go back on the pier to double check that everything there, such as the refreshment set up, the wine display, and the My Time Dining table, are still in full swing.

It is getting towards 1:00 pm and now that everything is checked…I will try to get a short break!!

3:30 pm……back on duty. Table changes are completed and it’s time to assign and assistant waiters to their stations for dinner service. My Restaurant Operations Coordinator has all the files updated so that the team can do the waiter’s station assignment, but my job is to make sure all of the rules are followed and the stations for the new cruise are posted for all the staff to see.

We’re coming up to 4:30 pm and it’s time for the guest boat drill. The announcements are made and the boat drill begins.

The boat drill finishes just after 5:00 pm. All the headwaiters report to the dining room to have a meeting with me. Discussed at the meeting, amongst other topics, are guests with special requests, any table assignment challenges, guest demographics, and any other information that is needed to pass onto their teams before we open the dining room doors for our main seating guests.

At this time my senior team assigns training topics and safety related topics for headwaiters to review at their section meetings with the waiters. I go to my office to double check my emails again. Many guest related requests from other areas of the ship begin to come in through, and I need to sort these out with my team so that we can accommodate our guests.

It’s now 5:50 pm, we open the doors for our main seating guests, the staff is lined up by the dining room entrances to escort guests to their tables. I make sure the headwaiter is in place to see if we can further assist guests with their seating arrangements.

Main seating service for dinner is now going on and is flowing smoothly. I meet with the Executive Chef to update him on the spread of guests between main and second seating, as well as any special requests. We talk about any other issues that we may have. The relationship between the front of the house and back is traditionally an important one in the restaurant business - perhaps the most important.

It’s time to go for dinner!

Second seating is approaching, the dining room will open for our second seating guests at 8:30 pm, and again we go through the same routine. The staff lines up at the door to escort the second seating guests to their table. The headwaiter is in place to assist any guests who want to change table. I also spend some time in My Time Dining, which holds about 20-25% of our guests dining in this area. I review reservations and seating times to make sure it’s a smooth operation and guests are happy.

At 10:30 pm, all is calm and dinner is coming to an end. Most guests are in the process of leaving or have already left the dining room. The clean up is ongoing…….for me it is almost time to go and get some rest. However, before I retire, I meet with my senior team to ensure all guest requests and any other areas of concern have been attended to. Day One of the cruise is nearly done and we want to make sure we take quick action on any table or service concerns. We also want to set our goals for the cruise in motion.

I retire for the evening and reflect on a very eventful and successful day. Once again the teamwork from the restaurant’s team has provided a flawless product to our guests. I’m proud of what they all have achieved and tomorrow I need to come up with a creative way to show that appreciation and inspire the team.

Well it all starts again tomorrow!

BY:Dominic Barr|13th May, 2011 12 Comments

Liberty of the Seas and Saturday Night Fever Dazzle

Although I had just written my “LB from LB” update after visiting Liberty of the Seas post dry dock, I traveled to Barcelona this week to sail with her again. I don’t want to get accused of playing favorites with the ships, but I promised the entertainment team I would be onboard when we premiered our latest Broadway Show, Saturday Night Fever the Musical. I also wanted to see how Liberty and the team onboard did after her first embark in Barcelona, as this is her inaugural season in Europe.

The guest reaction to SNF (That’s how we refer to Saturday Night Fever internally) was nothing short of amazing. The first song started and the guests were already clapping and totally into the show. The audience participation continued through the one hour and twenty minute long show, and culminated in a six minute finale that had the guests on their feet the entire time singing, dancing and clapping wildly. The cast is incredibly talented, in fact, the lead “Tony” actually just came from playing the lead in Grease on the West End in London. The caliber of the cast is unbelievable, because not only do they have to be great singers, but the level of dancing is also highly complex. I know I am biased, but this is the best show we have done yet. I don’t want to spoil too much, so everyone will have to sail on Liberty to experience this special show.

As I did my incognito walk around, I always enjoy watching the guest reaction to our product. This sailing was 4 nights and over 2,300 guests were Spanish. This is more than three times the usual amount of guests on this itinerary. It was very interesting to see what a great asset the digital signs were for our non English speaking guests. These signs are in five languages, and they were used extensively by our guests and got rave reviews. I stood behind a number of guests and asked if I could help them with anything and they said no, that they loved the signs and got the information they needed.

Captain Charles Tiege invited me to dine at the Captain’s table, and it was truly a reflection of the global nature of our brand. We had a number of our most frequent cruisers at the table, and it included couples from Texas, Germany, Canada, and two couples from Spain. As we introduced ourselves around the table, it was interesting to hear the Spanish guests say this was their 43rd cruise, and the German guests had just returned from Allure.

I’m headed home today and sailing on Majesty of the Seas this weekend for a Make a Wish Board retreat and also our Anchored in Excellence program, so I will be sure to update everyone on what is happening on Majesty next week!

BY:Lisa Bauer|9th May, 2011 4 Comments

From the East Coast to the Far East, Join Adam in his Latest Blog Journey

Random comments as my return from sabbatical continues:

Easter Sunday was a great day to be a Philadelphia sports fan. The Sixers won at the end over the Heat to keep the series alive. The Flyers won in overtime against Buffalo to keep the series alive. The Phillies swept the Padres behind another gem by Roy Halladay. The only problem, as I’ve learned over the decades, is that this type of weekend tends unfortunately to happen much more often in April than in May or June.

A few weeks ago, Miami-Dade County recalled its Mayor by a huge margin only a few years after re-electing him by a large margin. Without getting into the merits, I question whether this use of “direct democracy” is really a positive trend. The Economist magazine just ran a feature on the proliferation of direct democracy initiatives that have contributed to California’s plethora of woes. I think we should pay more attention to electing the right representatives in the first place. Then, absent of scandals, we should wait until the next scheduled election to judge their work.

We just won a major award as the top international cruise line in China. Royal Caribbean International continues to win such awards in country after country. China is particularly notable in that we have only had a ship based there for the local market for a few seasons, and of course the cultural aspects of delivering the Wow to that market are quite different. The fantastic men and women of Royal Caribbean (many of them from China, in the case of Legend of the Seas) have done it again. Congratulations to my fabulous colleagues both shipboard and shoreside.

In the priceless category: A Miami VIP booked a stateroom very close to the sailing date of a South Florida based ship. I found out when the ship emailed me on day one to say this VIP was throwing my name around and generally being a problem. I cannot stand my shipboard colleagues having to take such **** from anyone let alone from a VIP, so I called my friend who had helped this VIP get on the ship and said, you need to get your VIP buddy to cut it out. My friend did as I requested. After the cruise, the next time my friend was speaking with this VIP over the phone, all of a sudden the VIP screamed and said a dog had just run up to him and peed on his leg. To which my friend said, “Compliments of Royal Caribbean.”

Readers can now access this blog via our iPhone app. No surprises here – it’s the same as what you’re looking at. However if you prefer to read my posts on your iPhone, you can download the app here.

BY:Adam|6th May, 2011 2 Comments

Ask Adam Blog Series - March 2011 Answers Blog

In March we launched the “Ask Adam Blog Series” as an open invitation to our guests to ask questions about Royal Caribbean International or me, the company’s President & CEO. I’d like to thank everyone who participated and submitted questions through the month of March on our Facebook page. I’d also like to apologize for the delay in responding, it’s been a very busy period but I’m excited to share my answers to a few of the many thought-provoking questions we received in my post.

The first question is from Mike F.:

“Hello Mr. Goldstein, I have 2 questions that I have always wanted to ask you. First, I was wondering where you went to college, and second how did you become the President & CEO of Royal Caribbean?”

I graduated from Princeton in 1981 and if you do the math, I’m approaching my 30 year reunion (ouch). How I became President and CEO of Royal Caribbean is a mixture of hard work and good luck. More often, it was because I was extremely fascinated with the business, was willing to take on leadership roles and had the support from Richard Fain, our Chairman and CEO.

The second question I’d like to address is from Emily B.:

“What is your advice to Hospitality undergrads that are looking to be a part of your company? What is a trait you think you possess that has helped you get where you are today? Thanks!”

I would have to say that perseverance is really one of the key traits that helped me get to where I am. This business will challenge you in many ways and one needs focus and determination to respond to the challenges. It’s not a business that you can be in for a few years and expect to become an expert. You have to pay your dues, seek varying experiences, seize opportunities when they present themselves and be willing to work with others and make them want to work with you. Also, you also have to act with integrity if you expect people to follow your lead.

Lastly, Jack R. and many of our other fans asked me to divvy information on “Project Sunshine.” Project Sunshine will be a wonderful addition to the Royal Caribbean fleet. We’re currently immersed in the project and expect Sunshine to have a major impact on our guests, our company and our industry. Though I would love to comment on the progress of Sunshine, it’s too early for us to divulge any particulars. Patience is a virtue!

I hope this first “Ask Adam” Q&A has given you a bit of insight about Royal Caribbean and me. If your question wasn’t answered stay tuned for our team to follow up or feel free to submit it to this month’s new discussion thread: http://on.fb.me/jlepUG. I look forward to hearing more from you soon.

BY:Adam|3rd May, 2011 6 Comments

Special Guests, Special Cruises: New sailings offer more for Crown & Anchor Society Members

I thought I would give everyone a brief update since the re-launch of our Crown & Anchor Society program in January. The feedback on our changes was very positive and we continue to welcome our members back again and again. We are now very focused on creating even more adventures for our members, ensuring there is an abundance of onboard activities for our valued guests.

What if there was a place you could go to “get away from it all” but still enjoy a sense of comfort and familiarity? A vacation where you could catch up with long-time friends and make new ones, all while enjoying a level of exacting service and complimentary offerings you wouldn’t find on any other cruise line or at any land-based resort?

That’s the unique and welcoming environment that keeps our loyal Crown & Anchor Society members coming back to our Member Cruises every year. From our extensive array of itineraries (22 ships visiting more than 280 destinations!), we hand-pick a select few Member Cruises to enhance with even more activities and gifts designed exclusively for our Crown & Anchor Society members—complimentary extras that take the Royal Caribbean cruising experience to the next level. And now, we’ve extended some Member Cruise features to our new Special Cruises, boasting more enriching offerings for members to enjoy.

Our first-ever Special Cruise recently took place onboard Enchantment of the Seas, sailing from Baltimore, Maryland. We invited renowned contemporary artist, and professor/teacher at the Corcoran Museum, Kathryn Freeman onboard to lead a series of intimate, exclusive sketch journal sessions with Crown & Anchor members. Freeman’s charming figure paintings and drawings have been exhibited in New York, London, Los Angeles, and other cities in the United States and Europe. Her works are part of numerous private and public collections, while her large-scale public murals adorn buildings in several locales.

As it turns out, our Crown & Anchor Society members had an inner artist waiting to emerge. Feedback for Kathryn’s art sessions was extremely positive—we noticed that the students continued to practice their newfound skills outside of class, sketching away while on shore excursions around Nassau and CocoCay. Besides classes, Kathryn also led a book reading with members’ kids, and answered parents’ questions about how to pursue a career as an illustrator of children’s books.

This is the type of personal enrichment we’re aiming for with our Special Cruises—giving our members something to take away from their vacation, whether it’s a new fine arts skill to nurture, a beautiful handcrafted gift made in a jewelry class, or a second language they picked up in a language seminar. Our second and third Special Cruises in the series began yesterday, May 1st onboard Voyager of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas as they travel across the Atlantic. Guest instructors and programming vary with each voyage, but our guests can always count on something special planned.

We’re hoping that Special Cruises will be as popular as our Member Cruises, which offer even more for our most loyal guests to see and do. In 2011, there’s one more Member Cruise in store—onboard Splendor of the Seas’ September 26th sailing to the Greek Isles & Turkey—and after that, a Radiance of the Seas’ South Pacific sailing on March 24, 2012. Radiance of the Seas undergoes an array of enhancements in 2011 as part of our Royal Advantage commitment, so members will enjoy eight new dining options, a new Diamond Lounge and Concierge Lounge, plus the exclusive parties, events, turndown gifts, raffles, and enrichment seminars that make Member Cruises a standout voyage.

But what really keeps members coming back to these “reunions at sea” is the sense of camaraderie. Many of our most loyal members have been attending Member Cruises and other Crown & Anchor events for years now, and from these frequent get-togethers, close friendships have emerged. Our latest Member Cruise set sail on April 2nd onboard Enchantment of the Seas, and was a special milestone for Marianne & Herb Lucas who reached 2,100 Cruise Points. And recently, Mario Salcedo celebrated his latest achievement onboard Liberty of the Seas, achieving the 2,800 Cruise Point level. Mario continues to hold the number one position with having earned the most Cruise Points in the program-more than any other member, ever! Congratulations to both the Lucas’ and Mario, on your many travels and thank you for your outstanding loyalty.

Simply click to learn more about upcoming Special Cruises and Member Cruises, or to enroll in the Crown & Anchor Society to start earning your own Cruise Points and exclusive membership benefits.

Bon Voyage!

BY:Lillian Murphy|2nd May, 2011 No Comments
 

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