Royal Caribbean CEO expects "calm seas"

High demand at Royal Caribbean

10/21/2022 Author: CC editorial office Photos: CC editorial office Reading time: 1 Minute

At the 28th annual conference of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, says that demand is very strong.

"Our short product ships are sailing at 110 percent and our longer cruises are now sailing at about 100 percent. So it's good to see that everything has come back," he said, adding that it had taken some time. "As we look forward to 2023, we're pretty optimistic about how everything looks."

Bayley, who leads a global team of over 50,000 employees at Royal Caribbean, said profitability is still a challenge given the pandemic-related debt the company has had to take on. "The good news is that demand has returned, our bookings are strong and revenue is coming in. For example, we are seeing very positive revenue from onboard spend, working through all of that and are quite optimistic about the future," he added.

The Royal Caribbean CEO also described the Caribbean as the world's leading cruise destination. Bayley, who also oversees the company's digital transformation and the development of its destinations and ports, began his 40-year career in 1981 as an assistant purser on the M.S. Nordic Prince.

For more information, visit www.royalcaribbean.com.

Text: Winfried Gärtner