Tag Archives: Azamara Club Cruises

Royal Caribbean executives anticipate travel agency consolidation

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After the coronavirus crisis, there may be fewer travel agencies due to consolidation and more advisors working from home, Royal Caribbean executives said on Monday.

Vicki Freed

Vicki Freed

During a virtual media roundtable, Royal Caribbean International senior vice president of sales, trade support and service Vicki Freed, said, “None of us has a crystal ball but I think on the top end, you’ll see the consolidation of retail locations,” she said.

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean execs anticipate an increase in home-based workers, including independent contractors.

“I think the home-based type of setup for travel advisors will likely grow even more than it was,” said Azamara COO Carol Cabezas.

Although she anticipates fewer travel agents working in retail locations, Freed indicated that the number of agents could be relatively unchanged post-coronavirus, although it could take some time to ramp up to that level.

“As we reintroduce cruising to so many people, I think in time they will grow their business back,” Freed said.

Royal Caribbean is guiding travel agents about relief options available to small businesses and individuals in the Cares Act. Royal Caribbean calls its education program RCL Cares, and the company launched the effort to help keep its sales force intact.

“We want to make sure we have a healthy distribution system that is going to be part of our future,” Freed said.

Royal Caribbean and Azamara ‘considering’ moving UK teams to the US

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Royal Caribbean Cruises is “considering” moving some of Royal Caribbean International and Azamara’s UK non-sales departments to the US.

The company is proposing splitting some staff into separate teams for those two brands so they can “laser focus” on their passengers and destinations.

The proposed shake-up focuses predominantly on markets where Royal Caribbean, Azamara and Celebrity Cruises operate collectively on a “tri-branded basis”.

Royal said this will have “no impact” on sales teams in the UK and Ireland, which are already “single-branded”.

A Royal Caribbean Cruises spokesperson said: “Under the proposal, we are considering relocating some non-sales UK departments from Royal Caribbean International and Azamara to Miami.”

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Celebrity Cruises’ non-sales staff in the UK and Ireland are not affected by the proposal.

“The relationships we hold with our trade partners in the UK and Ireland are critical for our present and future success and the proposed changes will bring consumer insights benefits to the market going forward,” the spokesperson added.

Royal Caribbean announces a brand-wide withdrawal of single-use plastic straws

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Single-use plastic straws are to be withdrawn across all 50 ships across Royal Caribbean Cruises brands by the end of the year.

The move is the first step towards a comprehensive plastics elimination across Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Tui Cruises and Pullmantur.

A “straws upon request” policy running for more than a year will see paper straws replacing plastic versions by early next year.

Passengers will start to see Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood coffee stirrers and bamboo garnish picks as part of the company’s plastic reduction strategy.

The focus will then switch to other single-use plastics such as condiment packets, cups, and bags.

A full plastics audit is underway, with the overall plan to be completed in phases by 2020.

Chairman and chief executive Richard Fain said: “Healthy oceans are vital to the success of our company.

“For over 25 years, our Save the Waves programme has guided us to reduce, reuse, and recycle everything we can. Eliminating single-use plastics is another step in that programme.”