Reporting full-year earnings, TUI Group noted the high demand for its three unique cruise brands TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
The company said that short-term bookings continue to represent a large share of overall bookings. Still, encouragingly, the proportion of mid-term bookings is increasing as customer confidence returns.
The company also said that 2023 booked ticket rates for all three brands are above pre-pandemic levels.
Royal Caribbeans Anthem of the Seas photo credit Spacejunkie2
As the winter approaches, the Royal Caribbean Group brands are expanding their restart plans, adding destinations and new homeports.
In November, eight more ships are resuming service for the corporation, bringing its brands back to Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Antarctica, the Middle East and more.
Here are the latest plans, brand by brand:
Royal Caribbean International Status: 14 ships currently in service; three more set to follow by Dec. 1 Ships: Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas currently in service; Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas set to follow in November Regions: Asia, Caribbean, Bahamas, Mediterranean, United Kingdom and West Coast
With 14 cruise ships in service, Royal Caribbean International currently has the most capacity back in the market.
Sailing in North America, Europe and Asia, the brand is set to reactivate three additional vessels by Dec. 1, relaunching service in additional destinations.
Debuting on the West Coast, the Navigator of the Seas is welcoming guests back in Los Angeles on Nov. 19.
A few weeks earlier, on Nov. 7, the Explorer of the Seas is resuming service in San Juan, bringing the brand back to its Puerto Rico homeport.
Currently, in a European shipyard, the Adventure of the Seas is also returning to revenue operation soon. On Nov. 29, the ship is set to return to Galveston for a series of four- and five-night Western Caribbean cruises.
While the balance of the Royal Caribbean fleet is poised to return to guest operations until May 2022, the brand has also resumed service from Hong Kong recently, launching a program of short cruises to nowhere from the Asian port.
Celebrity Cruises Status:Eight ships currently in service; two more set to follow by Dec. 1 Ships: Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Xpedition currently in service; Celebrity Constellation and Celebrity Reflection set to follow in November Regions: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, United Kingdom, Galapagos, West Coast and Panama Canal
In November, Celebrity Cruises is launching a new phase of its restart program. After several months with eight vessels sailing revenue cruises, the brand is adding two more ships into active service by Dec. 1.
Marking Celebrity’s return to Tampa, the Celebrity Constellation is set to welcome guests back on Nov. 7.
A day earlier, the Celebrity Reflection is resuming service after a 20-month operational pause, offering a series of Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades.
In October, Celebrity also returned to the West Coast and the Panama Canal with the Celebrity Millennium. After a season in Alaska, the vessel is offering a couple of California cruises from San Diego before crossing the Panama Canal on its way to the Caribbean.
TUI Cruises Status: Six ships currently in service Ships: Mein Schiff 1, Mein Schiff 2, Mein Schiff 3, Mein Schiff 4, Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 6 Regions: Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Emirates
Based in Germany, TUI Cruises currently has six cruise ships sailing with guests in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
Preparing for the winter season, the brand is planning to expand its restart to new destinations over the next months.
While a season in Southeast Asia was recently cancelled, cruises to the Caribbean, the Canary Islands and the Emirates are on the plans through the end of the year.
Silversea Cruises Status: Four ships currently in service; three more sets to follow by Dec. 1 Ships: Silver Moon, Silver Origin, Silver Shadow and Silver Spirit currently in service; Silver Cloud, Silver Explorer and Silver Whisper set to follow in November Region: Galapagos, Mediterranean, Western Europe, Atlantic, Caribbean and Antarctica
After months of negotiation, Silversea Cruises is ready to relaunch its expedition sailings in Antarctica. With the Silver Cloud and the Silver Explorer, the brand is returning to the seventh continent in November, offering departures from Chile.
On Nov. 17, the Silver Whisper is also returning to revenue operations, offering Caribbean cruises from San Juan and Fort Lauderdale.
Currently, four Silversea ships are sailing with passengers, cruising in the Mediterranean, the Galapagos, Western Europe and more.
The luxury brand welcomed its passengers back in June with the inaugural cruises of two newbuilds, the Silver Moon and the Silver Origin.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises First sailing: Five ships in service Ships: Europa 2, Europa, Hanseatic Nature, Hanseatic Inspiration and Hanseatic Spirit Region: Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Atlantic
In November Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is completing yet another month with the entire five-ship fleet in service.
While, during the summer, the German brand sailed in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, new cruises are now being offered, including itineraries to the Atlantic Archipelagos and the Emirates.
Independence of the Seas in Southampton photo credit Dave Jones.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, the world’s second-largest cruise line operator, will now go by the new moniker: Royal Caribbean Group.
With the new name comes a new identity, as well. The company’s logo has also been updated with the iconic crown and anchor emblem being sharpened and made more symmetrical. The crown will officially now reside inside a circle at all times.
“The name is simpler, fresher and more modern. It’s also more descriptive—Royal Caribbean Group sounds like a parent company name, reflective of our growth and evolution since we last updated our identity more than 20 years ago,” said Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Richard Fain.
Royal Caribbean Group’s flagship cruise line brands still include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea, Azamara, TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Together, the brands operate 63 ships with an additional 16 on order as of July 10, 2020.
The new branding comes as the Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) has suspended all sailings through September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The voluntary suspension is in-line with the U.S. CDC required suspension for cruise lines operating out of the United States.