Independence of the Seas in Southampton View Independence photos click here, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr
Royal Caribbean Group today announced that it has priced its private offering of $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount (up from the previously announced $1 billion) of 11.625% senior unsecured notes due 2027 (the “Notes”).
The Notes will mature on August 15, 2027. The Notes are expected to be issued on or around August 18, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.
According to a press release, the Company intends to use the proceeds from the sale of the Notes to repay principal payments on debt maturing in 2022 and/or 2023 (including to pay fees and expenses in connection with such repayments). Pending such uses, the Company may temporarily apply the proceeds to repay borrowings under its revolving credit facilities or other borrowings.
Royal Caribbean International will not require guests to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on certain sailings from next month.
From 5 September, passengers sailing on all European cruises and select US ports – Los Angeles, Galveston, New Orleans – will only be asked to disclose their vaccination status during check-in. Still, it will not be mandatory in order to board.
The line’s pre-cruise testing protocols will remain the same.
Royal said it recommends all eligible guests are fully vaccinated and advised passengers to bring proof of vaccination with them should local authorities or businesses in specific destinations ask to see it.
In some destinations, guests will be required to prove their vaccination status in order to go ashore. In contrast, unvaccinated passengers and those not up to date with their vaccinations may need to undergo additional testing at their own expense to go ashore and disembark at the end of their cruise.
Citing changes in maritime regulations, Royal Caribbean International is swapping the upcoming deployment between two ships.
“The International Maritime Organization recently shared new speed regulations we must adhere to and as a result, we’ve repositioned some of our ships for the upcoming 2023/2024 season,” the company said in a letter sent to booked guests.
With the changes, the Brilliance of the Seas is taking over the itineraries previously announced for the Enchantment of the Seas.
Originally slated for programs in Europe and Florida in 2023 and 2023-2024, the Radiance-Class vessel will now sail in Alaska starting in April. The new schedule includes a series of cruises departing from Vancouver, Canada.
In October, the vessel debuts in the South Pacific, kicking off a winter program in Australia, with cruises departing from Sydney.
The Enchantment of the Seas, meanwhile, is assuming Brilliance’s place and offering similar itineraries in Europe in 2034 and Florida in 2023-2024.
According to the letter, the Vision-Class ship will sail in the Mediterranean between May and November before returning to the United States for the winter.
Sailing from Tampa, the 1997-built vessel is set to offer five- to seven-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
Affected passengers are being automatically moved between ships, receiving cruises departing on the same dates as their original bookings.
The guests are also being assigned to like-for-like accommodations and keeping the originally booked amenities.
Still, according to the statement, passengers are being offered other options as well, including the possibility to rebook on other Royal Caribbean International sailings or a full refund of the cruise fare.
In a separate statement, Royal Caribbean also informed booked guests of the redeployment of the other two ships.
Offering short cruises to the Caribbean, the Voyager of the Seas will now be based in Galveston, instead of Port Everglades.
The Adventure of the Seas, meanwhile, will take over its original schedule offering Caribbean and Bahamas cruises departing from Fort Lauderdale.
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