Royal Caribbean will start route
that crosses the Panama Canal to the Pacific
Royal Caribbean, one of the leading
cruise companies in Latin America and the Caribbean, had record sales in April,
registering a volume not seen in 53 years in one week, confirming the path of
recovery, after the suspension of activities due to of the pandemic.
Source: America Retail
With a new itinerary, Royal
Caribbean expects to grow up to 35% in 2023, with European and North American
clients, with stops in Central America.
The foregoing occurs in the midst of
the diagnosis of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on the behavior of the
sector, which highlights that despite the growing economic and geopolitical
challenges, international tourism continues to show signs of "a strong and
constant recovery of the impact of the pandemic.
According to the UNWTO barometer,
almost 250 million international arrivals were registered in the first five
months of this year, compared to 77 million in the same period in 2021.
As far as cruise activity is
concerned, this recovery has been accompanied by various strategies.
Royal Caribbean launched a plan to
reincorporate all its ships on July 12, 2021, and in May it integrated the last
of a fleet of 26 unit in addition to planning new routes.
“The leading role of the region, and
specifically of Central America, has been reactivating very well. It varies by
country, because each one has its reality. But there are countries in the
region that have exceeded sales expectations, compared to 2019, with 15% or
10%”, mentions Alberto Muñoz, associate vice president for Latin America and
the Caribbean, of Royal Caribbean.
Muñoz anticipates that in December
2023 they will return to the region with departures from Panama, and will make
an itinerary in Cartagena, and the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao Islands), a
destination that, he says, "Central Americans love".
He also announces that they will
carry out an experiment with an itinerary that will cross the Panama Canal, to
go to the Costa Rican Pacific. It is a new itinerary, but it attracts
attention. "I dare to say that we are going to have a pleasant surprise,
and there is going to be more demand than we expect, even within Latin
America."
These itineraries will be added to
products that they already offer, such as the one that weighs anchor in Miami
and runs through the Caribbean, landing in Roatán, Honduras, for example, where
it is estimated that each tourist spends at least between 100 and 150 dollars
when landing, without taking into account account spending on excursions.
In addition, Alberto Muñoz mentions
that in September they will launch a new class of ship that "will
revolutionize the way of vacationing", the Icon of the Seas. This line has
recently incorporated various technologies to expand the traveler's experience,
such as an app from which you can check-in, locate certain areas, and book
restaurants and shows.
Royal Caribbean expects to end 2023
with profits of between 25% and 35%. The biggest challenge is that issues such
as inflation and the armed conflict do not affect the experience of cruise
passengers.