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Royal Caribbean takes stock after Brexit ‘curve ball’
Natasha Salmon
natash.salmon@
travelweekly.co.uk
Royal Caribbean will continue bringing its newest ships to the UK in the future, but the line’s chief executive has admitted Brexit has thrown a ‘curve ball’ into its planning.
Speaking on Oasis-class
Harmony of the Seas during the christening celebrations of the world’s largest cruise ship, Michael Bayley reaffirmed the line’s commitment to the UK market.
But he said the implications
of Brexit and recent political upheaval in Royal’s US homeland had given the operator pause for thought. “The UK is, and always has been, a major market for us and we don’t see that changing. We are all trying to understand the impact of Brexit and the impact on currency. So we don’t know what’s happening yet. “At the moment we’re waiting
to see how all of this is going to play through and, of course, with the recent developments in the US and the political situation, that has added another curve ball.”
Harmony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship
Royal Caribbean will launch another Oasis-class ship in 2018, its fourth Quantum-class ship in 2019 and then it plans to debut a new ship every year until 2024. Bayley said the immediate
impact of Brexit was on prices due to sterling’s collapse, but he said this was a short-term issue. “The fact the pound fell to
$1.24 was challenging for us because that could have an impact
on volumes, but we are fully committed to the UK market and our history has shown that. “We don’t take a short-term
view. Our focus is commitment to the UK market in the long run. “We have new ships coming
from 2018 until 2024 and I would almost guarantee the UK will see
those ships.” › Harmony of the Seas naming ceremony, page 18
5 Companies play down Black Friday
Juliet Dennis
juliet.dennis@
travelweekly.co.uk
Travel companies offering Black Friday deals say they would be “crazy” not to capitalise on the retail frenzy, but admit it will never replace the post- Christmas sales period.
Companies including Tui,
Cosmos Tours, Avalon Waterways, Funway, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises are promoting cut-price deals to cash in on the US- originated phenomenon this Friday.
Tour operators stressed discounts are ‘real’ despite Which? reporting that not all Black Friday promotions are genuine. Giles Hawke, chief executive of
Avalon Waterways and Cosmos Tours, said: “There is so much noise about Black Friday, it would be a bit crazy not to be in the consideration set. This is incremental business.” Hawke said enquiry levels were
higher this Monday than the three previous Mondays. He added: “We’ve taken a slightly more aggressive approach on price and
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travelweekly.co.uk 24 November 2016
put a limited number of holidays into our deals. They are real deals; when they're gone, they're gone.” Agents can save £100 per
person on Cosmos Tours and £150 on Avalon Waterways until November 28. Funway managing director Stephen Rhodes said: “I doubt
anyone will wake up on Friday and decide to book a holiday.” Leisure consultant Richard
Carrick said: “Black Friday is more appropriate for fast-moving consumer goods. Holidays are more considered, expensive and involve input from family.” Steve Dunne, executive chairman of PR and marketing firm Brighter Group, said Black Friday was a way to “make some noise” at a traditionally quiet time of year, but agreed: “Holidays are not high on the agenda until after Christmas."
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