NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


Royal chief’s trade vow


Line pledges to boost agent support as it launches Star of the Seas. Ella Sagar reports from Port Canaveral


R


oyal Caribbean’s EMEA chief says he wants to do “a lot more” to support the UK trade in future,


with the line’s next Icon Class ship launching in Europe next year. The line’s second Icon Class


ship, Star of the Seas, hosted nearly 100 agents from the UK and Ireland on board for its shakedown sailing from Port Canaveral on July 13-16. Gerard Nolan, vice-president


and managing director for EMEA, said: “There’s a lot more I’d like to do [with the trade], and we’re working hard in the background on where and how we want to showcase [the product], because seeing is believing.” He added the line was hoping to


get “as many” UK and Irish agents as possible on board the next ship launch, Legend of the Seas, from Barcelona on August 2, 2026, before it relocates to the Caribbean two months later. He described the Legend launch


– and the ship’s initial programme of Mediterranean cruises – as “a brilliant earning opportunity”, adding: “It’s an amazing ship class and I don’t think there is going to be anything like this in Europe next year. “We really want the [trade]


10 28 AUGUST 2025 £35


Bonus commission for sales to September 19


support, and we want to make sure we have guests who come on to experience that, like they do in the Caribbean, and are wowed, and really want to come back over and over.” Nolan said Royal Caribbean was


developing several initiatives for the UK and Ireland trade to make


the line “easier to do business with”. He highlighted one example as a


new month-long bonus commission programme, which is offering an extra £35 or €40 for new bookings made between August 16 and September 19 for all sailings on all ships departing between September 2025 and December 2026. There will also be a “rework” of


Royal Caribbean Group’s booking engine next year, starting with Silversea and followed by Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean, which will introduce dynamic


packaging capability and have “more intuitive functionality”. Another initiative for UK agents


will be a new training programme on operations in Europe next year, with a particular focus on Legend. Nolan added private destinations


and shorter sailings of three to four nights would be “a growing part of our business”, especially in the Caribbean, as “a good on-ramp” to bring in new-to-cruise customers. He described the UK market


as “really solid” with “good forward-looking business”.


AGENTS’ VIEWS OF STAR OF THE SEAS


“The highlight for me was the water park – the level of slides was amazing. I did most of them with my 16-year-old son, who loved


them so much he did all of them about three times. I have a seven-year-old son too and I think the neighbourhood set-up caters very well for multigenerational families.” Lindsay Haslehurst, head of product and commercial, World Travel Holidays UK


“If somebody is looking for luxury at an affordable price, Star of the Seas offers excellent


value for money. Everything on this beautiful ship, from the decor to the spaciousness to the choice of dining, adds so much value to your holiday.” Maxine Bracewell, owner, Travelmax.co.uk


“There is such a high quality on board as everything has been raised a level, making for an elevated experience. The new entertainment


with Back to the Future is a massive highlight, and Perfect Day at Coco Cay has as much to offer adults as kids, which I haven’t seen replicated anywhere else.” Jonny Peat, senior commercial manager for cruise, Advantage Travel Partnership


travelweekly.co.uk


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