Fill out the form to receive information back from our travel partner about a Royal Caribbean cruise
DeFi Global will power new mobile device on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas
In:
18Oct2010
DeFi Global, Inc. announced today its plans to roll out a next-generation mobile application for the Apple iPhone on board Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' latest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas. Allure of the Seas is the sister-ship of Oasis of the Seas, the world's largest and most innovative cruise ship. Currently under construction, Allure of the Seas is scheduled to make its maiden voyage in December of this year.
As does sister-ship Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas will offer guests the opportunity to use a revolutionary iPhone application integrated with state-of-the-art mobile communication tools and patent-pending navigational technology powered by DeFi. Jeff Rice, chairman and CEO of DeFi Global, Inc. said, "We have begun generating revenues from sales of rented, dedicated iPhones on-board Oasis of the Seas. We are now very excited to expand our relationship with RCCL to their new ship, Allure of the Seas, and add to the ship's unprecedented array of amenities for a truly world-class vacation experience."Rice added, "Our next-generation software is fully integrated with other company-owned location-based products, including a watch wristband for children under 12 that automatically tracks their position on the ship. Now parents can have fun and peace-of-mind of knowing where their children are at all times. We are integrating these and other incentives to use the device more often to enhance the overall vacation experience. For the cruise operator, we deliver multiple new revenue-generating opportunities through mobile advertising and turnkey direct marketing platforms."
Royal Caribbean announces winner of Brazilian cruise director contest
In:
15Oct2010
Royal Caribbean announced the winner of their recent cruise director contest, created to select and recruit someone who will be responsible for managing and planning the program of entertainment activities on board ships of up to 4000 guests.
João Alberto Fontes of Rio de Janiero, 25, is the youngest director of the Brazilian Cruises Royal Caribbean. The winner had to go through four phases, including approval of the public through Twitter, and interviews. Among the interviewers: Amy Chambers, Department of casting in-flight entertainment, who came from Miami to personally evaluate the and Steve Millslagle, chief expert of shipboard activities, through a video / audio conferencing.
Fans who voted via Twitter competed for a lunch aboard the Mariner of the Seas, the largest ship in the Brazilian season. João Alberto will begin his career with Royal Caribbean aboard the Vision of the Seas, in the next Brazilian season.
Royal Caribbean donates TVs to needy of St. Croix
In:
15Oct2010
Nearly two dozen charitable organizations on the island of St. Croix received televisions from Royal Caribbean in a generous donation.
Royal Caribbean donated fourteen 25-inch Phillips color TVs that were previously used aboard the Serenade of the Seas to various charities on the island. These charities include
- Aldershville Senior Citizen Multipurpose Center
- Herbert Grigg Home for the Aged
- Bethlehem Homeless Shelter
- Boys & Girls Club
- Richmond Senior Citizen Center
- Flamboyant Gardens Elderly Community
- Wilford Pedro Home
- Sunny Isles Housing Community
- Catholic Charities
- 10,000 Helpers
“On behalf of the Department of Tourism, I would like to thank Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for their gift to the people of St. Croix,” said Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty. “We appreciate this act of goodwill and look forward to working with our partners at Royal Caribbean to continue building ties with the members of our local community.”
Maine city to vote on cruise ship restrictions
In:
14Oct2010
Rockland, Maine is set to vote on a proposal to limit the number of cruise ships that can visit the city each year after the debate was sparked last year when Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas made it's inaugural visit to the city.
On October 18, Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas is set to return but city commissioners are considering a proposal to limit only allowing three of the biggest ships per year -- one in May and two in October.
Rocklan's mayor is in favor of the proposal because of the strain on the area where passengers unload from cruise ship. The mayor cites the harbor infrastructure is getting old and any repairs that would be needed would be footed by the taxpayers. Local businesses are against the proposal, claiming the restrictions would ruin the city's chances of becoming a regular cruise ship destination.
Mayor McNeil says she expects at least one councilor will try to eliminate the restrictions on the large ships. The Chamber of Commerce says it has no problems with the rest of the plan, just the portion that would limit the number of ship visits.
Royal Caribbean's Ocean Fund honored with 2010 World Tourism Award
In:
14Oct2010
Royal Caribbean's Ocean Fund program has been awarded a 2010 World Tourism Award for their dedication to sustainable tourism and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage.
Royal Caribbean's Ocean Fund was awarded “in recognition of Royal Caribbean Cruises’ establishment of the Ocean fund which has awarded over $11 million in annual grants supporting nonprofit marine conservation organizations in protecting the world’s oceans through research, education and development of innovative technologies.”
Royal Caribbean CEO looks back on his upbringing in Maine
In:
14Oct2010
Mainlinemedianews.com interviewed Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein about his childhood, growing up in Maine. He attended New Eagle Elementary, Valley Forge Middle School and Conestoga High School and generally looks back fondly on his early years in Maine, "learning French at Conestoga opened up an incredible world of opportunities for me. I was also a committed member of the cross-country and track teams and I am still in touch with my coach 33 years later. The discipline of running under Coach Ramsey was extremely important to my development."
So how did Goldstein come to work for Royal Caribbean and become it's CEO? He started off in 1988 as the vice president and corporate secretary to the Board of Directors. A year later an opportunity in the marketing department opened and he jumped at it and would become the vice president of international sales and marketing. By 2005 Goldstein was named president and in 2007 president and CEO.
“I didn’t imagine that anything like this existed in business,” said Goldstein. “The company is 12 times larger than it was when I started. Royal Caribbean has become the leading cruise brand in the world. They are building ships that couldn’t have been built when I started.”
Royal Caribbean taps Motorola for enterprise mobile computers to assist employees
In:
13Oct2010
The Motorola Solutions business of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that it has deployed a mobility solution to help Royal Caribbean International enhance the guest experience onboard Oasis of the Seas – the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. In an effort to provide travelers with the most memorable experience, Royal Caribbean has equipped its employees with Motorola enterprise mobile computers to empower them with the information they need to ensure customer needs are taken care of on-the-spot anywhere on the ship.
"Oasis of the Seas is a revolutionary cruise ship that transforms the way Royal Caribbean interacts with its guests," said Bill Martin, VP and CIO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "By aligning with Motorola, we are now able to address guest needs in real-time while increasing the productivity of our staff – ultimately raising the standard for guest experiences and satisfaction."
As mobility becomes increasingly more important for hospitality organizations to maintain competitive advantage, Royal Caribbean turned to Motorola to provide a reliable solution to help drive revenue, improve service and enhance the customer experience. Mobile applications running on Motorola MC55 and MC70 enterprise mobile computers carried by the Oasis of the Seas staff include, mobile point of sale (MPOS), mobile mustering, work order management, show ticketing and asset management.
Throughout the guest entertainment area of Oasis of the Seas, staff are equipped with MC70 mobile computers and snap-on mobile payment modules to more quickly respond to and complete guests' credit and debit solutions. This MPOS solution reduces the amount of time guests wait in line for shows, as well as speeds order-taking poolside to not only improve the guest experience but increase beverage sales.
In addition, the MC70 provides en electronic, mobile solution for mustering to increase accuracy and compliance with ship regulations. With the MC70, guest sea pass cards are scanned to get an accurate count of guests who have been briefed on emergency procedures once on board. The new solution has helped reduce the amount of time to complete a muster – in turn increasing employee productivity and allowing guests to spend more time relaxing or participating in onboard activities.
"Motorola is committed to helping hospitality organizations, like Royal Caribbean International, provide superior customer service, "said Tom Moore, director of hospitality solutions, Motorola Solutions. "Our extensive mobile computing portfolio enables us to equip the right worker with the right device – in turn providing our hospitality customers with the ability to better serve their customers anywhere, anytime."
Motorola's MC55 provides business-critical information onboard Oasis of the Seas- enabling streamlined processes for work order and asset management for engineering, housekeeping and the ship's dining room. From plumbing and air-conditioning to televisions and slot machines, all systems and appliances must be in working order to guarantee guest satisfaction. Equipped with an MC55 with integrated voice and data capabilities, Royal Caribbean maintenance staff can receive tasks in real-time, providing managers with visibility into progress of work orders and ensuring any issues are addressed immediately. The MC55s are also used to manage assets within its dining room, including silverware and tableware. This solution helps reduce inventory management time – allowing staff to spend more time focused on the guest experience.
Royal Caribbean is planning to expand its use of mobile computers across its fleet of ships throughout 2012.
Royal Caribbean to add 120 new jobs to Oregon call center
In:
07Oct2010
Royal Caribbean is looking to hire 120 new employees by the end of 2010 for its call center in Springfield, Oregon. Royal Caribbean's "Vacation Planning Group" is currently hiring, looking to expand its operations.
The call center in Oregon had relocated from Florida about five years ago. Royal Caribbean spokesperson Barbara Otonicar cited some workers moving on to new jobs, which has lead to these openings.
“We'd really love to see people come out that enjoy talking to people on the phone, enjoy travel and really servicing the customer and giving them that extra ‘wow!’" Otonicar said.
She said the company offers good perks, including cruise benefits.
If you're interested in the job opportunity, you can find more information here.
Saturday Night Fever: The Musical to debut on Liberty of the Seas
In:
07Oct2010
Royal Caribbean International is slipping-on its boogie shoes this spring and debuting Saturday Night Fever: The Musical, the third licensed main-stage musical production at sea for the cruise line. Created by Royal Caribbean Productions in association with Robert Stigwood Organisation Ltd., the acclaimed-West End show will debut aboard Liberty of the Seas in April 2011, as part of the ship’s revitalization and shipboard enhancements beginning in late January 2011 aboard the popular Freedom-class cruise ship. Based on the hugely popular, 1970s feature film, Saturday Night Fever, the theatrical experience features a repertoire of hit songs from The Bee Gees song album sure to inspire guests to dance the night away.
“The debut of Saturday Night Fever: The Musical, created by Royal Caribbean Productions’ in-house entertainment team, continues to raise the bar for cruise vacations aboard one of our most innovative ships,” said Lisa Bauer, senior vice president, Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean International. “Our award-winning musical productions have been so incredibly well-received by guests, first with Hairspray aboard Oasis of the Seas and then with the announcement of Chicago: the Musical aboard Allure of the Seas. It’s only fitting we broaden the selection to include a West End hit as Liberty of the Seas embarks on its maiden season in Europe for summer 2011.”Saturday Night Fever: The Musical premiered in the West End at the London Palladium in 1998 and has been seen by over 10 million people worldwide, thrilling theater and music buffs alike throughout the years. On Liberty of the Seas, the story of Tony, the ambitious Brooklyn youth who spends his Saturday nights disco dancing, will be brought to life on stage in the ship’s state-of-the-art, 1,320-seat Platinum Theatre. The storyline and music that created the worldwide disco phenomenon will take guests away to a different era with such cult-classics songs as “Stayin’ Alive,” “Tragedy,” “If I Can’t Have You” and “Boogie Shoes.”
“We are glad to work with Royal Caribbean International to take Saturday Night Fever to fans and vacationers at sea,” said Robert Stigwood. “Royal Caribbean Productions’ commitment to innovative and quality entertainment will have guests out of their seats and groovin’ in the aisles.”
Auditions for the Royal Caribbean’s production of Saturday Night Fever, will be held Oct. 20-22 in New York. More details and a full schedule can be found at www.RoyalCaribbeanProductions.com.
In addition to Saturday Night Fever, Liberty of the Seas, along with Freedom of the Seas, will introduce some top-rated onboard features that debuted aboard Oasis of the Seas when the ships are revitalized during scheduled drydocks in January and March 2011, respectively. Many of the onboard enhancements will deliver some of the most exciting entertainment options at sea, such as the DreamWorks Experience, 3D movie technology in the main theater; an oversized outdoor video screens on the main pool deck to entertain guests and offer movies under the stars. Guests also will enjoy new onboard amenities such as iPod docks in every stateroom; the Wayfinder system, with its interactive touch-screen to direct guests, offer venue and restaurant descriptions, and the day’s schedule of programs; guest services kiosks on the Royal Promenade where guests can instantly view, print or e-mail their SeaPass folio or their personal calendar, or check-in and print airline boarding passes; and the popular Royal Babies and Tots Nursery, which provides nursery care for babies and tots through 36 months. Guests also will delight in the enchanting Cupcake Cupboard and the trendy décor of Vintages with its Enomatic wine serving system.
