Despite their nearly two-decade reign as the builders of the world's largest cruise ships, Royal Caribbean doesn't think the future of cruising is based solely on going bigger and bolder.
That might seem hard to believe with ships like Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, and Legend of the Seas — not to mention the cruise line's recent order for sixth and seventh Icon Class vessels — but the key to building lasting loyalty goes far beyond sheer size.
Today's cruisers are drawn to brands they not only trust, but also ones that make their vacation experience better before even setting foot on board.
Jason Liberty, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, acknowledged this during the company's Q1 earnings call on April 30, 2026, stating that technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have shaped the way they operate — and how guests experience their vacations.
"Disruptive technology and AI have been embedded in our business for years, particularly in the areas that require complex, real-time decision making at scale," Liberty explained.
"As these technologies advance rapidly, we are continually discovering new ways to accelerate their integration throughout our ecosystem, making it easier for us to deliver amazing experiences and for guests to keep vacationing with us across our digital booking channels."
For starters, they've noticed that guest engagement has undergone a fundamental shift since 2019, highlighting a growing preference for digital interactions.
Liberty continued, "Digital penetration of bookings has more than doubled [since 2019], with most of that growth coming through our app. Monthly active users for the app are five times higher than 2019 levels, with adoption over 90% confirming mobile as a way guests increasingly plan and manage their vacation."
More than half of the company's onboard revenue is booked before embarkation day, with the vast majority of pre-cruise purchases made digitally.
As such, guests are engaging earlier, planning more intentionally, and personalizing their vacations in ways that weren't possible years ago.
"Our focus is on a unified intelligence layer that delivers seamless, relevant experiences and supports meaningful enhancements throughout the vacation journey, from dreaming and booking to onboard experiences and service to post-cruise engagement. What differentiates us in this space is not access to tools, but the combination of a deep understanding of our guests," said Liberty.
They don't plan on scaling back, either
According to Liberty, the way they're using AI is highly intentional, ensuring that they can measure performance and react to guest feedback.
As an example, the cruise line's yield management models are AI-based. In other words, the programs study close-in demand, how it's marketed, and how the company prices it.
Not only that, but through predictive modeling, Royal Caribbean has been able to reduce food waste by around 50% and even forecast demand, Fortune reported. They can, for instance, predict how many hamburgers should be cooked every 15 minutes.
They also believe that AI makes the cruise planning process seamless and more personal to reduce friction, improve the experience, and present relevant options of value to the guests.
On a similar note, AI isn't meant to replace the hard work that employees invest in shaping the guest experience. When used correctly, it is a tool that can make their workplace experience better and provide even more value — both for employees and consumers.
"We are in the early innings [of AI], and as we develop the capabilities further, it reinforces a flywheel that compounds over time. We also continue to make meaningful progress and other strategic initiatives," he added during the Q1 earnings call.
Read more: Royal Caribbean's AI push helps explain why cruises cost more
Competing with Disney World
Instead of viewing other cruise lines, such as Carnival, Norwegian, or MSC, as its competition, Royal Caribbean has increasingly positioned itself against land-based vacation giants, such as Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; and the dozens of all-inclusive resorts scattered throughout the Caribbean.
"Our performance reflects consistently strong execution by our teams and the compelling value proposition and differentiated experiences our brands offer consumers who continue to prioritize experiences," Liberty remarked.
"The consumer backdrop remains healthy, and demand for our vacation experiences continued to be strong across our portfolio."
Read more: I spent two days in Disneyland Paris, and it reminded me how much better cruises are
