Investment Firm Raymond James surveyed travel agents to gauge cruise interest and European cruises look the weakest, which is bad news for Royal Caribbean.

In a note today, Raymond James said that Europe is likely to continue underperforming through the end of the year compared to other regions.  Contributing to the weakness is the dollar's relative weakness to the euro as well as higher air fares, all of which has resulted in much less demand by consumers in the United States to take a cruise to Europe.  Cruise passengers frequently have to take planes to connect with ships and to return home. European cruises tend to be more expensive than those in other areas.

In addition, recent political unrest was also cited by a few travel agents as another reason for less demand in cruising.

Raymond James is skeptical about cruise demand rebounding in the Mediterranean region until the end of the year. And consumers' economic anxiety is holding down cruise demand.

With the busy fall and winter cruise seasons approaching, Miami, Florida is typically a hub of cruise line activity but this year Royal Caribbean's global plans have left Miami with less ships than it's used to.

Royal Caribbean has 11 ships in Europe this summer but only two will be sailing out of South Florida this winter and both are in Port Everglades.  Instead of mooring in Miami, Royal Caribbean is basing them out of pots such as Baltimore, Port Canaveral, Tampa, San Juan, Dubai and Brazil. And Royal Caribbean’s two ships based in Alaska during the summer are going to Australia for the winter, not Miami.

So what's left in Miami this winter?  Just one ship will be sailing out Miami and that's Majesty of the Seas, which is offering three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas.

The City of New Orleans has been hard at work refurbishing and expanding its Julia Street Cruise Terminal so that New Orleans can put itself back on the map as a cruise line hub and give The Crescent City a shot in the arm after Hurricane Katrina decimated the cruise business here.

The good news is officials working on the project expect the work to be complete just in time to welcome Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas.

Port of New Orleans spokesman Chris Bonura is excited to welcome one of Royal Caribbean's massive liners to New Orleans, "It's the largest ship that we've ever home-ported here in New Orleans.  It's 1,020 feet and it holds approximately 3,110 passengers."

Australia's cruise season kicks off in the month of September as ships like Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas call the land down under home for the summer season.

Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas will debut in Australia this season on October 15 and it will be the first time she's come to Australia since her major revitalization that took place earlier this year.  Radiance will sail in Australia until April 5, 2012.

Joining Radiance will be Rhapsody of the Seas on November 13, marking her fifth season in Australia. Radiance will remain in Australia until April 13, 2012 and offer 17 different itineraries, such as seven to 18-night South Pacific trips, Queensland voyages and weekend "sampler" trips.

For those cruising on Radiance of the Seas, her maiden Australia itineraries offer cruises as short as two nights or as long as 18, and depart from Sydney and Fremantle.  There's also five 14 and 16-night cruises to New Zealand or a 12-night sailing to the South Pacific.

A new two-night "weekend getaway" itinerary, sailing on November 18, will offer Australians a chance to sample a Radiance-class cruise, while a seven-night Tasmania itinerary, sailing on February 12 next year, will overnight at Melbourne and Hobart.

Radiance will also make a 34-night circumnavigation of Australia.

Royal Caribbean has launched two new marketing campaigns in Europe.  

In France, Royal Caribbean has published brochures advertising cruise departures from France.  Royal Caribbean released two new brochures "Cruise in Europe 2012" and "International Cruises 2012".  Available at all the tourism partners or on request, they include for the first time cruises from three French ports (Marseille, Toulon and Le Havre). 

In Italy, starting September 18, Royal Caribbean's new TV campaign will start,  "A vacation or a cruise any Royal?" planned for the TV networks of Mec La7 and the main Sky channels and Discovery.

It 'the first time that Royal Caribbean plans to run a TV campaign during the fall.

"After a successful summer campaign, back on TV in order to consolidate our brand awarenss has been increasing steadily, and push not only the next departures of winter, but summer 2012, the company will open the banner of novelties, with the opening of the home port of Bari and Messina, in addition to strengthening those of Genoa, Venice and Civitavecchia - Pirrera" says Roberto, marketing manager for Royal Caribbean Italy, "The campaign gives a nod to the typical customer of Royal Caribbean, the so-called active Socializer, or a person aged between 25 and 55 years of age, attentive to new, living life in an active and loves to socialize with people from other nationalities. "

While aboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas in Messina, Italy, Royal Caribbean announced it will sponsor the Blackburn Rovers soccer team during the 2011-2012 soccer season.

On board, along with General Manager Gianni Rotondo, management and senior officers Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas, the Directors of Football Catania Antonino Pulvirenti, Chairman, Pietro Lo Monaco, CEO, Joseph Bonanno, and Sports Director striker Maxi Lopez. 

The partnership,  provides Royal Caribbean a rotating banner on the sidelines and messages during the pre-game and between the first and second periods.

In addition, Royal Caribbean's logo will appear on backdrops for interviews in the press room stage,  Massimino and the Sports Center Torre del Grifo, as well as on the website www.calciocatania.it. The brand will also be present on the inside of the Club Newsletter and monthly Calcio Catania.

The partnership between Royal Caribbean and the seal of Liverpool FC arrive at the company's strong ties with the region, since their departure from Sicily, in particular by the new home port of Messina, is one of the big news in the cruise, Royal Caribbean 2012.

From Messina, in 2012, it set sail for the first time in the history of the company's Navigator of the Seas, 7-night cruises to the Eastern Mediterranean touch that Greece and Turkey from late April to late October.

"We are very proud to take the field next to a young and promising team like West Ham - said Gianni Rotondo, Director General Royal Caribbean Italy - This partnership highlights the strong link our brand to Italy, where soccer is the national sport, and the region of Sicily, where early as next year will grow in the presence of our ships, but also wants to emphasize the role of leader in the sports industry that Royal Caribbean International cruise is of worldwide and willingness to contribute to the promotion of sports. "

"I hope that this is the start of a relationship of full and fruitful cooperation - said Antonio Santos, chairman of Blackburn Rovers - I expect a major development of this partnership that will allow as many as up to me today for the first time on a cruise ship. "

"The attention to the south and the willingness to contribute to the development of an investment project on the southern territory show the foresight of the company - said Pietro Lo Monaco, Managing Director of Liverpool FC - We're not trying to marry partners sponsor, but simple ideas and Projects: Royal Caribbean for us it is. "

"I want to win the bet with the director and make nine goals by December so that we can go on a cruise - concluded the striker Maxi Lopez - Royal Caribbean is a great company, ideal for us who want to grow up on the field."  

Royal Caribbean has changed its rules and will now allow children in its exclusive concierge lounges aboard its ships in the evening.

Previously passengers under the age of 21 were not allowed in the lounges between 5:00pm and 8:30pm because of the open bar that was available.  In addition, Royal Caribbean is relaxing the dress code from "formal or evening attire" to "smart casual" after 5:00pm.

Concierge lounges aboard Royal Caribbean are reserved for those staying in a suite as well as the top tier of loyal passengers (based on their status in the Crown and Anchor Society).

Royal Caribbean is partnering with IOS Health Systems to deploy the eSeaCare Electronic Health Platform as their electronic health record system for their entire fleet of ships.

eSeaCare Electronic Health Platform will serve as the software solution to connect and manage the health information for over 20,000 crew members and hundreds of thousands of guests amongst 40 ships.

The goal of the new system is to to save millions of dollars along with improving crew member care and the quality of the guest experience.  It will automate medical and organizational processes through one enterprise software platform that connects crew members, medical operations, onboard medical staff and shore side clinics.  In addition, the new software will give the medical staff aboard Royal Caribbean's ships the ability to continuously work despite the intermittent satellite connectivity commonly experienced while at sea. Royal Caribbean will also be leveraging the system's features to aid with the intricate compliance requirements from various domestic and international agencies.

Dr. Art Diskin, Global Chief Medical Officer for Royal Caribbean, states, "We have been working on the EMR concept for cruise ship medicine for many years and are very excited about deploying an electronic medical record for our fleet. We see this as a critical tool in the development of quality cruise ship medicine and it will enable us to better meet the health care needs of our guests and crew."

Royal Caribbean has entered into a strategic relationship with the municipal government of Xiamen and China World Cruises (CWC) in China including the CWC, a wholly owned subsidiary of property developer based in Beijing and the theme park of Shan-Hai-Shu, disposing of the Legend of the Seas for a total of four months in 2012.

During the four months, Royal Caribbean International operates 21 cruise, with departures from three to for eight nights from Xiamen and Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong to ports of call in Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. The five-night inaugural cruise from Hong Kong on March 20, 2012, while the first departure of the guests of Xiamen will be March 26.

The agreement with the full support of the Xiamen Municipal Government, is part of the development plan of the government of Xiamen, the fourth port-based Royal Caribbean International in China, after Shanghai, Tianjin and Hong Kong.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Royal Caribbean International, the municipal government of Xiamen and China World Cruises, and is truly unique to the rapid growth of the cruise industry in Asia," says Dr. Liu Zinan, CEO of the group Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in China and Asia. "We are the first cruise brand to gather support from local governments and the private sector."

Working with the Xiamen municipal government, the CWC intends to invest about $ 5 billion in the Xiamen area facing the sea and the port area to develop a cruise port with an amusement park, shops, luxury hotels, condominiums and a new cruise terminal. Xiamen is located between Shanghai and Hong Kong, is less than 200 kilometers from Taipei, Taiwan, and is one of the most important ports and fastest growing along China's coast.

"China has great opportunities for the cruise industry, including the development of port infrastructure, and attracts tourists from around the world," said Michael Bayley, senior vice president of Royal Caribbean Cruises International Ltd.. "These are exciting times and we are delighted to work with the Xiamen Municipal Government and China World Cruises on this strategic partnership."

The Legend of the Seas is an award winning boat that has been operating in Asia, outside of Singapore since 2008 and in Shanghai since 2010.

"We believe that Royal Caribbean International is the right brand to work on developing the cruise industry in China," says George Buge Zhang, president of China World Cruises. "In a few years, has established itself as the market leader and have proven they know local market conditions and the needs and preferences of Chinese consumers."

The strategic agreement with the municipal government of Xiamen and China World Cruises follows the announcement that in June 2012 put the Royal Caribbean International Voyager of the Seas in the seas of China. Offering a variety of routes, between four and eight nights, the Voyager of the Seas will double the size of all cruise ships operating in China and the Asia-Pacific.

With 14 passenger decks and cabins 1556, Voyager of the Seas will begin its 2012 season in Asia with a cruise from Singapore, followed by tours of Shanghai (Baoshan) and Tianjin, including the ports of Kobe and Fukuoka, Japan, and Busan and Jeju in Korea until October. Voyager of the Seas will begin 14-night cruise departing from Sydney, Australia, November 24, 2012 to other ports in Australia and New Zealand, while the trails in early 2013 will include stops in Tasmania and the South Pacific.

The announcement of the agreement and the deployment of the Voyager of the Seas in Shanghai in 2012 as part of the strategy of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "to the diversification and global growth.