Royal Caribbean has launched CruiseFly service to its cruises that disembark in Singapore.   CruiseFly is the region’s first sea-to-air baggage transfer service that allows guests an early check-in for flights departing within the same day of the ship’s arrival into Singapore.

Passengers can book CruiseFly online or before the cruise ship arrives in Singapore.  Once signed up, guests can check-in, check their luggage and collect boarding passes without having to do it all at the airport.  CruiseFly is available on Singapore Airlines, Silk Air, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Jet Airways. It is valid on all flights departing post 2:30 pm from Changi Airport, on the day of the ships arrival to Singapore and can be purchased for USD 28.00 per person carrying up to two pieces of baggage and USD 9.00 for each additional piece of luggage.

Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing, India Representative of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said, “This is an exemplary service designed to provide an effortless travel experience to our guests. The early flight check-in not only eliminates baggage related stress but also provides for a couple of extra hours to explore more activities and attractions in Singapore.”

With the Chinese becoming richer, Royal Caribbean is expecting the booming Asian cruise market to repeat the United States growth rate over the last three decades.

Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein commented on the growth the company expects to see, "The number of Asians cruising today is very similar to the number of Americans who were cruising in 1980s. While the markets are not the same, we think that China has terrific potential to grow."

Industry data points to the global cruise market will grow an estimated 4.5 percent, with Asians making up 1.5 million of the total number.  That number looks a lot like how many Americans were cruising 30 years ago, Goldstein said. The number of U.S. voyagers has grown to about 12 million, and Asia accounts for only 6 to 7 percent of the world’s total cruises, he said.

One issue for a company like Royal Caribbean is educating Chinese consumers about cruising but Goldstein feels China will overtake the United Kingdom in two to three years in terms of demand.

The number of Chinese passengers at Royal Caribbean quadrupled to 100,000 last year from 25,000 in 2012 and is expected to double to 200,000 this year, Goldstein said.

Two Norwegian contemporary artists were shared in an art award that was presented by Royal Caribbean as part of the 10th annual Royal Caribbean Arts Grant (RCAG).

The ceremony took place in Oslo onboard Adventure of the Seas on June 15 where Anawana Haloba and Lene Berg received US $43,500 each.  An international jury has picked the two finalists out of a pool of 262 well qualified applicants.

The jury issued this statement as to why they picked the two women, "A unanimous jury has decided to nominate two solid artists who are well on their way to establishing themselves both in Norway and internationally. Both finalists work with film using historical narratives and criticism of established precedents reflecting our present time. The finalists to this year's Royal Caribbean Arts Grant are Anawana Haloba and Lene Berg."

Royal Caribbean Arts Grant is an established and recognized award and has through its ten years' long history reflected the high level of competence and skill in the Norwegian art scene, something the jury acknowledges.

Royal Caribbean announced the new Senior Vice President of Marketing, Carol Schuster.  Schuster will be responsible for brand strategy and positioning; consumer and trade advertising; digital and social media; and one-to-one and loyalty marketing.

Lisa Bauer, Royal Caribbean Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, commented on Schuster's hiring, "We are thrilled to welcome Carol Schuster to Royal Caribbean’s leadership team and look forward to her building on the success that the brand has already achieved.  Carol’s extensive global marketing experience will play an integral role in our continued growth into established and emerging cruise vacation markets around the world.”

Prior to joining Royal Caribbean Ms. Schuster ran a global marketing and brand consultancy and spearheaded the launch of U.S. women’s luxury apparel company, Lafayette 148 New York, in China. Prior to that, she held the position of worldwide managing director, Global Brand Management at the advertising agency, Ogilvy and Mather. She also held senior executive level positions at D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles in New York. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1991, she was one of the first business and marketing leaders to enter Central and Eastern Europe to start-up the global network for the advertising agency.

Royal Caribbean's WOW Sale was slated to end yesterday but the company announced that it will extend the popular sale through June 14, giving it an extra two days.

To take advantage of the sale, you can reserve any cruise departing from September 1, 2013 – August 31, 2014 to enjoy up to $200 to spend onboard plus a 50% reduced deposit.

The WOW Sale is broken down as follows

• 5 Nights or Less cruise
  • $50 per stateroom onboard credit
  • $50 deposit
• 6-9 Night Cruise
  • $100 per stateroom onboard credit
  • $125 deposit 
• 10 Nights or Longer Cruise
  • $200 per stateroom onboard credit
  • $225 deposit

All bookings must be made and the required deposit must be paid by June 14, 2013, by 11:59 pm Local Time to qualify for the promotion.  Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Interline, Travel Agent, Net Rates, Sales Event, Crown & Anchor Discounts, Shareholder Benefits or Next Cruise offers, promotions, or benefits.

The first-ever Pittsburgh Steelers fan cruise is being planned aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas out of Tampa on March 10, 2014.

The cruise promises to allow up-close and personal access to Steelers fan favorites such as Hines Ward, Franco Harris, Mel Blount, Willie Parker, Antwaan Randle El, among others.

Former Steeler Tunch Ilkin, will be your cruise director.

“We have every decade represented of Steeler football since the 1960s, so that’s cool,” said Ilkin. “So, for everyone in the family, every generation, there’s going to be someone there for you.”

During the cruise, activities will be planned such as daily autograph sessions, Super Bowl rewinds with live Steeler interviews and a “Steelers Got Talent” show featuring a Ward dance number.

NFL Play 60 has activities on the sports desk for the kids. There will also be kids-only press conferences and interactive games.

Guests can also pay additional fees to allow them even more access, including VIP parties with players, a “fast pass” in the autograph line and even staying on the same deck as the players.

More information booking this cruise can be found at steelerscruise.com.

The US Virgin Islands is popular among Eastern Caribbean cruise stops and the island of St. Thomas is an American owned island with Caribbean flair.  Great beaches and shopping highlight what there is to see and do here.

St. Thomas Benefits

• Beaches: St. Thomas features some very beautiful beaches, including Magens Bay, which is among the most beautiful beaches in the world.  There's also other beaches here that offer beautiful water color and very fine sand.  When you think of a Caribbean beach, St. Thomas is the sort of beach experience you will have in mind.
  • Best public beach: Magens Bay or Coki Beach
• Shopping: St. Thomas offers a lot of shopping options around and near the cruise terminal.  Being an American island, the prices here are fairly close to what you'd expect to find back on the mainland.  The island boasts good prices on jewelry, liquor, linens, china and crystal.  By far jewelry is what is in demand here and there are lots of places to check out.  There is no sales tax in the United States Virgin Islands so you can take advantage of the $1,600 duty-free allowance per family member (remember to save your receipts).
• Proximity to St John: It's common for St. Thomas to have many cruise ships in port but St. John is very close and there are water taxi options that take just 20 minutes to get over to the island.  For those that have visited St. Thomas before, St. John is close enough to allow for two ports in one.

St. Thomas Detractions

• Traffic: Like many small Caribbean islands, traffic can snarl up the roads often and quickly.  This is especially true in the late afternoon, which is typically when cruise ships leave port. If you are planning to use a third-party excursion or going to explore on your own, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get back.  
• Crowds: During the busy season, it is not uncommon to have six or more cruise ships docked in port on any given day and that leads to a lot of people in one place.  St. Thomas has cemented itself as a cruise destination and many cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, send many of their ships here.  More than likely you will feel engulfed in a sea of other tourists.

What to do in St. Thomas

On your next Royal Caribbean cruise to St. Thomas consider these activities

• Beach visit to one of their beautiful beaches, including Magens Bay, Coki Beach or Sapphire Beach
• Take water taxi to St. John
• Duty-free shopping in Charlotte Amalie
• Go to Mountain Top (it's a bit of a tourist trap, but the view is worth it)

Royal Caribbean ships stopping in St. Thomas: Freedom of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas & Legend of the Seas

Today marks the beginning of Royal Caribbean's WOW Sale, where Royal Caribbean claims to find some of its best offers to book a cruise.  The 3-day WOW sale touts savings of up to $200 per cabin.

For the sale, booking your cruise during this sale will get onboard credits depending on the length of your cruise.

• $50 for 3-5 night cruises
• $100 for 6-9 night cruises
• $200 for 10+ night cruises

In addition to the onboard credit offer, customers can also book their cabin for 50% of the normal deposit price.

This WOW sale is valid on all Royal Caribbean cruises departing between September 1, 2013 - August 31, 2014.  Sale ends on June 12, 2013

It's worth noting that Royal Caribbean says the WOW sale cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion, including Crown & Anchor, Shareholder Benefit, Future and Next Cruise offers.

Will you be booking a cruise because of this sale?

Photo sent by Kenneth Kinzig