Royal Caribbean's largest shareholder is challenging Royal Caribbean chairman Richard Fain by supporting a plan that could lead to a major shakeup.

Oslo-based A. Wilhelmsen AS owns 19% of Royal Caribbean stock and Arne Alexander Wilhelmsen, is its chairman and a Royal Caribbean director.

Investors vote tomorrow on a non-binding shareholder proposal calling for the elimination of staggered directors’ terms at Miami-based Royal Caribbean. The company opposes the plan, which would have each board member come up for an annual vote.

A similar vote came up back in 2009 but did not have Wilhelmsen's support despite getting 29% of the vote.  Both Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis & Co. have recommended in favor of the activist proposal.

if the vote passes, it could lead to changes at Royal Caribbean such as separation of the chairman and CEO roles as well as turnover on the board of directors.

Royal Caribbean announced today that chief financial officer Brian Rice will retire soon and the company will begin transitioning his duties to Jason Liberty.  Rice will officially retire in the spring of 2014 and in the meanwhile, Liberty will begin taking over to make the transition process seamless.  

Rice will continue to serve as Vice Chairman until his retirement, overseeing Royal Caribbean’s finance, supply chain, strategy and information technology functions. Rice has been with Royal Caribbean for more than 20 years, serving as CFO since 2006 and Vice Chairman since 2012.

Royal Caribbean named Jason Liberty its new CFO, effective immediately, and he will continue to report to Rice.

Liberty joined Royal Caribbean in 2005 and most recently served as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Finance, overseeing the company’s Corporate and Strategic Planning, Treasury, Investor Relations and Internal Audit functions. Before joining Royal Caribbean, Liberty was a senior manager at the accounting firm KPMG.

“Over the past 24 years, I’ve had the very good fortune to work for an outstanding company in a truly exciting industry,” said Rice. “I am proud to have played a part in its success, and I feel comfortable that I will be leaving the company in excellent shape.”

“Brian has been a key figure in the development of Royal Caribbean, and an important leader who has made significant contributions to the entire cruise industry,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises. 

Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas has finished a $30 million drydock refurbishment that added a number of amenities first developed for Oasis-class cruise ships.

Brilliance of the Seas refurbishment added a lot to the ship, including doubling the amount of dining options onboard.  The new restaurants include the Italian trattoria, Giovanni’s Table, the exclusive multi-course Chef’s Table. Guests can expand their palettes at a multitude of other dining venues including Royal Caribbean’s signature Izumi Asian Cuisine, Park Café and Rita’s Cantina.

In addition, the five-story Centrum has been transformed into a spectacular new space featuring the Centrum experience, which includes the addition of the 60’s-inspired R Bar as well as a multitude of entertainment experiences including enriching daytime activities, dazzling nighttime entertainment and a new high-flying entertainment experience where aerialists glide through the vertical space of the atrium.

Royal Caribbean also added 

• Concierge Club for suite guests
• Diamond Club for Crown & Anchor Society loyalty program members
• A new English pub
• Royal Babies and Tots Nursery
• Wi-Fi access throughout the ship
• flat-panel televisions in all staterooms
• Outdoor LED movie screen on the pool deck
• interactive digital way-finding system

Brilliance of the Seas will be able to show off her new "toys" this summer when she begins sailing from Harwich, England.  Once there, Brilliance of the Seas will offer Northern European cruises to destinations such as Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland.

Royal Caribbean announced its 2014-15 Australasian program, which happens to be its biggest to date.  Part of the plans call for Voyager of the Seas to undergo a multi-million dollar refurbishment before the new cruise season kicks off.

Royal Caribbean will send Voyager of the Seas along with Radiance of the Seas for a third consecutive summer to Australia.

Royal Caribbean commercial director Adam Armstrong indicated that over 140,000 passengers from over 100 countries will sail with Royal Caribbean during this time frame.

“We began with the revitalisations of Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas in 2011-12, and now we’ve come full circle as Voyager of the Seas will undergo a bow-to-stern refurbishment to offer even more amazing features,” he said.

Royal Caribbean will announce more details later this year, but Armstrong hinted the revitslisation will see Voyager of the Seas fitted with many of the features found on the cruise line’s newest Oasis Class ships.

Radiance and Rhapsody will arrive in Sydney in October 2014 for the season’s start with Voyager to join them in December 2014.

The program features 55 cruises from two to 18 nights in length, calling at 37 ports across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific before the season’s end in April 2015.

A senior executive at Royal Caribbean indicated that the company may reverse course on a decision to remove Dubai from its cruise itineraries.

Royal Caribbean ceases cruises to the Gulf from Dubai this year, which also included stops in Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Fujairah.

“Unfortunately the season we had last year wasn’t as successful as we’d have liked it to be from a revenue perspective, for various reasons – economics, a bit more competition in the marketplace that brought the rates down,” Helen Beck, regional director, EMEA, told Arabian Business.

Beck was hopeful that Royal Caribbean would return to the Gulf in 2014.

“We were all very disappointed, but we haven’t given up the fight,” she added. “There’s a lot of internal lobbying... to have the decision reviewed, maybe not for this coming winter season, but for future seasons.”

Royal Caribbean rolled out the Barbie Experience to another cruise ship, this time to Allure of the Seas.

The Barbie theme adds Barbie decorations to cabin doors, along with a special plaque welcoming passengers onboard.  Inside the cabin, Barbie giveaways adorn the inside of the cabin and include  fluffy blankets, tote bags, dolls and even a Barbie pillow case.

Passengers are also given a special Barbie guest lanyard and a pink tote bag, with invitations to Barbie’s exclusive Tiara and Teacups party, with cupcakes, pink lemonade and a lesson in tea-time etiquette, with Elira.

During the week-long cruise, there are other events onboard the ship such as how to become a fashion designer and take part in a Barbie dance class that culminates in a glittering red carpet fashion show.

Royal Caribbean announced that it will add a brand new float to the 87th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Royal Caribbean's participation in the parade will be part of its celebration of the upcoming fall 2014 debut of Quantum of the Seas.

"Royal Caribbean cruise vacations are known as the ultimate in family entertainment at sea, so it's fitting that they will join us this Thanksgiving as we kick off the holidays for millions of families nationwide," said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "Designed by the artists of Macy's Parade Studio, the new Royal Caribbean float promises to astonish audiences as it makes its maiden voyage down the streets of Manhattan this November."

Royal Caribbean executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing, Lisa Bauer, also commented on the news, "As the leading global cruise line offering families incredible vacations only found with Royal Caribbean, we are thrilled to be partnering with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and to participate in an iconic event that brings friends and family together.We hope that our float will WOW Parade spectators and those watching at home just like our ships WOW guests all over the world."

The 87th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airs nationwide on NBC, on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013 from 9 a.m. - Noon in all time zones.

Portland, Maine officials announced on Monday that the city will welcome Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, in 2015.  In fact, Quantum of the Seas will visit Maine's largest city four times in 2015.

The 4,000+ passenger ship will be the largest cruise ship to ever dock in Portland.

Quantum of the Seas’ arrival in Portland is made possible by the additional deeper water access provided by the city’s 1,200-foot Ocean Gateway Terminal Pier II, which opened two years ago, city spokeswoman Nicole Clegg confirmed.

The city will receive nearly $700,000 in revenue from hosting cruise ships. A 2008 economic impact study found that passengers typically spend $80 to $110 in Greater Portland during their stay, which adds up to $5.8 million to $8 million each season.

Royal Caribbean launched its Mediterranean cruise season with Liberty of the Seas cruising out of Naples and Legend of the Seas sailing from Genoa and Civitavecchia.

Yesterday Legend of the Seas began its 2013 season in the Mediterranean from the port of Civitavecchia, offering a 7-night itinerary to the western Mediterranean, with stops in France and Spain.

Last Friday saw Liberty of the Seas at the port of La Spezia, where she began her cruising season.  Liberty of the Seas will  be calling 27 times during 7-night itineraries along the Western Mediterranean route and transport more than 98,000 cruise passengers. In June, Liberty of the Seas will officially begin cruising out of her new home port of Naples.