Would your customers consider swapping their vacation in Europe for a ride on Celebrity Beyond, with a stop in the new luxury section of CocoCay, in 2024?
Royal Caribbean is betting they will—and announced it is repositioning its sparkling new Edge-class ship to the Caribbean for five months, covering the spring, summer and fall of next year. And the new itineraries will feature Royal’s number-one destination, CocoCay, which is adding a new upscale area and amenities to welcome both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity guests.
All Beyond‘s summer European sailings out of Rome and its transatlantic voyages, scheduled for April 22-May 6 and November 1-15, have been canceled. Instead, the ship remains in Fort Lauderdale and offers Caribbean itineraries year-round.
Passengers who are booked on the trips can rebook on a different Celebrity sailing and receive a $100 onboard credit per stateroom ($200 for Retreat rooms), or take a 100% refund. Those booked on the transatlantic cruises can rebook on Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Equinox, or Ascent, which will debut in November. All rebookings must be completed by July 11.
All the new 2024 itineraries will include visits to CocoCay, where construction on the new adults-only Hideaway Beach promises an exclusive added-fee, half-day, all-inclusive experience.
On a recent call with investors, Royal Caribbean Group president Michael Bayley said Hideaway Beach will accommodate approximately 2,500 guests, and noted “the pricing premiums [on CocoCay] continue to be really robust, and the spend on the island continues to be really robust as well.”
Also on tap is an expansion of the Royal Beach Club, on Nassau’s Paradise Island, aimed specifically at the short-cruise market. “We continue to increase our short product and put really great ships into that market,” Bayley said. “So, the combination of Perfect Day on one day and the Beach Club on the second day really is a winning combination.”
“I am truly excited for our sister brand, Celebrity Cruises, to visit Perfect Day at Coco Cay,” Royal Caribbean International SVP of Sales and Trade Support Vicki Freed told TRO. “Many of their guests will experience this special island as a couple and want to return with their children (and perhaps grandchildren) for the ultimate family vacation. Some of the guests will return to Celebrity and many will want to take the family on Royal Caribbean. A ‘win-win’ all the way around—especially for our valued travel partners who will get repeat business.”
And indeed, Christy Scannell of Dream Vacations San Diego said she is “thrilled to see celebrity will have one of their stellar edge class ships in the Caribbean for clients looking to enjoy an upscale summer vacation period; that it will visit CocoCay with dedicated celebrity style beach space is a cherry on top.”
But the travel advisors who had clients booked for Europe are disappointed. Said Michelle Douglas of Douglas World Travel, “I’m very disappointed in this change. They will open the adult-only area and it will end up being packed with guests from both ships. I am disappointed they pulled this ship from Europe—as are the clients who had booked European sailings next year.”
