Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

RCL Australia wraps up record breaking 2016/17 season

PHOTO: Helen Hutcheon
Adam Armstrong hosted a party at Circular Quay to farewell Explorer of the Seas
Adam Armstrong, RCL’s md Australia and New Zealand, hosted a fabulous party at Hotel Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour on Saturday night to mark the end of yet another record breaking wave season.

The hotel, which faces the Overseas Passenger Terminal, has ceiling-to-floor windows and Armstrong’s travel industry and media guests, bedecked with colourful leis, watched as Explorer of the Seas pulled out to start her trans-Pacific voyage to Seattle.

‘As Explorer of the Seas departs Sydney this evening, she concludes what has been our biggest and most incredible season to date, carrying more than 300,000 guests on local cruises and injecting an expected A$200m into the local economy in passenger spend alone,’ Armstrong said.

He said the company had based three brands -- Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises -- in the region, representing 15% of its global fleet.

‘We increased capacity by 17%, introduced two new ships to the region -- Ovation of the Seas and Azamara Journey -- and launched a brand new cruise port in Wollongong,' he said.

‘We wowed Aussies, Kiwis and more than 50,000 guests from overseas on more than 90 different itineraries around Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Asia.

‘What’s more, Royal Caribbean International became Australia’s largest cruise line in terms of capacity over the (Southern Hemisphere) summer season.

‘It truly has been a record breaking seven months.’