RCL Cruises Australasia’s biggest month for sales in eight yearsRCL Cruises Australasia’s biggest month for sales in eight years

Armstrong said bookings for its three brands -- Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises -- reached an all-time high with an increase of 50% in new bookings compared to January 2015.

January 2016 also outperformed by 30% Royal Caribbean International’s previous record breaking month for bookings, June last year, with Ovation of the Seas going  on sale.

By May last year, around 20,000 Australians had registered interest to receive details of Ovation’s maiden 2016/17 season.

The $1bn megaliner debuts in April and sails from Singapore to Sydney on November 30. She will operate three Australia and New Zealand cruises before departing January 23, 2017 for her return to Singapore.

Armstrong said bookings on international sailings have shown substantial increases year on year. In January 2016 Alaska cruise bookings grew by more than 25% and Asia bookings increased by 10% compared to January 2015.

He said the most significent increase is in local Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific sailings where bookings jumped more than 65% in January.

He said this demonstrates the success of delivering Australians with the very best product on their doorstep.

The upcoming 2016/17 (Australian) summer season will see a quarter of a million Australians sailing on seven locally-based RCL ships.

These are Ovation of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Celebrity Solstice and Azamara Journey.