Royal Caribbean Just Redrew Its Asia Map Around China

Royal Caribbean says it is moving from a China-only approach to an integrated Asia platform that links Greater China with Southeast Asia and other regional markets. Benjamin Bouldin, president of Greater China and managing director of Asia, says the company has invested continuously in China for 17 years and calls the market’s next stage a “second golden decade.”

The near-term schedule is concrete. Spectrum of the Seas will run more than 70 cruises of two to nine nights in the 2026-27 season, sailing from Shanghai and Hong Kong and calling at about 20 destinations in Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. For 2027-28 the line plans 56 sailings of three to 11 nights covering 22 Asian destinations, including new open-jaw cruises that start and end in Yokohama.

Singapore is also getting more. Navigator of the Seas will sail year-round from Singapore starting in October 2026. Quantum of the Seas will base there from October 2027 through March 2028, and Voyager of the Seas will sail from Singapore and Hong Kong from January through April 2028, with new Hong Kong round trips and a Singapore-to-Hong Kong route.

On the sales side, the Royal Partner+ platform gives travel agents live inventory, booking confirmations and training. By the end of the second quarter more than 200 travel partners had joined, with nearly 6,000 registered users in over 40 Chinese cities. Bouldin says Chinese travelers increasingly want novelty and deeper destination experiences over shopping-focused trips.

Sources: Cruise Industry News