Royal Caribbean Sees Surging Demand, Accelerated Bookings Across Its Brands
Royal Caribbean Group is seeing accelerating demand across its cruise brands as bookings and onboard spending continue to surge in 2025, the company said in its latest quarterly report.
The company reported a significant increase in guest volume during the second quarter, delivering vacations to 2.3 million guests—up 10 percent compared to the same period last year. Load factors reached 110 percent, driven by strong demand for both existing ships and new ships like the just-launched Star of the Seas.
“Demand for our portfolio of brands and our industry-leading experiences continues to accelerate,” said Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty. “Grounded in our mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly, we remain keenly focused on delivering exceptional value for our guests and shareholders — not just by executing today, but by staying ahead of where demand is going.”
The company also reported strong performance from digital channels, particularly for last-minute sailings and pre-cruise purchases. Guest spending both onboard and in advance of sailing has exceeded prior years, with higher participation and pricing across key categories.
Bookings have accelerated since the company’s previous earnings update, with load factors for 2025 and 2026 in line with historical trends but at higher pricing levels. Liberty said the latest results reflect growing interest in experience-driven travel and shorter booking windows.
“The strong demand we are seeing across our new ships and land-based destinations reinforces that our strategy is working and resonating with today’s traveler,” Liberty said.
That includes robust early demand for upcoming launches like Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel, as well as the soon-to-debut Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in The Bahamas, which is opening at the end of this year.
As travel preferences continue to evolve, Royal Caribbean says it remains focused on creating bold new experiences that align with what guests want now—and what they’ll want next.
