Royal Caribbean Eyes China Q1 Start; Australia Late 2022

Quantum of the Seas in Shanghai

Two key markets for Royal Caribbean Group should be coming back in 2022, according to Chairman and CEO Richard Fain, speaking on the company’s third quarter earnings call.

Fain expects China to open to cruising following the Beijing Olympics, which are set to conclude in late February 2022, pointing to a potential first quarter restart in China for the Spectrum of the Seas.

“China is essentially closed to international travel today and that includes cruise travel. We do not expect China to reopen until at least the Olympics in Beijing are over,” Fain said.

As for Australia, Fain was bullish on the progress the country has been making with vaccinating its population, but as the country’s is a seasonal market, Fain noted that ships would most likely be back in time for the 2022-2023 season.

“Australia’s approach to containing the pandemic has been based on isolation. They are now rapidly switching to the vaccines as a way of controlling the disease. We do not expect Australia to open to cruise travel until the spring,” Fain said. “But since the summer season doesn’t start until our next winter, anyhow, we’re not counting on much from Australia until the end of next year.”

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