Michael Bayley has a lot to be thankful for as 2024 comes to a close.
The cruise line he leads, Royal Caribbean, had an incredible year during which it fully completed its comeback from the Covid pandemic.
That was hard to imagine just a few years ago, when ships were sailing half full, due partly to both social-distancing rules and passenger apathy.
There was a real period where the world, or at least the media, questioned whether the cruise industry would ever return to its 2019 highs.
Related: Royal Caribbean stops sailings to 2 popular Caribbean ports
Cruising turned out to be resilient. People were looking for vacations, and the cruise industry offered great value compared with land-based vacations.
Royal Caribbean had a lot of highlights in 2024 as its ships sailed full and the company laid out a bold plan to expand. That strategy includes new Icon-Class ships, another Oasis-Class ship, and the promise of a new smaller group, Discovery Class, to come at some point.
The cruise line also plans to build a new Perfect Day in Mexico, a take on its Perfect Day at CocoCay private island, which features an added-fee water park, beaches, an included enormous fresh-water pool and extra-cost balloon rides. And it’s well underway to build extra-cost Beach Clubs in Nassau and Cozumel.
Bayley used his Facebook page to share his top-four moments of 2024:
#4 Royal Caribbean World Cruise
“Exciting times ahead ! This month, I’m recapping the year’s top 4 moments. Coming in at #4 is…The incredible Ultimate World Cruise on Serenade of the Seas – which sailed 9 months around the globe! Can’t wait for the reunion next September!,” Bayley shared.
The World Cruise was a social media phenomenon for the cruise line, with seemingly half the ship being influencers.
“It may be #4 for you, but as one of the UWC passengers, it was #1 for us! I’m so glad we went for it! We saw our amazing world, made lifelong friends, and loved our crew. Thanks,” posted Sharon Cyboron Knoll.
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#3 Launch of Utopia of the Seas
“Coming in at #3 in my countdown of 2024 highlights is, of course, the launch of Utopia of the Seas, the World’s Biggest Weekend,” Bayley posted.
Utopia of the Seas is sailing 3- and 4-day weekends out of Port Canaveral. This is the first time the cruise line has used a new ship to sail short itineraties.
“One of the standout moments was traveling to Saint-Nazaire, France, for the delivery of this magnificent ship and celebrating with the amazing crew onboard. The excitement was electric!” he wrote.
Meghan Trainor not only serves as godmother for Utopia, she sailed with her family on the ship’s naming cruise.
“And, of course, meeting our wonderful Godmother, Meghan Trainor, and watching her performance was nothing short of spectacular! I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved with Utopia of the Seas and love seeing all the amazing experiences our guests are having onboard,” he added.
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#2 The 2024 President’s Cruise
“As I continue our countdown of the top moments of 2024, coming in at #2 is this year’s President’s Cruise,” Bayley posted.
The 2024 President’s Cruise took place on Oasis of the Seas beginning June 23. The 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise sailed from Barcelona and visited Palma De Mallorca, Spain; Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy; Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Naples/Capri, Italy.
“It was truly epic to sail around the Mediterranean on Oasis of the Seas with our most loyal guests. How could I forget the incredible performance by the legendary Boy George! It was an amazing time,” he shared.
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#1 Launch of Icon of the Seas
“Drumroll…my #1 moment of 2024 is, of course, the launch of Icon of the Seas in January! This was the moment we had been waiting for — over a decade in the making — and it was nothing short of legendary! We made headlines around the world,” he posted.
Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, is the first member of a new class of ships for Royal Caribbean.
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“Icon of the Seas has forever transformed the vacation world! I couldn’t be prouder of our crew’s hard work and dedication every day on Icon,” he added.
The new ship also has a unique crew member.
“And I can’t forget our newest crew member, Chief Dog Officer Rover! I am beyond grateful to everyone who helped make this dream a reality. Here’s to many more groundbreaking moments and unforgettable adventures in 2025,” Bayley shared.
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