Just as Royal Caribbean locked in the European deployment for Legend of the Seas 16 months ahead of delivery, the line used a similar timeline to adjust its 2027 ex-UK season.
In March 2026, the line announced that the 3,926-passenger Freedom of the Seas would sail from Southampton next year, replacing the smaller Mariner of the Seas.
The initial decision to deploy the older Mariner had prompted some travel agents to question Royal Caribbean's commitment to the UK and Irish market.
Speaking exclusively to TTG at the beginning of the month, EMEA Vice-President and Managing Director Gerard Nolan swiftly – and unequivocally – dismissed those concerns.
"The UK market has always been a very big part of the EMEA region – it's never been more important to us,” he insists. “Our ex-UK strategy is core to this business, and we invest a huge amount of energy and time training the UK and Irish trade."
Next week UK and Irish agents will fly into Malaga to experience Legend of the Seas on a four-night showcase sailing to Civitavecchia. More than 360 cabins on the admittedly vast 7,600-passenger vessel have been allocated to UK and Irish travel agents.
'Brits don't have to travel so far to sail on Icon any more'
The commitment does not stop there. In August, a further 200-plus UK and Irish agents will join a Seminar at Sea sailing on the same ship.
Investment can also be demonstrated in other areas of the business, too. Liberty of the Seas, which is currently operating ex-UK sailings this year, recently underwent a major refurbishment before its summer season began on 29 May.
As part of the line’s fleet update programme, Liberty was given new dining and beverage venues, onboard experiences and refreshed staterooms.
“We 'up weight' [the Southampton-based product],” explains Nolan, who has been leading the UK and EMEA region for two years. “That shows the importance of the UK market having a really strong product out of Southampton.”
He quickly adds that having Legend of the Seas in Barcelona, a short two-hour flight away, does not impact the support Royal gives UK and Irish agents.
“It doesn't detract having Legend in the region,” he says. “It gives us our best in class locally and it's not as far as it has been. In the last couple of years if a passenger wanted to experience Icon class, they had had to go to the Caribbean.”
Upper Deck plans
Although it was previously announced at the back of last year, Royal is currently putting the finishing touches to its Upper Deck 250 programme.
This investment perhaps illustrates Nolan’s point the best as over time it will show a clear return on the original financial input Royal made.
The line is now extending Upper Deck to any travel agent member who claims more than £250,000 worth of bookings.
So once the expanded programme has bedded in, Royal will have access to a group of high-performing elite agents that fully understand its product, thanks to training created by the line.
“Upper Deck 250 will be even more of experience [than Upper Deck 100],” says Nolan, who also reveals that 15,000 UK and Irish agents currently engage with My Club Royal, the trade platform where Upper Deck is housed.
“It's super because we're bringing more amazing product into the region so agents will have opportunities to sell higher-value sailings,” he adds.
Next year, Royal will have six ships in Europe including Legend of the Seas. “The great news for our UK and Irish consumers and our agents, we've got more capacity in Europe year-over-year,” adds Nolan.
‘Shorter sailing attract new-to-cruise passengers’
Not only is Royal basing more ships in Europe next year, it is also offering more shorter sailings which Nolan suggests could drive new business for agents.
“The other piece of the ex-UK strategy that we’ve really optimised is we have more shorter sailings,” he notes. “This is a natural on-ramp for people who want to try cruise.
“Two-night, five-night sailings can attract people to try and cruise for the first time. Plus, it helps with the overall guest experience because you’ve got people onboard experiencing it for the first time.”
Nolan highlights how families are more inclined to take shorter breaks, particularly if they’ve never sampled Royal’s offering before.
“Our Southampton and UK strategy is really front and central to the overall EMEA region.”
Discovery class ships
When asked about his approach since taking over from Ben Bouldin just over two years ago, Nolan pays tribute to his predecessor’s performance.
Bouldin took helm of Royal Caribbean China in spring 2024, leaving a vacancy to lead the line’s UK and EMEA team which was later filled by Nolan.
“Ben left the region in an exceptionally strong place,” says Nolan. “The performance has continued. I really focused on the team and helping the team bring more to the fore, really trying to draw out the creativity and develop a strategy.
“The volatility in the markets made us pivot quite quickly in terms of markets that are really strong and having to really rethink things with the Middle East and Israel and some of the bigger markets we have in Europe. But fundamentally, I've had a very exciting two years.”
Nolan says Royal is currently in the middle of a shipbuilding cycle. Legend of the Seas has just been delivered to the line. A fourth Icon-class ship – Hero of the Seas – joins the fleet next summer before a fifth Icon-class ship and a seventh Oasis-class vessel both join in 2028.
Two more Icon-class ships will launch in 2029 and 2030. And with the first of Royal’s Discovery class ships launching in 2029, it doesn’t feel as though the line's unwavering commitment to the UK and Irish market will end any time soon.
