Royal Caribbean has aid that it believed the Chinese cruise market would re-open later this year and be back up to full strength during 2024.
“There are currently two impediments to the China cruise market opening up,” according to Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, speaking on the company’s year-end and Q4 earnings call. “One of them is there is still a ban on cruising and group travel in China.”
Bayley note that there was still a requirement for Chinese tourists visiting Japan to test for Covid-19, which could also lead to quarantine. Prior to the pandemic, most China-based sailings were short cruises that called exclusively at Japanese ports.
Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said he was very optimistic about China, as it was previously a very high-yielding, highly profitable market for the company.
