Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 2003 Annual Report Download - page 5

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 5 of the 2003 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 36

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36

tive represents a major step forward in our
commitment to grow our international cus-
tomer sourcing and to expand our global pres-
ence. We also expect Island Cruises, our joint
venture with U.K. tour operator First Choice
Holidays, to be profitable.
Building Our Brands
A truly gratifying development in 2003 was the
revitalization of the Celebrity Cruises product. A
new innovative marketing campaign depicted
ordinary people being treated like celebrities.
The campaign has significantly raised consumer
awareness of a Brand Transformation that fea-
tures dozens of enhancements to the onboard
experience. These special touches included
cushioned chairs and larger tables for dining on
the veranda, cold towels for guests returning
from tours, and soft bathrobes and fine sham-
poos and body lotions. A special ConciergeClass
category also helped drive Celebrity pricing
toward the premium levels it needs.
Celebrity also unveiled a breakthrough idea –
Celebrity Xpeditions, a program of special
excursions and adventure sailings that will
include the exotic Galapagos Islands, the Arctic
Circle, the Antarctic, and other remote destina-
tions. Celebrity Xpeditions begin in June 2004
with our newly acquired, 100-guest mega-
yacht Xpedition sailing to seven islands in the
Galapagos. These seven- to ten-night cruise-
tours in the land that inspired Darwin’s discov-
eries will “evolve” into other unusual outings,
such as race-car driving in Palm Beach, back-
stage visits to Cirque du Soleil, and sport fishing
in British Columbia. Our goal is to have one
Xpedition on every major itinerary.
Coupled with Royal Caribbean International’s
GOLD Anchor Service and long-established repu-
tation for innovative programs, Celebrity’s rejuve-
nation helps us solidify our brand positioning in
the competitive cruise market. Fortunately, it has
registered – loud and clear – with travel agents
and consumers. Among the many awards and
honors, Royal Caribbean International was named
by Travel Weekly as the Best Overall Cruise Line.
Royal Caribbean also has been named Best Large
Ship Design, Best Caribbean Itinerary, and Best
Family Cruise. In the 2003 prestigious Condé
Nast Readers’ Choice Awards, Celebrity Cruises
was selected as the Best Premium Brand in the
industry. Condé Nast Traveler ranked all seven of
the Celebrity ships that qualified among the top
nine in the Best Large Ships category. Including
ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD. 3
Assuming no external shocks, we are expecting significant
improvements in both yields and profits going forward.