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Royal Caribbean to open dedicated office in Mexico

In:
News Royal Caribbean Mexico Press Release
07 Sep 2010

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced today it will establish a dedicated corporate office in Mexico City in response to the increasing interest in cruising in Mexico. The new office will open in December 2010 to support the Sales, Marketing and Commercial Operations for the company's three cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.

American Express will continue representing Royal Caribbean in Mexico until the end of 2010, to allow for a seamless transition.

"American Express has successfully served as the international representative of Royal Caribbean's business in Mexico for the past 15 years, and their excellent team has done an outstanding job building a solid foundation in this expanding market," said Michael Bayley, executive vice president of international for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "In our new business model, American Express will continue to play an important role by becoming a preferred distribution partner for their own sales channels in Mexico. We look forward to continue building our business together," Bayley added.

"American Express is proud to be a part of the Royal Caribbean history in Mexico," said Daniela Cerboni, vice president and general manager of American Express Membership Travel Services International. "For many years we have worked together to grow the Royal Caribbean business and the cruise industry in the market. We look forward to the opportunity to work with Royal Caribbean in the future, and plan to continue to strengthen our long standing partnership, offering even more valuable cruise benefits to our American Express Cardmembers in the market," Cerboni added.

The opening of Royal Caribbean's Mexico office is strategically timed. All three brands already enjoy very strong positions in various segments of the market and a dedicated office will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the market leading position.

"Our research shows that our Mexican guests really enjoy our various brand, product and destination offerings," said Bayley. "This coupled with the knowledge that Mexico already is a substantial source market for new cruise guests, and a great geographic location on the doorstep to several exciting and appealing destinations, illustrates the great potential for growth in Mexico."

Royal Caribbean encourages Americans to take more vacation

In:
Royal Caribbean Video Press Release
31 Aug 2010

Royal Caribbean is looking to convince some last minute planners that a Labor Day weekend cruise could be just the thing to help if you're feeling a little low on energy from working a lot this summer.

MIAMI, Fla. (Aug. 30, 2010) - Over-worked, over-tired and stressed-out workers have one more thing to worry about this coming Labor Day - how many vacation days they could potentially be losing this year. And if The President of the United States, who just returned from a respite on Martha's Vineyard, can still find time, then shouldn't everyone?
 
     The fact that people are not using all of their vacation days is well documented and the statistics are staggering. According to data released in a 2009 vacation study, U.S. adults who only receive an average of 13 vacation days per year typically leave three days unused. When considering that the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics has recorded approximately 153 million employed Americans, this means that each year an average of 459 million vacation days are going unused in the United States. Based on these overwhelming facts, Royal Caribbean is encouraging consumers to use their hard-earned vacation days and reminding them that even The President - a person with arguably one of the hardest jobs in America - needs to get away every now and then.
 
     "Vacations are not a luxury, they're a necessity," says John de Graaf, Executive Director of Take Back Your Time, a nonprofit organization that studies issues related to overwork. "Men who take them are 32% less likely to suffer from heart disease than those who don't. For women, it's 50%. And women who don't take vacations are more than twice as likely to suffer from depression. Pass them by at your peril."
 
     Championing a "cruise them, don't lose them" message, Royal Caribbean is giving vacation-deprived consumers encouragement to leave their desks behind in favor of some much needed rest and relaxation. The cruise line has recently launched a compelling video - Vacation Daze - showcasing the irony of letting vacation days expire and the absurdity of this unfortunate reality. The video can be seen at www.youtube.com/royalcaribbeanintl. For solutions and a variety of cruise options to fit all schedules, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or contact your travel agent.
 
     "The average American spends 261 days commuting, filling out time sheets and wondering what's for dinner. As Labor Day marks the end of summer, we wanted to shine a spotlight on this perennial issue and also remind people to take a much needed and hard-earned break, even if it's just for a couple of days," states Betsy O'Rourke, SVP Marketing, Royal Caribbean International.
 
     A recent travel industry survey suggests that close to half (45%) of working Americans let hard-earned time-away go to waste in 2009; furthermore, three-quarters (78%) anticipate leaving as many as 10 vacation days on the table in 2010. Why the annual commitment to all work and no play? Most confess that coordinating schedules with family and friends is too difficult (51%) or they are not able to afford a "real vacation" (40%); others admit it is less about personal situations and more about work-life being too busy to enjoy time away (47%). While consumers express pessimism towards the possibility of a work escape, adults who choose to go on vacation feel reconnected with the family (53%), more productive and positive about their jobs (34%), as well as the health benefits of being rested and rejuvenated. 
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