Royal Caribbean is supporting Australia's first ever National Cruise Week promotion.  To celebrate, Royal Caribbean is offering special cruise deals to anyone in Australia that books during the cruise week promotion.

Adam Armstrong, Royal Caribbean commercial director, is excited to see the cruise industry being promoted during the week, "Cruising is rapidly expanding part of the Australian tourism industry and we welcome this new national campaign to promote the sector. We’re delighted to be involved with the International Cruise Council Australasia’s campaign."

“Our deals all include on board credits – of up to $500 in some cases,” he continued. “Our guests will be able to use the credits to take a shore excursion, buy something special in our boutiques or treat themselves to a spa treatment – all on us.”

Royal Caribbean is offering some special deals, such as $100 onboard credit on all cruises out of Australia that are five nights or longer that are made during National Cruise Week.

Royal Caribbean is preparing to launch a £2.5 million fall marketing campaign, which will be the biggest yet by the company in the UK.  The new marketing push is aimed at "nearly cruisers" - people who have not yet cruised but are actively considering the option.

The new campaign also features a host of interactive games, state-of-the-art technologies, branded merchandise and lucrative incentives to get trade partners excited about Royal Caribbean. The autumn campaign. This is the first of its kind for the travel trade and uses an innovative new technology that reinforces the cruise line’s history of staying one step ahead of the cruise industry.

UK and Ireland associate vice president and general manager Jo Rzymowska said, “This brand campaign is all about what makes us so different regarding what we offer on board/ The Blippar smart phone app brings the whole experience to life.”

In a blog post by Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein, Royal Caribbean says it will increase the number of cabanas offered for rent on its private island of Labadee.

Goldstein says the increase is due to the warm reception its guests have shown the option and will go from the initial 20 cabanas currently on the island's Barefoot Beach club area to construct four more water cabanas there.  

Royal Caribbean will also add 16 new cabanas at Nellie's Beach for a total of 40 cabanas for rental at Labadee.

In addition, Royal Caribbean now offers 3 wheelchair accessible cabanas in Labadee.

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in Asia at the moment, is scheduled to dock at Keelung Port in Northern Taiwan on Friday, which will set a record for daily cruise ship traffic in Taiwan's seaports.

Keelung Port Vice Manager Wei Shuo-liang confirmed the record will occur when the 140,000 ton vessel will bring its passengers to Taiwan.  Voyager of the Seas' arrival along with other ships in port will be enough to bring some 10,000 tourists through the port and make it Keelung's busiest day.

"It will also set a record high for daily cruise traffic in all ports in Taiwan," he added.

Royal Caribbean's Taipei office said earlier this year that the plan for a port call at Keelung signals the cruise line's plans to make inroads into the Asia market.

According to the local office, Royal Caribbean is also evaluating the possibility of making Keelung its home port in the Asia region.

Market21, a leading advisory firm in the use of advanced marketing tools, ranks Royal Caribbean first in the use of advanced marketing among American cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean won on overall strength of performance. Some other lines were leaders in specific areas, but Royal Caribbean posted a strong across the board performance. They will have to remain on guard to keep up with competitors moving ahead with innovations such as: Norwegian, Crystal, and Disney.

Market21 used the Cruise Line Marketing Review, which measures 12 domestic lines against 18 criteria to determine how well they were performing using the current technologies, and how well they are prepared to move up to the newer technologies as they develop.

The report shows the strengths and weaknesses of the individual lines and the opportunities that are possible for both the individual lines and the industry as a whole. Reaching out to the customer in the manner in which they expect/desire to be addressed is important for current customers and to expand the customer base.

After being delayed due to Tropical Storm Isaac, Royal Caribbean's ships returned to port today.  Allure of the Seas had her seven night itinerary extended to nine due to the storm, but arrived in Port Everglades at 5:30am this morning.

Despite the delay, passengers said the staff on board did a great job handling the storm and keeping everyone safe. "Good job. They did an excellent job. They let us know in advance. I didn't hear anyone complaining," said Barbara Moore.

Meanwhile Majesty of the Seas made her way back to the port of Miami, which was closed since Saturday.  Tropical Storm Isaac forced the port to close but was reopened on Monday afternoon.

Majesty of the Seas was extended from a three-day journey to a four-day trip, and the ship did not stop at the scheduled ports of call. "They gave us back our port charges, I guess because we didn't go to any ports. But other than that, I think they made a lot of money in the casinos and the alcohol," said passenger Michael Brodie.

Royal Caribbean is announcing that Allure of the Seas will be delayed returning home by two days due to Tropical Storm Isaac.  Instead of returning to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday as scheduled, she will instead stay out at sea to avoid the storm until Tuesday.

This will bring Allure of the Seas back to port two days later than scheduled. The next sailing for Allure of the Seas will begin on Tuesday August 28 instead of Sunday August 26 as a result and will reduce the length of the cruise from seven to five nights. As a result, the ship will skip scheduled calls in Falmouth, Jamaica and Labadee, Haiti and add a call in Nassau, Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean is making up the delay to those on the now five-night cruise by offering them onboard credit for the missing days as well as a future cruise certificate worth 10% of the fare they paid for the cruise.

Royal Caribbean is asking guests who are scheduled to sail on Allure of the Seas on Sunday, August 26, not arrive at the port until 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 28 for check-in and boarding.

If you are scheduled to sail on the August 26 Allure of the Seas cruise and cannot make the new Tuesday departure, you should call Royal Caribbean at 888-829-4050 in the U.S., and 408-926-9002 internationally.

Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas rescued 58 Haitans that were stranded in the Caribbean Sea and brought them to Cozumel, Mexico.

Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez says a guest spotted the boat and immediately informed a crew member on Thursday as they were heading from St. Maarten to Cozumel.

The Haitians informed the Allure of the Seas crew that they didn't need any help but the Allure of the Seas did contact the United States Coast Guard.  The Coast Guard asked the ship to return and help them.  

A total of 47 men and 7 women were rescued and given food, water and medical treatment.

Royal Caribbean turned the Haitians over to the Mexican Navy upon arrival in Mexico.