On a tour of Germany's Meyer Werft yard last week, Richard Fain inspected progress on the 43rd new ship he has overseen since he became chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 1988. The Quantum of the Seas, the first in a new class of 4,200-passenger vessels, is set to debut in New York in November. Cruise editor Tom Stieghorst spoke with Fain at the yard about the Quantum and other topics.
Q: You had a chance to see the ship again. How is construction progressing on the Quantum of the Seas?
A: You probably noticed that when I came in here I was a little taller than I was yesterday. The construction is clearly on time. There hasn't been much doubt in our mind it will be done. The reason for the spring in our step is having seen some of the areas and really being thrilled with how they're coming out. The one that really threw me in a good way was SeaPlex [a midship activities area]. It's so clean, it's so expansive, it's so airy. And, although I've seen any number of mock-ups, the virtual balcony. It just works.
Q: Celebrity did something that agents really appreciated by suspending noncommissionable fares in June. Do you foresee any more of that in the future?
A: I think Celebrity has been quite innovative in trying new ways to package programs. In all of those, we keep in mind what works for the agent, because what works for them tends to get us business. This was one of a large number of different ways we've gone about looking at how we do our pricing. This was neither more nor less helpful than others we have done. So I would consider it one of many arrows in our quiver.
Q: The Meyer Werft shipyard is buying the STX operation in Finland. What will be the effect on the cruise industry?
A: [The acquisition] is subject to certain things, most particularly antitrust clearance. When something is going through regulatory approvals, I have to think about whether I want to comment, and I think it's probably not appropriate for me to comment.
Q: Celebrity announced this week they're going to start high-end cruise tours called Celebrity Explorations. Is this a way for Celebrity to further distinguish itself as a premium line?
A: Yes. Celebrity has been working toward this for a while. This brings it to a new level. As you appeal to a higher-level clientele, they want a broader offering. So this just allows us to do that and reinforces Celebrity's position as a top-end, premium brand.
Q: What more can you tell us about TourTrek, which has been described as a stand-alone tour company with a heavy technology aspect to it?
A: It's in development. One of the things you have to remember is, we develop a lot of things, and not all of them become major factors in our business. So it's really too early for us to be talking about this.
Q: You've been searching for a new president for the Royal Caribbean brand. How is the search going? Do you expect to conclude it soon?
A: I always expect to complete these things soon. Almost everything I do takes longer than I would like. I guess I'm not famous for my patience, so it is frustrating it always takes a little longer. I think the beauty here is we have the luxury of having such a strong team in place that there's no sense of urgency. This is one of the best jobs in the world, so I think we will have some nice choices to make.
Follow Tom Stieghorst on Twitter @tstravelweekly.