kabarsula Royal Caribbean International’s local sales rep Dave Humphreys previews the local wave season bandar SLOT INDONESIA

Ahead of Cruise360 at ICC Sydney this week, Dave Humphreys, director of Sales at Royal Caribbean International (AUNZ), took time out to expand on Royal Caribbean’s announcement of an expanded 2027-2028 local summer lineup.

That includes a newly amplified Ovation of the Seas’ Queensland lineup, Anthem of the Seas offering holidays from Sydney, Voyager of the Seas providing new itineraries from Brisbane and Sydney before heading to Asia with new sailings from Hong Kong, alongside Navigator of the Seas in its first year-round Singaporean deployment.

How do you see the expanded APAC fleet changing the way Australian advisors sell cruise?

The expanded 2027-28 APAC lineup gives our trade partners a strong year-round proposition. Rather than cruise holidays being concentrated around the Australian summer, advisors now have Royal Caribbean holidays to talk about throughout the year, across Australia and Asia.

With three ships sailing from Brisbane and Sydney, alongside year-round adventures from Singapore, plus Voyager of the Seas on a unique summer season offering holidays from Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong – as well as closer to home advisors can continue the conversation with their clients beyond a single holiday. It means they can introduce clients to different destinations and experiences as their travel plans evolve, while keeping Royal Caribbean front of mind throughout the year.

What does Ovation’s return to Queensland say about demand in the market?

Bringing the newly amplified Ovation of the Seas to Brisbane for the first time, marks a major milestone for the region giving Queensland holidaymakers even more choice right from their own backyard. With Ovation joining Voyager of the Seas in the Sunshine State, we’re doubling our presence in Brisbane for our biggest Queensland season yet.

What makes this particularly exciting is that Queenslanders will be among the first in Australia to experience Ovation’s new and amplified experiences, from a revamped pool deck, new spots like the Pesky Parrot tropical cocktail bar and Sound Cellar, new ways to dine like Izumi Teppanyaki and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen, plus a brand-new Ultimate Family Suite.

How important is Asia becoming to the Australian cruise customer? 

Record numbers of Australians are travelling across East and Southeast Asia, drawn to destination-rich experiences closer to home. For the cruise curious, the region is more appealing and accessible than ever, combining cultural discovery with the ease and convenience of a fly-cruise getaway.

Navigator of the Seas’ first season in Singapore offers Australians an easy way into Southeast Asia, while Voyager of the Seas will head to Asia after the Australian summer, homeporting across Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Together, they unlock more fly-cruise opportunities connecting Australians to the region, from short escapes to longer adventures.

The appeal is a combination of choice and convenience. Australians can experience multiple destinations and cultures in one holiday, while unpacking just once. From Chinese New Year celebrations in Hong Kong to a getaway starting in Singapore and visits Ho Chi Minh City (Phuoc An), Vietnam, before arriving in Hong Kong, pairing two of Asia’s most dynamic cities, these escapes give holidaymakers the opportunity to build a holiday around some of the region’s most sought-after experiences. 

For Royal Caribbean, Asia is an important part of how we connect Australian holidaymakers with more of the world. Our 2027-28 lineup gives trade partners more opportunities to tap into this demand, offering Australians year-round ways to discover the region, whether as a standalone holiday or as an extension of a bigger overseas experience.

Will Singapore become a major fly-cruise gateway for Australians? 

Just a short flight from home, Singapore is a world-class gateway to Asia, with extensive flight connections making it one of the most accessible and convenient homeports in the region.

Singapore is already a well-established travel hub for Australians, and we see its role as a fly-cruise gateway to Asia continuing to grow. With frequent direct flights from Australia, an efficient world-class cruise port and so much to see and do in the city, it’s an incredibly easy place to start or finish a holiday.

Welcoming Navigator of the Seas’ year-round in 2027/2028, will make Singapore even easier for Australians to build a cruise holiday into their travel plans. Holidaymakers can easily pair a short flight with a 2- to 5-night escape through Asia, spending a few days enjoying Singapore’s top-tier dining, attractions and entertainment before stepping onto Navigator to discover destinations across Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.

The biggest opportunity for travel advisors is the breadth of choice in our new Asia Pacific lineup. We now have a Royal Caribbean holiday to suit almost every type of holidaymaker across the region, from short getaways and family holidays to longer adventures and immersive experiences in Asia.

The lineup gives advisors the flexibility to match the right holiday to each client. Navigator of the Seas offers year-round winter escapes from Singapore, Voyager of the Seas brings longer adventures and new opportunities to explore Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, while the newly amplified Ovation of the Seas gives Queensland families exciting holiday experiences from Brisbane.

For advisors, it means having a Royal Caribbean option for almost every holiday brief, with more ships, destinations and experiences to choose from. It’s a great opportunity to introduce clients to new ways to holiday with us and keep them coming back for their next adventure.

Market challenges?

While there are broader industry conversations around port infrastructure, operating costs and aviation capacity across Australia and New Zealand, our focus remains on delivering incredible holidays and providing more ways for Australians to experience Royal Caribbean.

We’re committed to working closely with port authorities, governments and tourism partners across the region to support the continued growth of the cruise sector and the strong demand we’re seeing for holidays at sea. Together, we can help create more opportunities for travellers to discover the region, while ensuring we continue to deliver the experiences our guests have come to expect from Royal Caribbean.