Jason Liberty, the new president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said that while first quarter cruise cancellations were having an impact, the second quarter is in line with company expectations and there is tremendous momentum. 

“There is a strong demand for cruise and people are really looking for consistency,” he said. 

Liberty said the company was investing in marketing and investing, and it was key to keep the flywheel spinning.

“The return to service is a major priority for us,” he said. “We have about 80 percent of our fleet up and running and making sure we execute on that is a priority.”

“We have not and will not compromise the guest experience,” he said, speaking on Coffee Talk with Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales and trade support and service. Coffee Talk is a weekly webinar series for travel partners.

“We have a strong long-term business. This is an exceptional business that does very well financially,” Liberty said.

“This is a meteor that hit our industry and we have survived that hit.”

Furthermore, Liberty said he appreciates the company’s travel partners, helping clients craft customized vacations.

Freed noted that Liberty was instrumental in the company’s program to give out loans to travel partners and also issue advance commissions on cruise bookings during the pandemic.