As the cruise industry returns, Royal Caribbean International has already operated cruises at the important 100 percent occupancy mark, meaning a full ship with two guests in each stateroom.

“We have ships now sailing at 100% and we’ve had ships sail at 100% now for several weeks out of the Caribbean,” said Michel Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

“And as we head towards Memorial Day weekend, we are going to see a significant percentage of our ships sailing at 100% (occupancy) and greater,” he said, speaking on the company’s first earnings call.

Bayley said the ships in North American homeports would essentially have the strongest occupancy, helped in part by the drive-to nature of the turn ports.

“Over the past several weeks we’ve been delighted with the volume of bookings that we’ve been seeing coming in for these products it’s been really good,” he said.

Bayley also noted that the Oasis-class ships were sailing in the 80 percent occupancy range.

Photo: Allure of the Seas in Curacao (Photo: JD Schwartz | Tribute Studios)