ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR 2012 LOYAL TO ROYAL TRAVEL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR

MIAMI, Feb. 11, 2013 – Royal Caribbean International today named 11 travel agent partners as the cruise line’s 2012 Loyal to Royal Travel Partners of Year for the United States and Canada. Leading the pack were CruCon Cruise Outlet, who was awarded the first ever Chairman’s Award for Overall Achievement, and Cruise Planners/American Express, winning the President’s Award for Overall Achievement. The awards are just one way that Royal Caribbean recognizes the loyalty and commitment that travel partners make to the brand.  

“Royal Caribbean International is delighted to recognize our top performing travel partners for 2012 who have made significant contributions to Royal Caribbean’s overall success throughout the past year,” said Vicki Freed, senior vice president of Sales, Trade Support and Services, Royal Caribbean International. “Our business is truly about building strong and loyal relationships and our Loyal to Royal Travel Partner of the Year winners truly exemplify the meaning of partnership. We sincerely appreciate their loyalty and we continue to support the entire travel agent community through our Loyal to You Always commitment.”

The recipients of Royal Caribbean’s 2012 Loyal to Royal Travel Partners of the Year awards are as follows:

Chairman’s Award for Overall Achievement: CruCon Cruise Outlet, Moultonborough, N.H.

President's Award for Overall Achievement: Cruise Planners/American Express, Coral Springs, Fla.

Home-based Partner of the Year: Nexion, A Travel Leaders Group Company, Irving, Texas

Consortia Partner of the Year: American Express, U.S. Consumer Travel Network, New York, N.Y.            

Online Partner of the Year: Vacations To Go, Houston, Texas

Corporate Incentive Partner of the Year: Morris Meetings & Incentives, Salt Lake City, Utah

Canada Partner of the Year: Expedia CruiseShipCenters, Vancouver, BC

Northeast Partner of the Year: Touraid Travel, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

Southeast Partner of the Year: AAA Auto Club Group, Tampa, Fla.

Central Partner of the Year: Vacation Makers Travel & Cruises, Belle Chasse, La.

West Partner of the Year: Montrose Travel, Montrose, Calif.

Loyal to You Always is Royal Caribbean’s historical commitment of unwavering support for travel agents and helping them increase profits and grow their businesses. Loyal to You Always is built on four principles: Personal interaction and support; Valuable resources that get results; Increasing profits for travel agents; and Award-winning travel agent education and development programs. For additional information, please visit http://www.RoyalisLoyaltoYouAlways.com.

Media can stay updated by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter, on Tumblr at www.RoyalCaribbeanInternationalPR.tumblr.com and by visiting www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 22 innovative ships, calling on more than 270 destinations in 72 countries across six continents. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.

Royal Caribbean provides a world-class vacation experience with a wide range of signature onboard amenities, entertainment, and award-winning family programming. The cruise line has a 40-year history of giving guests the Royal Advantage – the most innovative cruise ships, exciting itineraries to popular destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service. Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 10 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards.                    

For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel agent, visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Follow Royal Caribbean on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/RoyalCaribbean or on Twitter, @RoyalCaribbean. Travel professionals should visit Vicki’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/VickiLovesTravelAgents, go to www.cruisingpower.com, or call (800) 327-2056. Media can find information at www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises and CDF Croisières de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50 percent joint venture.  Together, these six brands operate a combined total of 41 ships with four under construction.  They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 460 destinations on all seven continents.

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