Royal Caribbean takes cruisers to more than 300 different destinations around the world each year, spanning sought-after locations from the Caribbean islands to Mexico’s coastal gems, Alaska’s pristine wilderness, Europe’s historic ports and countless other global destinations, yet there’s one particular location that consistently emerges as the most popular with travelers, and surprisingly, it’s not a well-known international destination like Greece or Italy.
The destination that cruisers consistently rave about more than any other is the cruise line’s private island: Perfect Day at CocoCay. This revelation comes as a surprise to many who might expect traditional European or Caribbean ports to top the list of favorite cruise destinations.
“People come from that experience super happy,” Michael Bayley, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International, said during a panel discussion at the Northstar’s annual CruiseWorld convention, which is taking place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This statement underscores the remarkable success of Royal Caribbean’s private island strategy and answers the question many ask: “What is the best Royal Caribbean destination?”
Royal Caribbean Designs Private Islands Based on Guest Feedback
Perhaps even more interestingly, Bayley revealed that the cruise line’s private islands are all designed based on comprehensive feedback from guests and their specific requests. In other words, when creating its private island offerings, Royal Caribbean is strategically aiming to address exactly what cruise guests say they want in an ideal island getaway or their perfect vacation day.
“For example, for Perfect Day we asked guests through focus groups and surveys to define their perfect day,” Bayley continued, highlighting the data-driven design approach that sets Royal Caribbean apart in the cruise industry.
This guest-centric design philosophy answers travelers asking “How does Royal Caribbean choose its destinations?” and “What makes Perfect Day at CocoCay special?” The answer lies in listening to what cruisers actually want rather than assuming what they might enjoy.
What Cruise Guests Really Want: Thrill and Chill
“At the end of the day [what people want is] not complicated,” Bayley explained. “People were really looking for a chill, quality experience. They wanted to put their feet in the sand. They wanted to drink a cold beer. They wanted to know that their kids are engaged and happy.”
Those seemingly simple vacation goals set Royal Caribbean on a design course focused on what Bayley called “thrill and chill” – a balanced approach that caters to both adventure seekers and relaxation enthusiasts within the same family or travel group.
“The Perfect Day product is that combination [thrill and chill],” Bayley said, adding that Perfect Day at CocoCay “really does tick the box in terms of what the guest told us they were seeking in a very simple way.” This balanced vacation experience addresses the common challenge families face when planning trips with diverse interests.
“However, it’s a quality simple way,” he emphasized. “There’s a huge amount of quality built into those [private island] destinations. We have used all of our knowledge and expertise in creating the right experience at Perfect Day.”
Royal Caribbean Expands Private Island Portfolio
Bayley’s comments were made at the three-day CruiseWorld event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which brought together an impressive roster of cruise industry leaders and hundreds of travel advisors from across North America and beyond.
During his commentary at CruiseWorld, Bayley also shared exciting news that Royal Caribbean’s portfolio of private offerings will continue to grow significantly over the coming months and years. This expansion strategy addresses travelers asking “What new destinations is Royal Caribbean adding?”
To that end, Royal Caribbean will open a new private island in the Asia Pacific region in 2027, marking the company’s expansion into new markets. There are also plans for a new Royal beach club in Santorini, Greece – a destination that Bayley described as the number one desired destination in the Mediterranean in terms of guest interest and booking requests.
“We have, and we will continue to expand and grow along with the company and brand,” Bayley said. “We continue to add capacity” to meet growing demand for cruise vacations and private island experiences.
Bayley was joined on stage for the panel discussion by Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises, creating a dynamic conversation about the future of Royal Caribbean Group brands.
Celebrity Cruises Enters River Cruising Market
Hodges Bethge was asked to discuss Celebrity’s entrance into the river cruising space, a style of cruising that parent company Royal Caribbean had not appeared interested in until recently. This strategic shift represents a significant expansion of the company’s cruise offerings.
In January 2025, it was announced that the Celebrity brand would usher in a new era in river cruising with Celebrity River Cruises. The new brand is kicking off with an ambitious initial order of 10 river ships, with two launching in its first year. The Celebrity Compass is set to debut in August 2027 with five itineraries, and the Celebrity Seeker will start sailing in October 2027 with seven itineraries.
Hodges Bethge was asked to discuss “what changed” in the company’s outlook that encouraged it to enter the river cruise market, a segment dominated by established players like Viking River Cruises and AmaWaterways.
In addition to noting that river cruising “was ripe for innovation,” Hodges Bethge revealed: “In the Royal Caribbean Group, over half of our guests have taken a river cruise. So, we want to keep them with us, within our family. We want to [be able to offer the] vacations and the experiences they want to have. So, we thought Celebrity was the best place to start.”
This statement addresses the question “Why is Royal Caribbean starting river cruises?” and reveals the company’s strategy to capture more of their guests’ total vacation spending.
Celebrity River Cruises: Not Just a Hobby
Hodges Bethge also stressed that the company is extremely serious about its extension into river cruising and views it as a major strategic initiative rather than a experimental venture.
“We’ve been very clear that this is not a hobby for us. We intend to be a major player in the river cruise space,” she continued, though she would not confirm specific details beyond the 10 ships the company has already publicly committed to building.
However, Hodges Bethge did reveal that the initial river cruise product offering has been a phenomenal hit with luxury travelers and cruise enthusiasts.
When priority booking for the new Celebrity river cruises opened a few months ago, all of the available spaces sold out in just six minutes – an unprecedented booking speed even for the cruise industry. And later, when general access booking opened to the broader public, all available reservations sold out in just a few hours.
This extraordinary demand answers “How popular are Celebrity River Cruises?” and demonstrates strong market appetite for a premium river cruise experience from an established ocean cruise brand.
How to Book Celebrity River Cruises for 2027
Speaking directly to the travel advisor audience that was in attendance at CruiseWorld, Hodges Bethge said there’s still a possibility of securing a coveted slot on the highly popular sailings despite the apparent sell-out.
“As you know, guests cancel for different reasons, so if you have clients that are really passionate about getting on for the 2027 season, just keep checking back,” she advised, offering hope to travelers seeking river cruise bookings.
As for revealing any details about future river cruise plans or what might be on tap for Celebrity River Cruises beyond the initial 10 ships, Hodges Bethge remained strategically quiet. “We haven’t announced yet,” she said. “That said, we’ve been very clear, we want to be a major player. So there will be more [information] coming soon on that.”
Royal Caribbean’s Innovation Legacy: Richard Fain Shares Industry Insights
In addition to Bayley and Hodges Bethge, Royal Caribbean’s former chairman and CEO Richard Fain took to the stage at CruiseWorld to share his insights on cruise industry innovation.
Fain was on hand to discuss his new book titled Delivering the Wow, which focuses on his decades-long career and how he built a culture of innovation and continuous improvement that transformed the modern cruise industry. The book provides valuable insights for anyone interested in cruise line management, hospitality innovation, and customer experience design.
What This Means for Future Cruise Vacations
The revelations at CruiseWorld 2025 paint an exciting picture for the future of cruising. Royal Caribbean’s commitment to expanding its private island destinations and Celebrity’s aggressive entry into river cruising demonstrate that the cruise industry continues to evolve based on guest preferences and market demand.
For travelers wondering “Should I book a Royal Caribbean cruise to CocoCay?” or “Are Celebrity River Cruises worth it?”, the overwhelming guest satisfaction and immediate sell-outs provide clear answers. The cruise vacation market is responding enthusiastically to these innovations.
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