ITTN’s Shane Cullen attended the 2025 Worldchoice Conference with headline sponsors, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.
Valerie Murphy – Celebrity Cruises
Valerie shared the typical Celebrity Cruises guest. Many are travelling with their children. For those who like waterslides and hurdy-gurdy rides, they tend to travel with sister-brand, Royal Caribbean. In the case of Celebrity Cruises, the average age is 45. They tend to want to explore and restore in their own time. They enjoy fine food and fine wine. Interestingly, Valerie shared that the average age has reduced from 57 eight years ago to 45 currently.
Valerie highlighted the new ships and the value that people see in cruise has meaningfully changed that demographic.
Celebrity Cruises’ itineraries are on sale for 2026 and 2027 earlier than ever before and have 8 ships sailing, including three Edge Series ships. Celebrity Cruises will reach 100 destinations and have 60 overnights, “an added bonus to your customer,” explains Valerie.
One of the exciting ships heading to the Mediterranean next year is Excel, and she launches in two weeks’ time.
Summer 2026 with Celebrity Cruises
For next summer, 2026, Celebrity Cruises has 3 ships sailing in Alaska, including Celebrity Edge. Celebrity Silhouette is sailing Icelandic itineraries. Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Reflection are sailing year-round in the Caribbean, including calling at Perfect Day at Cococay.
Celebrity Cruises will have seven ships sailing the Mediterranean, including Celebrity Xcel, Celebrity Ascent and Celebrity Apex sailing out of Southampton. Finally, Celebrity Millennium will complete her Japan season.
River Cruising with Celebrity
Valerie shared that Celebrity Cruises’ expansion into river cruising is a new milestone for the company. Interestingly, 50% of Celebrity Cruises’ customer base also go on river cruises.
Valarie explained, “We’ve listened to our customers and we’ve given them what they want. These are going to be some of the most Innovative river ships… We’re taking favourites like the Martini Bar, Sunset Bar, the Cafe al Bacio, and they will all debut on these new ships”.
Celebrity Cruises is bringing that same elevated experience to the world’s most iconic rivers with their inaugural river cruise set to sail in August 2027 along the Danube with select holiday sailings on the Rhine. The first two river cruise ships are Celebrity Compass and Celebrity Seeker. The initial itineraries went on sale in September 2025 and fully sold out in 5 hours. The 2028 sailings, Valarie explains, will go on sale in January 2026. The aim is to expand the river cruise brand to 10 ships by 2034.
Celebrity Loves Agents Community Reaches 10,000 Members
Celebrity Cruises has marked a major milestone in its trade engagement journey, with its ‘Celebrity Loves Agents’ Facebook hub surpassing 10,000 members having only lauched three years ago & more than doubling since January 2024, reflecting the strength of Celebrity’s agent network and the passion within the trade for the brand’s award-winning offering.
The Celebrity’s UK & Ireland trade communication gives travel partners instant access to the brand’s latest news, top offers, competitions, incentives and insider updates, direct from the sales team. The group has evolved into a thriving peer-to-peer community where agents support each other, share content, celebrate success and spark ideas. From first-hand ship visit photos to big booking moments, the page showcases the real stories and shared enthusiasm driving the premium cruise market.
Celebrity’s popular social competitions have become standout moments of engagement, including the Virtual Scavenger Hunt, Plan the Perfect Cruise and Take a Selfie with an X.
Each month, Celebrity’s sales team also spotlights an ‘Agent of the Month’, a peer-nominated recognition for outstanding contribution or creativity in selling the brand.
The Celebrity Loves Agents Facebook group is the brand’s primary go-to-market channel for the trade, with members the first to receive:
- Exclusive regional top offers and incentives
- Priority updates on new products, itineraries and fleet news
- Creative content and competitions to boost social engagement and sales
- Peer insights from other agents and the Celebrity sales team
Join the online community via Celebrity Loves Agent Facebook page.
One-stop Shop – Celebrity Central
To book Celebrity Cruises, agents can use the one-stop shop, Celebrity Central. This portal can be used to make bookings, complete training courses, watch webinars and has a rewards program to earn points and access marketing assets from fact sheets to video content; it is all available in one place.
Valerie’s top tip is to boost onboard sales
Valerie’s top tip is to boost onboard sales. Bookings come back to the travel agent, and the benefit to the customer is that they get greater flexibility with their bookings and also receive additional benefits like onboard credit.
She highlighted that the biggest barrier to guests booking onboard is that they think they are cheating on their travel agents so she emphasises having the conversation with clients before they go, so they know bookings will come back to the travel agency and that their agency will be able to manage their booking for them. Interestingly, Valerie shares, “the value of the bookings on board is usually much higher than what they book when they’re with [their travel agency].” – they are in holiday mode, there is a longer lead-in time to departure, and there are onboard presentations on dream destinations like Alaska or the Galapagos.
Finally, the sixth Edge ship, Celebrity Excite, will launch in 2028, and Valerie expects an ever-popular Silent Disco to feature onboard too.
Jennifer Callister – Royal Caribbean
Legend of the Seas is a new Icon Class ship. Her European debut will be in Rome with her first sailing on 11th July. For the winter season 2026, she will sail the Caribbean & with her homeport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Legend of the Seas will have 20 decks with 2,350 crew caring for 5,610 guests across 2,805 staterooms.
More than One Perfect Day
She highlighted that these Perfect Day experiences are like an extension of the ship, that, if you have the drinks or WiFi package, it extends onshore at the Perfect Day experiences. There are also lots of complimentary dining options on the island.
Along the theme of Perfect Day at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean will expand to Perfect Day in Mexico, coming in 2027, which will feature an amazing water park and will have the longest lazy river in the world.
Royal Beach Club – Bahamas, Mexico & Santorini
A new feature is the Royal Beach Club. The first will be finished at the end of 2025 and is located in Nassau, Bahamas. She explained it is similar to an excursion. Most people want a “beach day”, and this facilitates it in a very luxurious way. Once guests pay the cover charge, they can enjoy the amenities & luxurious setting available. Another will open in Mexico in 2026, and a third in Santorini, which will open for summer 2026.
Get me on Legend – Trade Incentive
Jennifer shared that the Royal Caribbean team have launched a new trade incentive. Along the lines of Get me on Harmony, now there is Get me on Legend. Get signed up and agree to the terms & conditions by 14th November and agents will get 50 bonus points. Jennifer pointed out, it’s not just booking incentives, there is plenty more to entice agents.
Valerie Murphy & Jennifer Callister chat to ITTN at 2025 Worldchoice Conference, click on the picture to watch the video!
Alternatively, click on the links below:
- Valerie Murphy interview at Worlchoice Conference 2025 – Instagram & Facebook
- Valerie Murphy interview at Worlchoice Conference 2025 – Instagram & Facebook
For More from 2025 Worldchoice Conference
- Carol Anne O’Neill Addresses Delegates
- Worlchoice Award Winners, Cruise Shining Star & Travel Industry Recognition Award Announced
