Bahamas Ship Registry Expands

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has announced that early next year it will transfer six of its cruise ships to the Bahamas Registry, joining 13 other Royal Caribbean ships already registered in The Bahamas and the 9 ships of its sister brand, Celebrity Cruises.

The six, Enchantment of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, and Sovereign of the Seas, currently are registered under Norway.

Richard Fain, RCCL’s Chairman and Chief Executive, notes that having the ships registered under one flag would result in a more streamlined management process for shipboard operations. He said, "The competitive nature of the cruise industry is intense, and we must ensure our competitiveness throughout the business."