By Roy Weavers

Royal Caribbean has said fares have returned to the peak levels seen in June 2009 as the cruise line’s Australian office recorded its best ever month in January.

Commercial Manager Adam Armstrong said the company recorded the highest volume of calls it had ever taken since opening the local office in 2008.  “It signals that the economy is rebounding and that people want to travel,” Armstrong said.

Bookings in January were three times higher than the year before, with Royal Caribbean’s 'Rhapsody of the Seas' accounting for two-thirds of those bookings. Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises also beat their previous record booking months by more than 60%, he added. 

Armstrong also reported strong interest for 'Oasis of the Seas', the world’s largest cruise liner, since its debut last year.

Editors comments: It's good to see the bookings rolling in for the Cruise lines.  let's hope it translates into more cruise ship visits for our region