Eyal Ofer was born in 1950 in Haifa, Israel. His father, Sammy Ofer, was a Romanian-born Israeli shipping magnate and once Israel's richest man. Eyal graduated from Atlantic College, an international boarding school affiliated with the United World. EY Global TV Commercial, 'Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' Spokespersons from EY Global and Royal Caribbean explain how the two companies worked together to transform the Royal Caribbean guest experience through the use of technology. This is a list of common misconceptions.Each entry is worded as a correction; the misconceptions themselves are implied rather than stated. These entries are concise summaries of the main subject articles, which can be consulted for more detail. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

BROOKLYN, NY, Nov. 8, 2017 – Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) is rolling out an unprecedented wave of digital innovations touching every aspect of its business, charting a course for a world where travel frustrations have disappeared, erased by technology that is transforming cruise ships from stem to stern.

Most visible to consumers through a guest-empowering app that will blanket the company’s 48-ship fleet over the next two years, the surge of innovation will also banish check-in lines at ports, equip crew members to anticipate guests’ needs, and enable giant cruise ships to sail through the water on a fuel-saving curtain of air.

“The pace of change is relentless—and so are we,” said Richard D. Fain, RCL’s chairman and CEO. “We are harnessing a range of technologies to enhance every facet of our business, every minute of our guests’ vacations, and every inch of the ships we build.”

Jay Schneider, RCL’s senior vice president, digital, said one focus of RCL’s company-wide innovation initiative is zeroing in on wasted effort and wasted energy. “We are finding ways to eliminate friction and frustration, giving guests more time to make the memories that make vacations special,” said Schneider. For example, guests will:

• Board ships in the time it takes to order fries from the drive-through, skipping check-in lines thanks to facial recognition technology that knows who they are on arrival.
• Sign up for shore excursions, order drinks and make dinner reservations without ever leaving their chairs by the pool thanks to an intuitive app on a device most of them already have—a smartphone.
• Indulge in VR and AR experiences that transform ship spaces into virtual environments and interactive games, where stateroom ceilings might be replaced by starry skies, the walls of a restaurant can transform into the sights and sounds of an outdoor café and digital signs challenge you to play an arcade game.

“Consumers are buying experiences now, not things,” Fain said, “so we are creating ways for them to design vacations rich in made-to-order, memory-making moments, and even providing recommendations based on what they have enjoyed before or shared with us about their preferences. And with our mantra of continuous improvement, our strategy is to constantly upgrade the guest experience across the fleets of all our brands.”

The technological transformation also encompasses areas beyond the guest experience, including innovations to make ships more energy-efficient, enhance ship management and put more connectivity into the hands of crew members than ever before.

RCL’s invitation-only Sea Beyond event – held at the site of a historic shipbuilding facility in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and exclusively sponsored by EY – offers 37,000 square feet of hands-on examples of how digital technology is driving change across the company’s fleet, whose brands include industry leaders Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.

“EY is proud to be the exclusive sponsor of Sea Beyond. We understand the powerful impact and positive experiences digital transformation can create,” said Bob Patton, Americas Vice Chair of Accounts. “Working together with the Royal Caribbean team has truly been an amazing experience,” continued Patton. “We have been partners for over a decade, and are excited to continue collaborating to achieve breakthroughs in the digital innovation space.”

For guests: less friction, more time to make memories

“Our vision is to make the guest experience hassle-free, personalized and fun,” said Schneider.

One specific focus is removing time-stealing moments from the cruise experience. “Time spent in line—whether you’re waiting for your food, waiting for your bags to arrive, waiting on a table, or booking an excursion—is time stolen from your time off,” Schneider said. To return that time to guests, the company is combining technologies ranging from facial recognition to RFID tagging to GPS mapping to Bluetooth-enabled beacons to streamline boarding, manage check-ins automatically and improve wayfinding.

Many of these same technologies are being deployed to put the power to manage your vacation in the palm of your hand, said Schneider. “Our new app will make it simpler than ever to book and plan your cruise vacation from home or with a travel agent. Once on board, you can navigate our ships with interactive maps and guides, explore the ship with cool features like x-ray vision, or order drinks that can be delivered to you wherever you are on the ship.” The app, along with the next generation of the company’s WOW Bands, will also unlock guest staterooms and enable guests to control stateroom lighting and temperature.

An initial release of the cruise guest app is already available on selected ships in RCL’s fleet. Schneider said RCL will continue to refine the app, adding new ship-specific features and capabilities, with each subsequent release. “Our aim is to have the app enabled on about 15 percent of our fleet by the end of this year, and more than double that by the end of 2018,” said Schneider.

Other innovations showcased at Sea Beyond are in the “concept car” phase, said Schneider. “Sea Beyond attendees will get glimpses of what happens when we let our imaginations run wild. So think of sampling an exotic dessert where, with each bite, the entire environment changes – at least virtually. Or imagine a stateroom where you not only control the lighting and the temperature, but can change the scene from starry night to rainforest canopy or island home with the touch of a button.”

For crew: better interaction with guests and home

The innovations enriching the cruise guest experience will be complemented by a suite of tools for crews, as well. For example, the app-enabled offerings for guests will be mirrored on the crew side by mobile applications that help crew members check-in guests, complete required paperwork, track delivery of guests’ bags to their staterooms, and interact with guests and anticipate their needs throughout their vacations.

In addition, crews will have access to easier means to manage their own schedules, stay connected to friends and family while onboard, and stay connected to RCL during their off-contract periods.

“We regularly earn industry-leading guest satisfaction ratings – which is first and foremost a tribute to the outstanding work our crews do every day,” said Fain. “To continue to improve, we will put more capability to delight and surprise our guests into our crews’ hands even as we help them better manage the special challenges of being away from their homes and families while on board.”

For the RCL fleet: smarter, safer ships and a reduced environmental footprint

Also showcased at Sea Beyond will be innovations aimed at enhancing overall ship management and improving energy efficiency.

For example, forthcoming command centers will use augmented reality to assist with navigation and maneuvering. “Think of it as enabling the nautical equivalent of flying on instruments,” said Fain. “Our ships always operate with keen sensitivity to the limitations the weather may impose. But having new means to mitigate the weather’s impacts on departures and arrivals helps us uphold schedule and itinerary commitments important to our guests,” added Fain.

In addition, in a safety-related application of the same technologies that will help servers deliver a drink to a guest anywhere on board, next generation bridge technology will allow officers to track guests on their way to muster stations to ensure all are accounted for and locate stragglers.

RCL is also innovating to reduce fuel consumption across its fleet, which not only lowers operating costs but also lightens stack emissions that are part of cruising’s environmental footprint. Historically, each new class of RCL ships is significantly more fuel efficient than its predecessors as new high efficiency appliances, window tinting and improved lighting,heating and cooling technologies help reduce energy needs. The company continues to evolve hull designs to reduce drag, an evolution most evident in the “bulbous bows” now common on cruise ships. In addition, RCL is pioneering the use of an air lubrication system that coats the hulls of its ships with millions of microscopic air bubbles to further reduce resistance and drag. In initial uses, air lubrication has reduced fuel consumption at speed by 7 to 8 percent.

Complementing RCL’s energy conservation efforts are initiatives to use alternative energy sources. Some RCL ships are already equipped with solar panels that generate sufficient power for limited onboard needs. At Sea Beyond, RCL will be previewing the use of fuel cells for power generation. Fuel cell use could fundamentally change ship design by distributing power sources throughout the ship. Furthermore, adoption of fuel cells would also mean producing less energy from diesel generators, reducing ships’ environmental footprints. The company is planning fuel cell experiments on existing ships, with an eye to extensive use of fuel cells and liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion on its upcoming Icon class of ships. “We are fully embracing the expectation that we run an environmentally sustainable business,” said Fain. “Experimenting with new ways to power our ships is just part of our broad commitment to being a responsible environmental steward.”

Sea Beyond sets the course

“Every year, millions of guests are entrusting us with something very precious: their vacation time,” said Fain. “To merit that trust, we work to surpass guests’ expectations at every opportunity, from planning their trips to boarding our ships, whether on sea days or shore excursions, and in every dining, recreation and entertainment venue. Sea Beyond is a preview of how we are bringing those aspirations to life in a stem-to-stern transformation of our entire company while creating a new world on the water.”

ABOUT ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES LTD.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns and operates three global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. We are a 50 percent joint venture owner of the German brand TUI Cruises, a 49 percent shareholder in the Spanish brand Pullmantur and a minority shareholder in the Chinese brand SkySea Cruises. Together, these brands operate a combined total of 48 ships with an additional twelve on order. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 535 destinations on all seven continents. Additional information can be found www.rclcorporate.com.

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Richard D. Fain

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Royal Caribbean Group

Richard D. Fain serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL). The Group owns and operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea Cruises and Azamara. Additionally, Royal Caribbean Group is part of joint ventures that operate TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The company’s 62 ships carry more than 6 million guests a year to ports on all seven continents.

Since taking the helm of Royal Caribbean in 1988, Fain has guided the company’s growth to its current place on the S&P 500, as well as its repeat listing by the Ethisphere Institute as a World’s Most Ethical Company. Twice, Barron’s has named him one of the World’s 30 Best CEOs for his vision and changing the course of the industry.

Fain serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami and is on the Executive Committee of the World Travel and Tourism Council. He has been recognized with the Federal Maritime Commission’s Earth Day Award, the Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Award, the South Florida Business Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and membership in the South Florida Business Hall of Fame. The French government honored Fain as a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, while the Finnish government named him a Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion.

Fain holds a B.S. degree in economics from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Fain and his wife Colleen, have four children and seven extraordinary grandchildren.

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo

President and Chief Executive Officer

Celebrity Cruises

Lisa Lutoff-Perlo was appointed president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises in December 2014, overseeing operations of the brand known for its modern luxury and highly personalized customer service. Previously, she was executive vice president, operations for Royal Caribbean International, overseeing several critical areas for the global cruise brand. These areas include Marine and Hotel Operations.

In her previous role, Lutoff-Perlo led the development and launch of the next generation of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, the Quantum class. Beginning with Quantum of the Seas, which debuted in the fall of 2014, Anthem of the Seasdebuting in spring 2015, and the third in the series to be delivered in 2016, the Quantum ships will make another leap in vessel design with diverse features to create a comfortable yet exciting experience for guests. These include more game-changing “firsts at sea” such as Dynamic Dining, Ripcord by iFly, a skydiving experience; Northstar, a thrilling adventure that transports guests more than 300 feet in the air on a breathtaking journey; and cutting-edge transformative venues including the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea with bumper cars, roller skating and more.

In addition, Lutoff-Perlo spearheaded the introduction of a third and fourth Oasis-class ship, currently on order and set to be delivered in 2016 and 2018. The Oasis class of ships with Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas are currently the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ships.

Lutoff-Perlo has held a variety of roles during her 29-year tenure with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and most recently served as Celebrity Cruises’ senior vice president, hotel operations, where she played a vital role in shaping extraordinary guest experiences for the brand and spearheaded the introduction of the widely heralded, $3.7 billion Solstice-class fleet.

In other previous positions with the company, Lutoff-Perlo served as Royal Caribbean International’s associate vice president, Product Marketing, Strategic Alliances and Multicultural Marketing. In that capacity, she led the development of a number of initiatives, including Royal Caribbean’s widely praised launch of Freedom of the Seas with the Flowrider Surf Simulator, and strategic alliances with brands such as Discovery Television, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Johnny Rockets, Fisher Price and Crayola. She also had responsibility for all marketing and advertising initiatives within the domestic African American and Hispanic markets.

ROBERTO MARTINOLI

PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Silversea Cruises

Roberto Martinoli is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Silversea Cruises. Since joining Silversea in 2016, Martinoli has overseen the growth of the industry’s leading ultra-luxury cruise line, which sails to over 900 destinations across all seven continents—more than any other cruise line.

Martinoli was at the helm when, in July 2018, the Royal Caribbean Group acquired a two-thirds share in Silversea Cruises, and, subsequently, when the Group completed the full acquisition in June 2020.

With the Group’s full support, the experienced cruise industry professional is currently overseeing the realisation of Project Invictus, a long-term plan to grown and enhance Silversea’s fleet of ultra-luxury ships. Adding to the cruise line’s fleet of nine, Martinoli and Silversea are looking forward to the launch of three new vessels: Silver Dawn and two Evolution-class ships—each of which will push boundaries in the ultra-luxury cruise segment when they launch in November 2021, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Since beginning his career in 1976 with his family’s ship management and consulting business, Martinoli has held a number of executive positions at various major cruise lines and maritime companies around the world. Before joining Silversea, Martinoli was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Grandi Navi Veloci, a leading Ferry Company in the western Mediterranean. Prior to this, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, as well as Advisor to Apollo Management (2008 – 2009). Martinoli also served as Executive Vice President of Operations at Carnival Cruise Lines (2000 – 2008) and Senior Vice President at Costa Crociere (1997 – 2000).

An Italian national, Martinoli holds a Master’s Degree in Naval Architecture and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Genoa and has also attended an Advanced Executive Program at Kellogg Northwestern University, Illinois.

Harri Kulovaara

Executive Vice President, Maritime & Newbuilding

Royal Caribbean Group

Harri Kulovaara, executive vice president, Maritime & Newbuilding, has led the design and construction of several of the world’s most innovative cruise ships for all of the various brands within Royal Caribbean Group.

Under Kulovaara’s leadership and vision, Royal Caribbean launched the world’s first “smart ship,” Quantum of the Seas, in 2014. He led the design and innovation behind the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas in 2009 and, sister-ship Allure of the Seas in 2010, both of which introduced unique industry “firsts” that redefined the cruise vacation experience. Kulovaara is also the creative force behind Celebrity Cruises’ five Solstice-class ships, heralded for their stunning and stylish design.

A cruise industry veteran of more than 40 years, Kulovaara previously served as senior vice president, Marine Operations and Fleet Operations, when Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. combined its marine operations and quality assurance functions. Prior to joining Royal Caribbean in 1995, Kulovaara served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Oy Silja Line AB, a leading cruise ferry operator based in Finland. He also was named executive vice president for Silja Line’s parent company, Effjohn Oy Ab.

In addition to being the chairman of Royal Caribbean’s Maritime Advisory Board, Kulovaara is one of the founding members of the Cruise Ship Safety Forum and the current chairman of its Steering Committee. He is also a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

Kulovaara is a naval architect and holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Helsinki in Finland. In 2015, Harri received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Strathclyde in recognition of his continuous safety improvement efforts through innovation in the maritime industry.

Bradley Stein

General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer

Royal Caribbean Group

Bradley H. Stein is senior vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer of Royal Caribbean Group. With a staff of more than 40 employees, Stein oversees the corporate legal group, the litigation and claims group and the global compliance and ethics group for the company’s various brands. Stein joined Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 1992. In 2006 he was appointed general counsel and also held positions as deputy general counsel and assistant general counsel. Stein worked in private practice in Miami and New York before he joined the company.

Stein received his law degree from New York University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Brown University, magna cum laude. He is a member of the Florida and New York Bar associations.

Michael Bayley

President and Chief Executive Officer

Royal Caribbean International

Seasoned travel and hospitality executive Michael Bayley was named President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, the world’s largest cruise brand, in December 2014. Bayley’s career with the brand’s parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL), spans 30 years. In his former role as President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, Bayley delivered strong results while building the company’s “Modern Luxury” positioning, which resonated successfully with Celebrity’s sophisticated customer base

Prior to that Bayley was Executive Vice President of Operations for Royal Caribbean International, where he oversaw the brand’s Hotel Operations; Marine Operations for Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruises; Land Operations for Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises, and Commercial Development for RCL.

Prior to that, as RCL’s Executive Vice President, International, Bayley was responsible for the strategic international business development of three of the company’s cruise lines: Azamara Club Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International. Over the course of just four years, he established 11 regional offices around the world, which now generate more than 50 percent of the corporation’s total revenue.

Earlier, Bayley served as Senior Vice President, Hotel Operations for Royal Caribbean International, leading the worldwide hotel operations and onboard revenue of 21 cruise ships and 30,000 employees. Prior to that, he served as Chairman and Managing Director of Island Cruises plc, a joint venture cruise line and tour operator begun in 2002 by RCL and British tour operator First Choice Holidays.

Bayley began his career with the company in 1981, working in a variety of shipboard and shoreside positions with increasing management responsibility, including that of Vice President of Total Guest Satisfaction, Fleet Operations. He also served as Vice President for Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino, one of the world’s largest premium gaming resorts, in Las Vegas.

A native of the United Kingdom, Bayley graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of Bournemouth in England, and has attended management programs at Harvard Business School and Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He is a member of the board of SteamShip Mutual in London, U.K.

Bayley has two children and lives in Miami, Fla.

Jason T. Liberty

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Ey Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

Royal Caribbean Group

Jason Liberty is executive vice president and chief financial officer for Royal Caribbean Group, responsible for overseeing the company’s Treasury, Accounting, Corporate, Strategic and Revenue Planning, Corporate Development, Information Technology, Supply Chain, Risk Management, Legal, Port Operations, Deployment, Internal Audit and Investor Relations.

Since joining the company in 2005, Liberty held several senior management positions. He was appointed senior vice president of Finance and Strategy, responsible for Treasury, Strategic and Corporate Planning, Investor Relations and Deployment and before that served as vice president of Corporate and Strategic Planning, in charge of Corporate, Capital and Strategic Planning, Energy Management, Revenue Planning and Systems and Insurance.

Liberty was a senior manager with the accounting firm KPMG LLP, before he joined Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Ey And Royal Caribbean

Mr. Liberty earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School. In addition, Mr. Liberty holds degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Miami School of Business and Indiana University, Bloomington, Kelley School of Business, respectively.

Liberty lives in Weston, Florida, with his wife Erica and their four children.