Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean’s Chairman and former CEO, is sharing a few of the most dramatic, nail-biting moments all through the cruise line’s historical past in his new ebook.
His new ebook is titled Delivering the WOW: Tradition as Catalyst for Lasting Success and will likely be launched on October 21, 2025. I used to be fortunate sufficient to obtain an advance copy of Fain’s ebook, which is full of juicy secrets and techniques from Royal Caribbean’s historical past.
Fain served as Royal Caribbean’s CEO for greater than three a long time. Whereas the cruise line began as a small Norwegian firm with three vessels, Fain propelled Royal Caribbean into turning into one of the vital precious and worthwhile cruise traces on the planet.
Earlier than taking up the position of CEO for Royal Caribbean, Fain labored for Gotaas-Larsen Delivery Company. This was a Norwegian delivery firm and one of many three corporations that co-founded Royal Caribbean. Fain served as treasurer, Chief Monetary Officer, and Joint Managing Director throughout his 13 years at Gotaas-Larsen Delivery Firm.
In 2022, Fain stepped down from his place as Royal Caribbean Group’s CEO and nonetheless serves as a Chairman and Director of the Board. Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean introduced in June 2025 that Fain will step down from his place as Chairman. As a substitute, Jason Liberty, present Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO, will succeed as Chairman starting in This autumn 2025.
All through the ebook, Fain outlines Royal Caribbean’s large transformation throughout his time as CEO. The story highlights many classes realized, together with insights on enterprise management and the significance of Royal Caribbean’s WOW-focused tradition.
Whereas the ebook leans closely into the actionable enterprise insights from Royal Caribbean’s historical past, Fain sprinkles in dramatic moments all through Royal Caribbean’s lengthy historical past. As an illustration, he shares how the unique design of Icon of the Seas’ Aquadome was initially sketched on a serviette within the break room!
As a longtime fan of Royal Caribbean and enterprise analyst, I used to be desirous to learn Fain’s tales and enterprise perspective. Whereas I’m not an enormous reader, Fain’s ebook was enjoyable and straightforward to learn. I cherished listening to his private {and professional} ideas on many key moments in Royal Caribbean’s historical past.
Listed here are a few of Fain’s largest Royal Caribbean secrets and techniques and behind-the-scenes moments from his 30 years as Royal Caribbean Group’s CEO.
If you wish to buy Richard Fain’s new ebook, Delivering the WOW, you possibly can pre-order it right here on Amazon. Through the use of our hyperlink, Royal Caribbean Weblog receives a small fee at no further price to you.
1. Sovereign of the Seas’ development was nearly cancelled throughout the 1987 recession
On the finish of 1987, Fain was requested to be the Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, and he accepted. The position would start within the first quarter of 1988, aligning with the launch of Royal Caribbean’s first megaship, Sovereign of the Seas.
Then the surprising occurred. Whereas Fain was trying ahead to his new CEO place, the New York Inventory Alternate dropped 23 p.c on October 19, 1987, which is now often called “Black Monday.” On the time, this was the most important single-day market drop in American historical past.
With a lot uncertainty, Fain says the way forward for touring and cruising was up within the air. The previous CEO shares how he obtained a panicked cellphone name from one of many firm’s shareholders, urging him to cancel the order for Sovereign of the Seas.
That decision got here from George Soros, one of many largest shareholders in Gotaas-Larsen. Though Fain had labored with Soros earlier than, this dialog was completely different. And whereas Sovereign of the Seas was nearly utterly constructed, Soros insisted that Fain cancel the ship’s order.
Fain explains the tense dialog in his ebook: “George opened up with none of our ordinary preliminaries: ‘Richard, it is advisable cancel the order for the Sovereign of the Seas.’ I stated, ‘George, we will’t cancel the order. The ship’s completed. It’s nearly constructed.’
He stated, ‘I do know it’s nearly performed, however you’ve obtained to cancel, as a result of no person’s ever going to need to cruise once more. All people ought to simply act now, and in the event that they really feel poor, they gained’t purchase a cruise. You need to act earlier than the shipyard realizes how unhealthy the longer term will likely be.’
I stated, ‘George, even when that’s true, the ship is constructed. We will’t cancel. They’re already vacuuming the carpets!’ He stated, ‘You will have to pay them a penalty, however you’ve obtained to cancel.’”
Fain particulars that he was assured within the cruise business’s resiliency from earlier recessions, and he didn’t share the inventory market’s widespread pessimism.
He writes, “I reminded [George] that Gotaas-Larsen owned solely one-third of Royal Caribbean. We couldn’t unilaterally demand the cancellation of a contract. Thankfully…the 1987 crash was quick lived. Inside six months, the inventory market was again to the place it had been.”
Just some months later, on January 15, 1988, Sovereign of the Sea debuted and was blessed by her godmother, Rosalynn Carter. She turned one of the vital essential cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s historical past.
2. Carnival tried to purchase Royal Caribbean in 1988
After her debut, Sovereign of the Seas was an enormous success for Royal Caribbean. Fain explains how the megaship was “worthwhile from her maiden voyage on and her visitor satisfaction scores have been the best within the firm’s historical past.”
He continues that the way forward for Royal Caribbean was trying shiny with such sturdy efficiency from Sovereign of the Seas. By Might 1988, the corporate was taking a look at constructing on the success of Sovereign of the Seas, however competitor Carnival Cruise Line had different plans.
Fain explains, “One morning, Jack Seabrook, the chairman of Gotaas-Larsen, known as with surprising information. Carnival, the most important and strongest cruise line on the planet, wished to purchase Royal Caribbean. With that information, our future, our imaginative and prescient, all the things we had been working towards was in play. I had solely been Royal’s CEO for just a few weeks, and immediately, this name sounded prefer it may change all the things.”
The clock began ticking on a high-stakes, fast-paced deal. Over the course of 40 days, Fain scrambled to seek out an alternate possibility. He particulars late-night negotiations and surprising community connections, decided to maintain Royal Caribbean’s independence.
At one level, an enormous wire switch was wanted to safe Royal Caribbean’s future. Nonetheless, Fain explains that the switch, value $300 million, was in some way misplaced within the London banking system with just a few hours left on the clock. This was the capital wanted to finalize a brand new partnership that will block Carnival’s takeover. With out this, Carnival’s supply would develop into the default, and Royal Caribbean’s independence could be misplaced.
When the cash lastly arrived on the final doable second, Royal Caribbean entered into a brand new partnership that allowed the corporate to take care of its independence. As Fain displays within the ebook, this was a make-or-break second that outlined the corporate and later proved the significance of lasting partnerships.
3. Royal Caribbean’s signature mountaineering wall nearly didn’t occur
Royal Caribbean is understood for its one-of-a-kind, progressive thrills you could’t discover on another cruise ship. One of many cruise line’s first notable and distinctive additions to its ships was a mountaineering wall. Whereas it doesn’t appear as important in comparison with at the moment’s sights, together with full-scale waterparks, surf simulators, and zip-lines, the addition was revolutionary on the time.
Fain particulars how a few of the firm’s youngest group members really pitched the concept of a mountaineering wall – and he resisted at first.
In his ebook, the previous CEO explains throughout the closing design phases for Voyager of the Seas in 1999, there was a big, empty area behind the ship’s funnel. Fain requested a small group of youthful group members to think about one thing attention-grabbing to place there, hoping for a contemporary perspective.
After finding out the ship’s design for a number of weeks, the group got here again with a proposal for the rock-climbing wall. The group defined how the vertical area was good for a rock wall, and there could be loads of area for gear. The group additionally identified that mountaineering was turning into one of many fastest-growing sports activities in America, and might be fashionable with Royal Caribbean’s youthful friends.
Fain states, “I resisted. I couldn’t think about anybody wanting to alter into particular gear on trip and climb a wall. I didn’t inform them, however I privately went to a climbing studio and tried it myself. I got here away with a number of bruises and a conviction that no cheap individual would discover this enjoyable.”
The group was pressed to seek out extra cheap alternate options, however they got here again much more satisfied that the rock wall could be the winner. “I hated all 4 concepts, however I assumed the rock wall was the least horrible, so I agreed to it.”
Nonetheless, Fain explains how the rock wall rapidly turned one of the vital talked about options of the brand new ship.
He writes, “The cruise director commented, ‘Solely a fraction of friends really climb the wall, nevertheless it’s one of the vital photographed options on board. It tells everybody this ship is completely different.’ It was so fashionable that we retrofitted it on our present ships and have since included it on each new ship.”
Fain explains how this taught Royal Caribbean three precious classes.
First, not all the things must attraction to everybody. Though solely 10% of friends use the rock-climbing wall, its presence speaks volumes concerning the Royal Caribbean cruise expertise. Second, it turned symbolic of the shift Royal Caribbean was making an attempt to make and emphasised that holidays don’t must be sedentary. Lastly, inspiration is all over the place, particularly if you give folks the chance to be artistic.
4. Oasis of the Seas’ take a look at blimp was nearly shot down by the Swedish Air Drive
(Photograph shared by Loyal to Royal)
Whereas Royal Caribbean has invented a few of the most unimaginable shipboard expertise, not all concepts have been successful. Fain explains how the cruise line pursued the concept of placing a blimp on Oasis of the Seas, which ended up being a “spectacular failure”.
The blimp was meant to be towed 500 toes within the air above the vessel to provide friends a view of the ship and its environment. Royal Caribbean hoped it might be a novel visitor expertise and a particular characteristic seen to folks within the distance.
As you possibly can think about, Fain says the idea was technically difficult. He particulars, “It had to have the ability to face up to hurricane power winds and nonetheless be comfy for 12 friends at a time. And it needed to be examined underneath essentially the most tough of circumstances—first in pc simulations, then in a wind tunnel, then on a particular racing monitor, and eventually onboard the ship throughout sea trials.”
(Photograph shared by Loyal to Royal)
Within the ebook, Fain explains how he tried the blimp himself, discovering the experience beautiful with breathtaking, sweeping views of the Swedish coast. “As soon as again on strong floor (i.e., the ship’s deck), the security officer—who had been quiet throughout the experience—couldn’t cease speaking concerning the view, how awe-inspiring it had been, and the way blown away our friends could be.”
As a result of the blimp’s correct cradle wasn’t prepared, the crew members tied the blimp to momentary moorings earlier than mattress that day. Sadly, there was a storm that evening and the blimp really broke free from the ship and flew away.
“Earlier than we might discover it, the captain obtained a name from the Swedish Air Drive. Apparently, our blimp had floated into business air area, and the Air Drive wished to shoot it down. Fortunately, earlier than they opened hearth, the blimp began descending and fell into the ocean. A fishing boat finally picked it up.”
Fain says the blimp wasn’t meant to be, nevertheless it does showcase Royal Caribbean’s continued dedication to innovation at distinctive lengths. Much more importantly, the cruise line isn’t afraid to let go of an thought that is not the proper match.
5. Royal Caribbean nearly failed at constructing its ice skating rinks
Fain says Royal Caribbean is at all times decided to broaden their leisure choices, particularly with every new ship class. Whereas ideating the subsequent progressive area, Studio B got here to life. Nonetheless, the previous CEO explains how the Studio B ice skating rink was one of many cruise line’s extra attention-grabbing technical challenges.
“Our ships already had a number of leisure areas, however we wished so as to add one extra area that will be completely different from the rest on the excessive seas. Peter Compton, who led our leisure group, proposed including a versatile area that will be patterned after the second stage in a TV studio,” writes Fain.
“He proposed calling it Studio B. Like a TV studio, there could be seating for the TV viewers, and the area itself could be versatile sufficient to accommodate many sorts of actions.”
The group imagined what the area might be, however knew they wished an ice skating rink. Whereas testing synthetic ice with knowledgeable determine skater, the cruise line determined that the rink wanted actual ice. However, Fain by no means anticipated how difficult this might be.
Fain explains, “We realized as an alternative that standard ice-skating rinks are made by pouring concrete over refrigerant pipes. That works tremendous on land, however ships flex as they transfer by way of the water. Ice can bend (who knew?), however concrete doesn’t.”
Royal Caribbean determined to design a viscous layer that resembled mud. This might keep mushy close to the underside however agency in direction of the highest. As a result of it might bend, the true ice rink might work on Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas.
Fain particulars how he visited the Finnish shipyard and watched the employees flood Studio B with water to create a easy sheet of ice, simply as he had hoped.
“It appeared unimaginable. We high-fived because the Zamboni began smoothing the floor. I had been nervous, however now I might see for myself that it labored. Success,” says Fain.
Though the ice appeared good, the skilled skater stated it was too heat and mushy to skate on. Fain says his coronary heart sank as he imagined the brand new magnificent cruise ship debuting with an empty Studio B at its core. Fortunately, the engineers discovered a easy repair that included a brand new refrigerant with a decrease freezing level.
“It made the ice more durable and colder and the skaters a lot happier. The ice-skating rink was so profitable that we have now put it on 16 ships and have become the most important employer of determine skaters in America. My coronary heart leaps each time I watch a efficiency in Studio B and see these extraordinary skaters effortlessly glide throughout the ice, as if the legal guidelines of friction didn’t exist,” states the previous CEO.
Fain says this shows Royal Caribbean’s unwavering dedication to its innovation with such a tough and costly proposition.
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