Royal Caribbean Spent Millions Revamping Cruise Ship To Attract Millennials

Royal Caribbean International has made a $120 million investment revamping one of its older ships in hopes of attracting younger customers.

The Miami-based cruise line brand spent money updating its Mariner of the Seas vessel as part of its $900 million plan to improve 10 of its ships over the next four years, the company said in a news release on Monday.

The expenses covered new bars and restaurants, as well as onboard activities. The newly-renovated ship comes equipped with modern entertainment options including an escape room, a virtual reality bungee trampoline, two racer water slides, a glow-in-the-dark laser tag room and a 40-foot-long surfing simulator.

"We sail with more than 5 million guests worldwide each year, and recognize the need to always innovate and stay ahead of the curve. We have designed this program to wow our loyal guests while also attracting the next generation of adventurers," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of the cruise line, according to the Florida Sun-Sentinel.

"After looking at the short-break cruise market, which is about 20 percent of the entire cruise industry in the United States, we realized that most of the markets were older ships with the least features."

The Mariner of the Seas ship also has new, smaller sailing itineraries to appeal to a potentially younger audience looking for shorter trips and cheaper destinations. The add-ons include condensed trip packages such as a three and four-day trips from South Florida to the Bahamas. The newly-renovated ship departed for its first cruise on Monday.

Prices for weekend vacations aboard the Mariner of the Seas range between $230 to $370, while the four-night getaways are from $200 to $750, according to the Royal Caribbean website. It will cost roughly $200 for an interior cabin for trips during the fall.