Two major cruise brands owned by Royal Caribbean Group announced new multi-year agreements with OneSpaWorld Holdings, the cruise industry’s leading health and wellness services firm.

Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises already had previous contracts in place with the company, which provides a wide range of spa and fitness services.

Multi-Year Pact Features Health, Beauty, Fitness Services

Royal Caribbean’s fleet of 24 ships and sister brand Celebrity Cruises’ 15 ships will continue to offer spa and fitness services provided by the vendor OneSpaWorld Holdings, a Nassau, Bahamas-based company that operates health, wellness, fitness, and beauty services onboard nearly 200 cruise ships worldwide.

The two lines disclosed the new agreements on March 12, 2024, saying the contracts began on January 1, 2024. Neither cruise line revealed the length of the new agreement, but Royal Caribbean has been contracting with OneSpaWorld for more than 30 years. Celebrity Cruises also has a long-standing relationship with the vendor.

“I am delighted to enter into a new multi-year agreement with Royal Caribbean International, expanding upon our more than 30-year relationship. In addition to elevated services and experiences on the current fleet, this agreement grants us the exclusive right to operate on new vessels that come into service during the term, furthering our growth potential,” said Leonard Fluxman, Executive Chairman, CEO, and President of OneSpaWorld.

Fluxman added that he looks forward to continuing his company’s partnership with Celebrity Cruises, too, and said the new agreement “cements our position as the pre-eminent industry leader in the operation of health and wellness centers at sea.”

The spa operator’s services and products are found on 193 cruise ships and at spas in 50-plus destinations. Providing behind-the-scenes operations and staff, its name is not widely known to guests, since each cruise line independently brands its spas and wellness centers.

On Royal Caribbean ships, the wellness space is known as Vitality Spa, and on Celebrity Cruises’ ships it is simply The Spa. Many other cruise lines have agreements with OneSpaWorld, such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises, where the spa is called Serene Spa and Wellness, Windstar Cruises, where the spa is known as Windspa, and Silversea Cruises — also a Royal Caribbean Group brand, where the spa is called Zagora Beauty Spa.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings also contracts with OneSpaWorld, and in 2022 signed its most recent agreement, a seven-year pact that covers all of the ships in the company’s three brands — Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

New-Builds Are Included in New Spa Contracts

While neither Royal Caribbean nor Celebrity Cruises revealed the length of their new contracts with OneSpaWorld, they did confirm that the agreement applies to existing ships and to any new-builds that enter service during the term of the contract.

Read Also: Icon of the Seas Size Comparison: Facts and Stats

In Royal Caribbean’s case, it means that OneSpaWorld is handling spa operations aboard the line’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas —the world’s largest ship with a guest capacity of 7,600. The first of the line’s Icon class, the ship began sailing in January 2024 following her star-studded christening at PortMiami.

OneSpaWorld will also handle spa operations aboard the line’s Utopia of the Seas, an Oasis-class ship due to debut in July 2024, and aboard Star of the Seas, the line’s second Icon-class ship slated to launch in August 2025.

Star of the Seas, under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland, made headlines in February 2024, when the line announced the cancellation of her first two scheduled voyages, due to delays at the shipyard.

The cruise line has nixed the maiden voyage, a 7-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day itinerary scheduled to depart Port Canaveral on August 17, 2025, as well as her second sailing, also to the Eastern Caribbean.

In light of safety concerns following a recent prison break and rising gang violence in Haiti, Royal Caribbean International has begun cancelling select shore tours at its private destination of Labadee. Impacted guests have received notification of various cancellations, and will be provided with full refunds for the now-cancelled tours.

Labadee Tours Being Cancelled

Guests looking forward to exciting excursions during their visits to Labadee, Haiti will have fewer options to choose from in the coming weeks as Royal Caribbean is beginning to cancel select tours for different sailing dates.

“Out of respect to our local communities surrounding Labadee, Haiti, and to ensure our guest and crew safety, we’re temporarily adjusting our tour offerings,” the notification email said. “We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused by this – your safety is our top priority.”

The now-cancelled tours include some jet ski options as well as kayaking tours. Some fishing tours are also affected, and it appears that any tour that departs from the immediate vicinity of the cruise port – whether for snorkeling, beach breaks, etc. – may be cancelled as well.

All sailings scheduled to call on Labadee are similarly impacted, including upcoming visits by Adventure of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and other vessels.

Full refunds are being provided for the now-cancelled tours, with the money to be returned to the original form of payment. It may take up to 14 business days to process the refund, though exact processing times will vary for different financial institutions.

What Tours Are Still Available?

There are still tours available for guests to enjoy exclusive activities on Labadee, including a “sip and paint” experience with the island’s signature rum cocktail, cabana rentals for the ultimate beach luxury, the 2,600-foot Dragon’s Breath Zipline, the Dragon’s Tail alpine coaster, and more. Exact offerings may vary depending on sailing date and when guests visit Labadee.

Read Also: Labadee, Haiti – What You Need to Know

Guests can also enjoy nearby beaches, shopping in the Artisan’s Market and Artisan Village retail spaces, have a sip at the exclusive bars, enjoy the paved and color-coded walking trails, and more.

Of course, guests can also remain onboard their cruise ship, enjoying all the amenities Royal Caribbean vessels are known for – rock climbing walls, miniature golf, ice skating, the FlowRider surf simulator, waterslides, and more, depending on the ship.

Visits to Haiti Still a Go

At this time, Royal Caribbean International is not removing Labadee, Haiti from cruise itineraries, but the cruise line is keeping a close watch on local turmoil to ensure the safety of cruise guests and crew members.

“The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. Our global security teams are closely monitoring the situation in the area,” a recent statement from the cruise line read. “At all times, we remind guests to remain aware of their surroundings while ashore and follow all State Department guidelines. Should any changes be required, guests will be notified directly.”

It should be noted that the recent prison break – with as many as 4,000 criminals escaping from two prison facilities – is 128 miles (206 kilometers) from Labadee, which would take more than 6 hours to drive on the island’s road systems.

Furthermore, Labadee is a private, isolated community and a secure compound. Only cruise guests and necessary employees, including suppliers, are permitted to enter the destination. The cruise port is a gated facility and private security ensures limited access to the community.

No cruise itineraries have yet been adjusted to remove Labadee from scheduled sailings, though that may be a possibility if crime rates increase closer to the destination or if further tensions develop.

Guests with cruises booked to the private destination should stay in close communication with Royal Caribbean in case of further shore tour cancellations in the coming weeks or if the situation changes and port visits need to be likewise adjusted.

While most people who work and vacation on cruise ships are there to have a good time, it’s always a good idea to stay aware of one’s surroundings. One TikToker has plenty of tips to keep cruisers safe, especially for women and solo travelers.

How To Stay Safe On Cruise Ships 

Cruising is generally one of the safest forms of travel. With surveillance cameras in most public spaces and professional security teams onboard, cruise lines actively work to keep their guests safe. Even so, it still doesn’t mean passengers should let their guard down completely. 

Luckily, Victoria from @victorias.way on TikTok posts tips to keep travelers safe. While her advice is primarily targeted at the women and solo travelers among her 155.8K followers, it can be useful for anyone who feels the need to take extra precautions – both on land and at sea. 

One of her most popular cruise safety videos, which was posted on February 17, 2024, has been viewed nearly 29 million times. In the video, which was filmed on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Victoria takes her followers through her nighttime routine before going to bed.

First, the influencer makes sure no unwanted visitors can break in while she’s sleeping. In addition to putting the “do not disturb” sign out and locking the door, she also closes the peep hole and makes a back-up lock uses hangers and towels from her stateroom. 

She then installs a doorstop alarm, a wireless security camera, and pushes a heavy piece of furniture against the door. After a final check of her surroundings from her cabin’s balcony, Victoria closes the curtains with clips for extra security before calling it a night. 

Earlier in 2024, Victoria also went viral for sharing her safety routine to keep unwanted guests out of her cruise cabin on a newer MSC cruise ship, earning over 18 million views.

That said, some think that Victoria’s methods are a bit too over-the-top, often questioning how quickly she could exit her cabin if there was an emergency.

“No Way. If I have to get out quickly in an emergency this would be horrible,” wrote one TikToker. 

“I work on a cruise ship and have never felt safer when I sleep. 24 hour security 24/7 versus when I’m home alone,” commented another. 

Ultimately, Victoria’s tips come down to staying aware of one’s surroundings, which is important to do no matter how many precautions guests feel they need to take.

Arrest Made On Symphony of the Seas 

On March 2, 2024, Victoria posted a video of how she stayed safe on the last night of her cruise onboard Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas. The video, which has been viewed over 5 million times in less than a week, was posted one day before a shocking arrest was made onboard the 5,518-passenger Oasis-class ship.

A male cabin steward working among the 2,200-person crew was taken into custody on March 3 in Fort Lauderdale. The now fired crew member, 34-year-old Arvin Joseph Mirasol from the Philippines, faces federal charges for allegedly hiding cameras inside guests’ staterooms to secretly record them.

Considering the timing of Victoria’s video, it’s quite likely she was onboard the same 8-Night Southern Caribbean sailing in which Mirasol was apprehended after another passenger found one of his alleged hidden cameras in her stateroom.

It also makes the topic of her video, which is all about how to keep unwanted visitors out of your cruise cabin, extra relevant. 

In the video, the influencer again shows how she barricades her door, but adds a new tip. She puts a coin on the door handle so she can quickly see if someone opened the door without her knowledge. 

She also shares the safety devices she keeps closeby on her bedside table in case someone were to break in, such as a flashlight, small safety alarm, and pepper spray. 

Read Also: Are Cruises Safe? What You Really Need to Know

Even more recently, Victoria posted another video with more cruise safety advice on Thursday, March 7, 2024. In the few days since the video was shared, it has been viewed almost 30,000 times.

The video highlights little details about staying safe that excited travelers might forget about, such as storing money and valuables in the typically provided safe. 

Even though housekeepers likely did a thorough cleaning, Victoria also does her own quick wipe down of commonly used surfaces and appliances, such as door handles and the phone. 

In a slightly darker turn, the TikToker also places her thumbprint on the wall, leaving a small smudge. She does this in order to leave a piece of her DNA behind for investigators to find in the unlikely event she was kidnapped, or something similar occurred.

While the recent arrest onboard Symphony of the Seas shows that anything can happen anywhere, incidents like that are few and far between on cruise ships. TikTokers like Victoria try to prepare their followers for the unexpected – but how many precautions to take is up to each traveler and their individual comfort levels.