Royal Caribbean International and Kingfisher Airlines announce strategic alliance

Royal Caribbean International and Kingfisher Airlines have formed an alliance that will offer customers conveniently bundled vacation packages as well as enhanced member benefits for members of King Club, Kingfisher Airlines’ loyalty program.

Kingfisher Airlines is one of India’s market-leading airlines and is a member-elect of the world’s leading quality airline alliance, oneworld. Royal Caribbean International is one of the largest cruise lines in the world, offering vacations to more than 260 ports around the world.

“Working together, we can offer a number of synergies and new benefits to our Royal Caribbean International guests, and to Kingfisher customers,” explains Michael Bayley, Executive Vice President of International for Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. “India is a key market for us, and we look forward to expanding our brand presence there and introducing people to the world of cruising.”

"At King Club, our vision is to deliver a bouquet of unmatched and innovative benefits across the world to our members, in collaboration with leading national and international brands,” said Ms. Anshu Sarin, Vice President of Guest Loyalty and Kingfisher Holidays at Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. “The alliance with Royal Caribbean International is yet another initiative that will expand the range of exciting and exclusive benefits we offer our King Club guests.”

This is the first time Royal Caribbean has entered into a strategic alliance of this magnitude in the Asia-Pacific region, where the Legend of the Seas sails out of Singapore and Hong Kong, and Brilliance of the Seas is home-ported in Dubai seasonally. Kingfisher Airlines flies to all three of these embarkation ports from cities throughout India and its tour division, Kingfisher Holidays, conveniently bundles vacation packages that include both a Royal Caribbean cruise and airfare for the Kingfisher Airlines guests.

To celebrate the new partnership, Kingfisher Airlines is launching an online sweepstakes for its King Club members, which will give one lucky couple from India a free 4-night Isles of Southeast Asia cruise on Legend of the Seas departing from Singapore on May 23, 2011. The 2,074-passenger Legend of the Seas offers guests Broadway-style musicals in the theatre, themed parties, a Vegas style casino, drinks in the panoramic Viking Crown Lounge and much more. Furthermore, the winning couple will receive round-trip flights from Kingfisher Airlines.

Another advantage of the alliance is that Kingfisher Airlines’ King Club members will earn miles when they book a qualifying Royal Caribbean International cruise. For example, members will earn 1,500 King Club miles when booking a balcony stateroom on a 4- to 5-night cruise or 2,500 miles for a 6- to 8-night cruise in a Junior Suite. When booking for a group, the King Club member who reserves and pays for the stateroom will receive the miles. Members can redeem their miles for upgrades and free airline tickets.