General

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

General

Note 1. General

Description of Business

We are a global cruise company. We own and operate four global cruise brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises (collectively, our "Global Brands"). We also own a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises GmbH ("TUIC"), that operates the German brands TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (collectively, our "Partner Brands"). On June 30, 2020, TUIC acquired Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, a luxury and expedition brand for German-speaking guests, from TUI AG for approximately €1.2 billion, or $1.3 billion as of the purchase date. See Note 8. Other Assets for further information on the acquisition. We account for our investments in our Partner Brands under the equity method of accounting. Together, our Global Brands and our Partner Brands operate a combined 61 ships as of December 31, 2020. Our ships offer a selection of worldwide itineraries that call on more than 1,000 destinations on all seven continents.

In 2020, Pullmantur Holdings S.L. ("Pullmantur Holdings"), in which we own a 49% non-controlling interest, and certain of its other subsidiaries filed for reorganization in Spain under the terms of the Spanish insolvency laws (the "Pullmantur reorganization") due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company. The Pullmantur brand has cancelled all of its scheduled ship operations. We suspended equity method accounting for Pullmantur Holdings during the second quarter of 2020. Refer to Note 8. Other Assets for further information regarding Pullmantur's reorganization filing and its impact to the Company.

On July 9, 2020, we acquired the remaining 33.3% interest in Silversea Cruises that we did not already own (the "noncontrolling interest") from Heritage Cruise Holding Ltd. ("Heritage"). As a result of the acquisition of the noncontrolling interest, Silversea Cruises is now a wholly owned cruise brand. As consideration for the noncontrolling interest, we issued to Heritage 5.2 million shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Pursuant to the agreement governing the acquisition, among other things, the parties terminated any existing obligation to issue Heritage any contingent consideration, at fair value, in connection with our acquisition of a 66.7% interest in Silversea Cruises on July 31, 2018. The share purchase did not result in a change of control. The purchase was accounted for as an equity transaction and no gain or loss was recognized in earnings. See Note 11. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest for further information regarding our acquisition of the noncontrolling interest.

On January 19, 2021, we announced that we entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Azamara brand, including its three-ship fleet and associated intellectual property to Sycamore Partners in an all-cash carve-out transaction for $201.0 million. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021.

Management's Plan and Liquidity

As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we voluntarily suspended our global cruise operations effective March 13, 2020 and this suspension remains in effect through at least April 30, 2021, for most of our cruise operations.

We are working with both the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the Healthy Sail Panel (“HSP”), formed in June 2020 by us and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. and composed of leading experts in relevant fields, including epidemiology, infectious diseases, public policy and regulation, engineering and general health safety, to prepare and develop a plan to meet the requirements of the CDC’s Framework for the Conditional Sailing Order (the “Conditional Order”). The Conditional Order permits cruise ship passenger operations in U.S. waters under certain conditions and following the establishment of certain protocols and procedures, with the order remaining in effect until the earlier of (1) the expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency; (2) the CDC Director rescinds or modifies the Conditional Order based on specific public health or other considerations, or (3) November 1, 2021.

Many uncertainties remain as to the specifics, timing and costs of administering and implementing the requirements of the Conditional Order, some of which may be significant, as well as the extent of any additional requirements the CDC may issue as it provides further guidance on the requirements of the Conditional Order. We expect to re-start our global cruise operations in a phased manner once we fulfill the requirements of the Conditional Order, with cruises having reduced guest occupancy, modified itineraries and enhanced health and safety protocols. Based on our assessment of these conditions or for other reasons, we may determine it necessary to further extend our voluntary suspension of our Global Brands’ cruise sailings which currently extends through at least April 30, 2021, for most of our cruise operations. As such, we believe the suspension of our operations

and the impact to our global bookings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have a material negative impact on our results of operations and liquidity, which may be prolonged beyond containment of the disease.

As of December 31, 2020, we had liquidity of $4.4 billion, consisting of cash and cash equivalents of $3.7 billion and a $0.7 billion one-year commitment for a 364-day term loan facility. As of December 31, 2020, our revolving credit facilities were fully utilized through a combination of amounts drawn and letters of credit issued under the facilities.

As of December 31, 2020, financial covenant testing on our amended export-credit and non-export credit facilities, totaling and outstanding principal amount of $11.2 billion, and on our credit card processing agreements, was waived through the fourth quarter of 2021 following amendments to the agreements during 2020.

During the first quarter of 2021, we further amended $4.9 billion of our non-export credit facilities and $6.2 billion of our export credit facilities, and certain credit card processing agreements to extend the waiver of our financial covenants through and including at least the third quarter of 2022. In addition, during the first quarter of 2021, we amended our export credit facilities to defer an additional $0.8 billion of principal payments due under these export facilities between April 2021 and March 2022. Pursuant to the covenant amendments for the non-export facilities and certain of the credit card processing agreements, we have modified the manner in which such covenants are calculated, temporarily in certain cases and permanently in others, as well as the levels at which our net debt to capitalization covenant will be tested during the period commencing immediately following the end of the waiver period and continuing through the end of 2023. The amendments also impose a monthly-tested minimum liquidity covenant of $500.0 million for the duration of the waiver period subject to reduction to $350.0 million if we raise at least $500.0 million of additional capital, which can be satisfied through previously undrawn facilities. In addition, the amendments place restrictions on paying cash dividends and effectuating share repurchases through at least the end of the third quarter of 2022. As of December 31, 2020, we were in compliance with the applicable minimum liquidity covenant and we estimate that we will be in compliance for at least the next twelve months. Refer to Note 9. Debt for further information regarding our debt covenants.

Significant events affecting travel, including COVID-19 and our suspension of operations, typically have an impact on the booking pattern for cruise vacations, with the full extent of the impact generally determined by the length of time the event influences travel decisions. The estimation of our future liquidity requirements includes numerous assumptions that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The principal assumptions used to estimate our future liquidity requirements consist of:

•Expected date of return to operations;

•Expected gradual resumption of cruise operations;

•Expected lower than comparable historical occupancy levels during the resumption of cruise operations; and

•Expected incremental expenses for the resumption of cruise operations, for the maintenance of additional public health protocols and procedures for additional regulations.

There can be no assurance that our assumptions and estimates are accurate due to possible variables, including, but not limited to, the uncertainties associated with the CDC’s interpretation and application of the requirements in the Conditional Order and subsequent changes to those requirements, our ability to meet these requirements , some of which may be significant, and whether efforts by other countries to contain the disease will further restrict our ability to commence operations. We have and will continue undertaking several proactive measures to mitigate the financial and operational impacts of COVID-19, including reduction of capital expenditures and operating expenses (reduction and furloughing of workforce and laying up of vessels), issuing of debt and shares of our common stock, amending of credit agreements to defer payments and covenant requirements and suspending of dividend payments.

Based on these actions and our assumptions regarding the impact of COVID-19 and our suspension of operations, as well as our present financial condition, we believe that our available liquidity as described above will be sufficient to fund our obligations for at least the next twelve months from the issuance of these financial statements. Beyond the next 12 months, in April 2022, approximately $1.0 billion of long- term debt will need to be refinanced or extended should the commencement of operations be delayed beyond the summer of 2021, in order to maintain the Company's liquidity position. We are working on refinancing or negotiating extension of the obligation, which we expect to have completed in advance of the April 2022 due date. There can be no assurances that the Company will be successful in completing the refinancing or extension necessary to meet its obligations beyond twelve months from the issuance of these financial statements on terms acceptable to the Company. If the Company is unable to maintain the required minimum level of liquidity or negotiate its minimum liquidity requirements, it could have a significant adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and operating results.

Any further covenant waivers may lead to increased costs, increased interest rates, additional restrictive covenants and other available lender protections as may be agreed with our lenders. There can be no assurance that we would be able to obtain additional waivers in a timely manner, or on acceptable terms. If we require additional waivers and are not able to obtain them

or repay the debt facilities, this would lead to an event of default and potential acceleration of amounts due under all of our outstanding debt and derivative contracts.

The Company also has agreements with its credit card processors relating to customer deposits received by the Company for future voyages. These agreements allow the credit card processors to require, under certain circumstances, including breach of the financial covenants, the existence of other material adverse changes, excessive chargebacks, and other triggering events, the Company to maintain a reserve that can be satisfied by posting collateral.

Executed amendments are in place for the majority of these providers, waiving collateral posting and reserve requirements tied to breach of our financial covenants through at least March 31, 2022 or September 30, 2022 depending on the agreement, and as such, we do not anticipate any incremental collateral requirements for the processors covered by these waivers in the next 12 months. We have approximately $75.0 million held in reserve with a processor where the agreement was amended in the first quarter of 2021, such that future proceeds will be withheld in reserve, of which the maximum exposure is approximately $200.0 million. The amount and timing are dependent on future factors that are uncertain, such as the date we return to operations, volume and value of future deposits and whether we transfer our business to other processors. If we require additional waivers on the credit card processing agreements and are not able to obtain them, this could lead to the termination of these agreements or the trigger of reserve requirements.

Basis for Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements

The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Estimates are required for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with these principles. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Refer to Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for a discussion of our significant accounting policies.

All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. We consolidate entities over which we have control, usually evidenced by a direct ownership interest of greater than 50%, and variable interest entities where we are determined to be the primary beneficiary. Refer to Note 8. Other Assets for further information regarding our variable interest entities. We consolidate the operating results of Silversea Cruises on a three-month reporting lag to allow for more timely preparation of our consolidated financial statements. With the exception of the October 2020 delivery of the Silver Moon which is reported in our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020, no material events or other transactions involving Silversea Cruises have occurred from September 30, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Refer to Note 7. Property and Equipment, and Note 9. Debt for further information on the delivery of Silver Moon.

For affiliates we do not control but over which we have significant influence on financial and operating policies, usually evidenced by a direct ownership interest from 20% to 50%, the investment is accounted for using the equity method.