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December 4, 2007 by admin
Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, due in service in spring 2008 and currently under construction at Aker Yards in Turku, Finland will, according to a Royal Caribbean statement, reposition to Ft. Lauderdale for Caribbean voyages, becoming the largest ship ever to call the Florida port home.
Her repositioning cruise will be a 13 night transatlantic crossing departing November 6, 2008. Her itinerary will then be a rotating series of six-night Western Caribbean and eight-night Eastern Caribbean cruises from Ft. Lauderdale throughout the winter of 2008 and spring of 2009.
At 154,407-ton, and able to carry some 3,634-passengers, the Independence of the Seas joins her sister ships, Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas as the largest cruise ships in the world, all are owned by Royal Caribbean.
November 15, 2007 by admin
Royal Caribbean has announced that Independence of the Seas will have heated outdoor pools, a first for the cruise line. This is as a result of concerns for the UK climate; she is due to cruise for 6 months of the year out of Southampton. P&O Cruises are the only other cruise line that offers a full season of ex UK cruising with heated outdoor pools.
September 17, 2007 by admin
Independence of the Seas has been floated at the Aker Yards in Finland today. This is a major step, being moved from a dry to a wet dock and confirms that she is on schedule for her debut in May 2008. When she starts her cruises from Southampton, she will be the largest ship to ever homeport in Europe, taking the mantle over from Queen Mary 2 of Cunard.
September 17, 2007 by admin
At the Aker Yards in Finland today, the latest Royal Caribbean arrival, Independence of the Seas, was floated. This should mean that she should be ready for her inaugural voyage scheduled for May 2008.
She will take over the honour from Queen Mary 2, of being the largest ship ever to homeport in Europe. Southampton in the United Kingdom will be her European base when her cruises begin next summer.
September 13, 2007 by admin
Royal Caribbean Launches French Cruise Line
Following on from Carnival Cruises (starting Spanish cruise line Iberocruceros) Royal Caribbean Cruise has announced the creation of a new cruise line, to be based in France called Croisieres de France (CDF for short). Croisieres de France will have just one ship initially, the Bleu de France which currently cruises with Pullmantur, the Spanish cruise line purchased by Royal Caribbean in 2006 as Holiday Dream.
After starting life as the original M/S Europa for Hapag Lloyd, its replacement the M/S Europa II is currently the best cruise ship in the world, according to the Berlitz guide to cruising, Holiday Dream was sold to Star Cruises. In 1999 the Europa was renamed M/S SuperStar Europe and a year later M/S Superstar Aries. In 2004 Star Cruises sold the ship to Pullmantur where she became the Holiday Dream. The Holiday Dream will be given a € 30 million refit in spring 2008, with its interiors being rebuilt to suit French cultural tastes, and renamed M/S Bleu de France. Currently Holiday Dream carries 752 passengers and at 37,012 tons is small by modern standards.
M/S Bleu de France will sail in both the Mediterranean from Marseilles and in the Caribbean from the Dominican Republic port of La Romana. Bleu de France will be marketed to French-speaking travellers with Royal Caribbean stating that “the onboard experience of Bleu de France’s guests will be totally French, from cuisine to entertainment to decor. French will be the language used on the ship as well.”
August 2, 2007 by admin
Royal Caribbean are the first major cruise line to cruise out of Panama. Enchantment of the Seas will depart from Colon for a number of weekly cruises between December 08 and April 09. This follows on the heals of Legend of the Seas cruising out of Santa Domingo, Splendour of the Seas from Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Rhapsody of the Seas plowing for trade in the Far East.
July 20, 2007 by admin
Rumour has it, that Royal Caribbean are looking at “Freestyle” dining options and will run a test on Freedom of the Seas between October and December 2007. At some point in the early part of 2008, Royal Caribbean will make an announcement on their findings. Though curently they have no plans of proceeding with this move as of yet.
This comes on the back of the news that Holland America is to introduce their version of Norwegian Cruise Lines “Freestyle Dining”. Holland America will call their dining option “As You Wish.”
Holland America hopes to offer a choice of set time, set seating and a completely flexible dining. The proposal is for one level of the two-tiered restaurant to open from 5:15 until 9 p.m. daily; the other will host a traditional early seating and later seating. Guests who have chosen As You Wish dining can make reservations daily up to 4 p.m. or just turn up when they feel hungry, however they would need to bear in mind that if they do not book, there may be some waiting to be served. Once on the cruise, it will not be permissible to switch the dining options.
The introduction of these dining options will start to take place with cruises on the Ryndam in October 2007 and gradually added to all ships over time, with the option being available fleet wide with the delivery of Eurodam in May 2008.
June 4, 2007 by admin
No not the company, Carnival Cruises have sold their first ever new build to Royal Caribbean. Carnival Tropicale was built in 1982 at 35,000 she is capable of carrying 1,350 passenger and marked a new era in the rise of the Carnival Corporation by being the first of numerous subsequnt new builds.
With newer and larger ships being built Carnival off loaded the Carnival Tropicale to Costa Cruises, where after a $30M refit she became Costa Tropicale. This move was short lived and in 2005 Carnival moved her from Costa Cruises to the P&O Cruises Australia fleet. Renamed Pacific Star she is currently cruising in the southern hemisphere.
The deal between Royal Caribbean and Carnival is undisclosed and as of the Pacific Star, well she will be moving to Pullmantur, the Spanish cruise line purchased by Royal Caribbean in 2006. As of yet her fourth “new” name is unknown. The date of transfer is also unannounced, however it is likely to coinside with the arrival of the 70,000-ton Pacific Dawn, Australia’s first superliner, as she joins the fleet in October 2007.
June 4, 2007 by admin
Carnival have sold Pacific Star, one of their P&O Cruises Australia fleet, to Royal Caribbean for an undisclosed fee. She will be pressed into action by Pullmantur, the Spanish cruise line purchased by Royal Caribbean in 2006.
Pacific Star will be renamed for the fourth time in her history following the sale. She was built in 1982 and christened Carnival Tropicale before being moved to Costa Cruises and renamed Costa Tropicale.
Currently cruising in the southern hemisphere, she has a capacity to carry 1,350 passengers and weighs 35,000 tons. The date for the transfer has not yet been announced.
May 19, 2007 by admin
Royal Caribbean is to introduce their new Crown & Anchor Society Youth Program onto Liberty of the Seas as from May 19th 2007. Members will receive a Value booklet, delivered to their room. The booklet will have various items including puzzles, coloring booklets etc and depending on the member level (Gold, Platinum etc) they will receive vouchers for arcade games, Ben & Jerry’s in room Movies and the like.
One massive plus is that any points awarded as a child will automatically be given adult status when they reach the age of 18. So if they are Diamond youth member, they will become an adult Diamond member. Due to the Royal Caribbean Cruise rules though they still will not be able to book or travel on a cruise alone until 21.
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