Brief History of Royal Caribbean

In 1982 Royal Caribbean Cruises made history and received widespread global recognition when it launched the Song of America, over twice the size of Sun Viking and at the time the third largest passenger vessel afloat (after the Norway and the QE2). With the launch in 2006 of Royal Caribbean Cruises Freedom Family class of ships and the Freedom of the Seas they now hold the title of the largest cruise ships in the world, first held by them with the launch of Voyager of the Seas. This title will be further sealed in 2009 with the launch of Royal Caribbean cruises 220,000 ton Oasis of the Seas, a ship so massive it will carry some 5,400 passengers.

The innovations of Royal Caribbean Cruises do not start just with their ships; in 1986 they purchased coastal property in Haiti for use as a private destination for its guests on a Caribbean cruise, it is now called Labadee. In the same year Royal Caribbean purchased its second private destination, Little Stirrup Cay, one of the Berry Islands in the Bahamas, which they rechristened Coco Cay. Royal Caribbean is one of a few cruise lines that match an abundance of onboard activities and entertainment with spectacular cruising destinations.

Royal Caribbean Cruises’ CEO Richard Fain visited London on February 26, 2007 to make a “major news announcement” about a “major increase in European deployment and new-build ships”. There had been speculation for some time as to what is going to happen to Independence of the Seas, the third of the Freedom class ships, at the time under construction at the Aker ship yard in Finland and due to enter service in May 2008. Previously Royal Caribbean Cruise had signed a 10 million, seven-year deal with the Port of Southampton to enlarge the port’s City Cruise Terminal. Associated British Ports (owners of Southampton’s Cruise Terminal) said at the time, the agreement to expand the terminal was “so it can accommodate the new generation of large cruise ships.” With Navigator of the Seas imminent arrival, one could imagine, this was why the agreement was signed. However it now seems that the expansion was so that the Independence of the Seas could cruise out of Southampton after its inauguration.

Royal Caribbean 2008

Royal Caribbean Cruises are now set to have 6 ships in Europe for 2008, Independence of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas offering Cruise Holidays out of the UK, with Voyager and Navigator of the Seas out of Barcelona, Splendour of the Seas in Venice and Legend of the Seas ported in Rome. With these six ships Royal Caribbean now offer more beds in Europe than P&O Cruises who are a traditional British cruise line. Like many US owned cruise companies they see Europe as a way to fill beds after the recent saturation of the US market with new ships.