Set to open in January 2024 with the debut of Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Icon of the Seas, the getaway will have a private beach and pools as well as two bars and three dining spots.
“Everything from its hideaway location to the exclusive beach and pools to the private cabanas is designed for adults who want a day just for them,” said chief executive and president Michael Bayley.
Located in the north-west of Cococay, Hideaway Beach is an all-day experience reserved for adults aged 18 and above.
The unveiling comes as the cruise line announced earlier this week it was putting on sale the 2025-2026 season onboard Icon of the Seas three months in advance due to skyrocketing demand.
Nearly 20,000 guests visited St. Maarten on Tuesday onboard five different cruise ships. Offering cruises to different parts of the Caribbean, the MSC Seaside, the Harmony of the Seas, the Carnival Magic, the Harmony of the Seas and the Norwegian Epic docked at the Port of Philipsburg.
Wrapping up a season in the Southern Caribbean, the MSC Seaside offers a seven-night voyage in the region.
After sailing from Martinique on April 8, the cruise also features visits to Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbados and Dominica.
Following the round-trip itinerary, the MSC Cruises ship is set to reposition to Port Canaveral – its homeport for the upcoming summer season.
Meanwhile, the Harmony of the Seas offers a seven-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean departing from Miami. The itinerary, which left South Florida on April 8, also includes visits to St. Thomas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Another ship based in Florida, the Carnival Magic sailed from Port Canaveral on April 8 for an eight-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. In addition to St. Maarten, the Carnival Cruise Line ship is set to visit Grand Turk, San Juan and St. Kitts before returning to its homeport.
Also sailing from the Sunshine State, the Celebrity Constellation visited the Port of Philipsburg as part of a ten-night cruise that departed from Tampa on April 7. Set to be followed by a transatlantic crossing to Europe, the itinerary also features St. Thomas, San Juan, Dominican Republic and Antigua as ports of call.
Based in Puerto Rico, the Norwegian Epic offers a seven-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. The itinerary sailed from San Juan on April 9 and also includes visits to St. Lucia and other destinations in the region.
Set to reposition to the Mediterranean, the Norwegian Cruise Line ship offers an additional itinerary in the region before departing on a transatlantic crossing on April 22.
Royal Caribbean International is adjusting the housekeeping services onboard its fleet. According to different passenger forums on the internet, several ships have seen a reduction in how many times a cabin is serviced per day.
“In an effort to be more sustainable and to align with global hospitality trends, we will be adjusting our stateroom services to one per day,” the company said in a daily cruise program onboard one of the ships that saw the change.
According to the document, passengers are welcome to work with their housekeeping staff to ensure their needs are met. It’s understood that guests are able to select whether they prefer morning or evening service in their staterooms.
While most cabin categories are set to move to the new service schedule, Junior Suites and above will maintain two services per day, the message added.
The change has been spotted in different ships, including the Quantum of the Seas, the Spectrum of the Seas, the Independence of the Seas, the Ovation of the Seas and the Harmony of the Seas.
It’s unknown whether the service reduction will be applied to Royal Caribbean’s 26-ship fleet.
In 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line also moved its stateroom cleaning services to a once-a-day basis for select cabin categories. According to a letter sent to the crew at the time, the change aimed at consolidating crew roles while saving energy and water.
Other cruise lines that have moved to a once-a-day cabin service include Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and more.
Wetravel2u's Weblog 