Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas bound for Asia, Australia

Posted on 8 May, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas bound for Asia, Australia

By Rebecca Tobin

Royal Caribbean International’s Legend of the Seas will cruise to Asia and Australia during the 2015-2016 season, a move that gives the line a year-round presence in Singapore.

The Legend will operate cruises to Southeast Asia from Singapore during summer 2015. It will shift to a new homeport for the line, Brisbane, Australia, in November 2015 for cruises to Australia and the South Pacific.

The Mariner of the Seas, which also will operate seasonally from Singapore, rounds out Royal Caribbean’s year-round offerings in that port.

Royal Caribbean has been steadily increasing its offerings in Asia and Australia. Last month it announced it was commiting its newest ship, the 4,200-passenger Quantum of the Seas, year-round in Shanghai; it joins the Mariner and the Voyager of the Seas in that market.

It also will operate the Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas in Australia in addition to the Legend, which it said was a “record” deployment there.

The Legend will depart for Asia after an April Panama Canal cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego, and it will offer three sailings across the Pacific: a 10-day cruise from Ensenada, Mexico, to Honolulu; a 17-day cruise to Sydney via French Polynesia, Fiji and New Caledonia; and a cruise from Sydney to Singapore.

Social sharing via Wi-Fi to ‘change face’ of cruising

Posted on 6 May, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

The proliferation of faster Wi-Fi networks on cruise ships will help to break down barriers for those who refuse to disconnect from the internet even during holidays and transform the cruising experience.

That is according to the chief information officer at Royal Caribbean Cruises, Bill Martin, who says that the ability to download streaming content to tablets and smartphones while at sea and easily share on social networks in real time will “fundamentally change our industry”.

Seatrade Insider reports that he suggested that for the first time, cruisers will have the ability to post video clips to the internet and share content that provides a definitive taste of the cruising experience to those who have never been on one.

“We have a phenomenal product. A lot of people don’t know about it,” the executive said, noting that better internet connectivity on ships at sea has the opportunity to change that.

For those who have previously been unimpressed by Wi-Fi offerings on ships, Royal Caribbean is promising that its new networks are such an improvement, returning guests will notice a dramatic improvement.

Oasis of the seas is the first ship to have been tested with the high-speed wireless broadband, while Quantum of the Seas is expected to raise the bar again.

Royal Caribbean offers half price for second passenger

Posted on 2 May, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

Royal Caribbean International announced a promotion in which the second passenger on sailings in 2015 and beyond pays 50% of the fare of the first passenger in the cabin.

The “Buy One Get One 50% Off” deal is being offered in May on sailings between Jan. 1, 2015, and April 30, 2016.

Although somewhat similar to Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Buy Once, Sail Twice” promotion, the sale period is longer and the number of sailings is broader.

Royal Caribbean said the deal is available on new individual and named group bookings in all categories on every ship except Quantum and Anthem of the Seas.

Taxes, fees and port expenses are not discounted.