Icon of the Seas: More Space, Innovative Design for Royal Caribbean

Posted on 23 November, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

“We’ve over-scaled the amount of lounge space for guests on the icon of the Seas versus any other ship. That is purposeful to give more space,” said Jay Schneider, senior vice president and chief product innovation officer for Royal Caribbean international.

“You’ll find more share and more deck chairs,” he added.

The 250,800-ton ship will have a capacity for over 5,600 guests at double occupancy, becoming the largest cruise ship in the world when it debuts in Miami in January 2024, sailing week-long cruises.

Guests will first be “wowed” by a massive multi-deck pearl structure when boarding the ship, which Schneider said would provide a jaw-dropping moment.

Royal Caribbean’s neighbourhood concept will also be back, with new five areas and returning favourites, plus some tweaks.

The popular Central Park will be lusher, said Schneider, with 20 per cent more greenery.

“Guests will also be able to see the ocean for the first time,” he said. Currently, on Oasis-class ships, Central Park sits in the middle of the superstructure, without ocean views.

Central Park will also feature a dedicated entertainment venue and Izumi, the company’s sushi and hibachi restaurant will be in its biggest-ever form in Izumi on the Park. Guests can dine in and there will also be a takeout window for a bento-box-style experience.

In addition, the cruise line has worked hard on passenger flow, Schneider said, really trying to eliminate dead ends.

“There are dead ends on every cruise ship,” he continued. “We’ve tried to solve that here. The upper deck six mezzanine of the promenade is a complete 360.”

Silversea Names Silver Endeavour in Antarctica

Posted on 22 November, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

Silversea Cruises has officially named Silver Endeavour in a naming ceremony held on November 19.

The cruise line held the celebration in the Lemaire Channel, Antarctica, where the Silver Endeavour was inaugurated as the 11th ship in the fleet.

This also makes Silver Endeavour the first ship ever to be named in the Lemaire Channel.

“We are excited to officially welcome Silver Endeavour to the Royal Caribbean Group fleet, bringing our global fleet to 64 ships,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group.

“Silver Endeavour will continue to strengthen Silversea’s position as the leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, allowing us to grow capacity while building upon Royal Caribbean Group’s mission of delivering the best vacations in the world, responsibly.”

The celebration was attended by Silversea Cruises executives, the ship’s Godmother Felicity Aston MBE as well as select members of the cruise line’s extended family.

“We are incredibly proud to have hosted ultra-luxury cruising’s first Antarctica naming ceremony for Silver Endeavour, our third ship to be named in just nine months,” said Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises.

“I would like to thank Captain Niklas Peterstam and the ship’s crew, the entire Silversea team, Jason Liberty and all those involved at Royal Caribbean Group for their invaluable support in reaching this momentous milestone. Silver Endeavour strengthens our position as the industry’s leading cruise line, broadening our diverse polar offering for our guests’ enjoyment.

“A source of great inspiration for our guests, we are honoured to name Felicity Aston as the ship’s Godmother. Felicity is the perfect ambassador for Silversea; she shares the same unwavering sense of curiosity and adventure that unites all of our guests.”

As per the tradition, Aston blessed Silver Endeavour and cut the ribbon alongside Captain Niklas Peterstam.

Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas Arrives in Port Canaveral

Posted on 14 November, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

Following a full summer program in Europe, Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of the Seas is debuting in Port Canaveral today.

Returning to the United States after first debuting in March, the Royal Caribbean International vessel is wrapping up a 14-night trans-Atlantic.

Ahead of its first complete season in the Caribbean, the two-week repositioning cruise sailed from Barcelona. It included visits to four additional ports in Spain: Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Cartagena and Malaga.

Before arriving in Florida, the vessel also paid a visit to Nassau, the Bahamas.

Now set to sail from Port Canaveral on a weekly basis, the Oasis-Class ship will offer a year-round schedule of cruises to both the Western and Eastern Caribbean.

For its first sailing from Central Florida, the Wonder offers a seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Caribbean.

In addition to three full days at sea, the voyage features visits to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

A highlight of the deployment, the Royal Caribbean International private island in the Bahamas is set to be featured on most of Wonder’s cruises.

Other destinations set to be visited by the 5,448-guest ship include Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatán, Labadee, San Juan, Falmouth and more.

Built-in 2022, the Wonder is the latest vessel in the company’s Oasis Class and debuted as the world’s largest cruise ship.

Following the 2009-built Oasis of the Seas, the 2010-built Allure of the Seas, the 2016-built Harmony of the Seas and the 2018-built Symphony of the Seas, the vessel debuted new features, such as a lineup of more than 20 dining venues that include the all-new The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar.

With a menu of Southern staples and new twists on classics, the venue offers live music, a collection of more than a dozen American whiskey and more.

Completing the ship series, a sixth Oasis-Class vessel, the Utopia of the Seas, is set to debut in 2024.