Icon of the Seas Gets First 307-Ton LNG Fuel Tank Installed

Royal Caribbean International has posted a video of the installation of the first of the two LNG fuel tanks that the new Icon of the Seas will boast.

The fuel tank – which Royal Caribbean brands are “game-changing” – weighs 307 tons and measures 90 feet (27 meters) in length. According to the cruise line, they are the largest LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel tanks in the cruise industry.

The 5,000-passenger ship will be the cruise line’s first ship powered by LNG. Its construction is underway at Meyer Turku shipyard. The vessel is set to debut in fall 2023.

The cruise line said that LNG makes for “virtually zero sulfur dioxides and particulates” and a “significant reduction in nitrous oxides.” The ship will also use shore power connectivity to remove emissions while connected at the port, as well as advanced waste heat recovery systems that repurpose heat to be used as energy onboard.

The Icon of the Seas is the first ship in the cruise line’s new Icon Class. Royal Caribbean said that the vessel will “make waves” with a mix of innovations and adventures “cruising’s never seen before.”

The ship will be a significant milestone in the cruise line’s journey to becoming emission-free and building a “clean-energy future,” Royal Caribbean wrote.

“Decades of continuous improvement in energy efficiency and ocean conservation will be evident throughout the Icon,” the cruise line shared.

Royal Caribbean International announces 274-night world cruise

Royal Caribbean International has revealed its inaugural Ultimate World Cruise for 2023.

The 274-night voyage will visit all seven continents, across more than 150 destinations in 65 countries.

Serenade of the Seas will depart from Miami on 10 December 2023, sailing through to 10 September 2024.

Bookings can be made by phone with an exclusive one-week window through to 26 October for Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society Diamond status members and above.

Guests will sail to 57 destinations that are new to the cruise line, with highlights including Casablanca, Morocco, Greenland, and Simizu, Japan, to see Mount Fuji.

Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley said: “This is the world cruise of world cruises. Now more than ever, people have resolved to travel the world and make up for the lost time.

“Royal Caribbean is making that a reality with the ultimate holiday that welcomes those seeking adventure and exploration to taste, dance and dream with us around the world. To travellers asking themselves where they should go next, we say everywhere.”

Following its departure from Miami, Serenade of the Seas will visit a range of Caribbean destinations before heading to Antarctica and Cape Horn.

The ship will then travel to Central and South America, finishing the Americas and Antarctica expedition portion of the world tour.

From 11 February to 9 May 2024, Serenade of the Seas will continue its tour in Asia and the Pacific, visiting the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Tokyo and more.

The Middle East and the Mediterranean portion of the cruise will feature calls in Dubai, Egypt, Turkey, Rome, Greece, Split, Croatia and France, from 9 May to 10 July 2024.

The voyage will end with Serenade of the Seas visiting Barcelona, Morocco, Russia, Norway, Iceland and New York before the ship heads back to Miami.

Port Tampa Bay Celebrates Return of Cruising with Royal Caribbean Ship

Port Tampa Bay and Royal Caribbean International will celebrate the return of cruising on Saturday with the arrival of the Serenade of the Seas, a week ahead of her first commercial cruise and first revenue cruise from the port in more than 18 months.

Port Tampa Bay will welcome Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas to Cruise Terminal 6 before she departs on her maiden voyage next Saturday.

“The return of cruising will have a far-reaching impact on our region, with many small and local businesses standing to benefit,” the port said, in a statement. “Business Research & Economic Advisors estimated that a 3,000-passenger ship generates an average of $334,000 in passenger and crew onshore spending per call in a homeport city. The development of Sparkman Wharf, Water Street, Armature Works, and other hotels, dining, shopping, and entertainment projects in Tampa continues to boost the attractiveness of the bay area as a homeport. Cruise visitors to Tampa have the convenience of accessing a nationally top-ranked airport, secure parking garages – just steps away from all three cruise terminals, world-class beaches, and local attractions like Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, and Ybor City.”