Royal Caribbean International will send the Quantum of the Seas to Seattle in 2021, giving the cruise line four ships serving Alaska, its largest deployment there.
It will be the Quantum’s first time sailing from the Pacific Northwest, where it will sail seven-day cruises visiting Endicott Arm Fjord, the Sitka Sound and Juneau, among other stops.
The ship will join the Ovation, Radiance and Serenade of the Seas, which will be based in Seattle, Vancouver and Seward, Alaska, respectively.
The Quantum had been based in Asia, where it was sailing from Singapore and Tianjin, China. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said the company had planned to send the Quantum to Alaska in 2021 before the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.
Royal Caribbean said last fall that its fifth Oasis-class ship, the Wonder of the Seas, would sail from China when it debuts in 2021
Royal Caribbean International has announced that it will have three ships in Alaska in 2021.
The Ovation, Radiance and Serenade of the Seas are returning to the Pacific Northwest
For the second consecutive year, Royal Caribbean will bring three ships to the region, offering a variety of seven-night itineraries sailing from Seattle, Vancouver, and Seward.
The Ovation will be the largest ship in the market. The Quantum-class ship’s series of seven-night cruises are roundtrip from Seattle. The Radiance is set to embark on seven-night, open-jaw itineraries between Seward and Vancouver, and the Serenade will be sailing seven days roundtrip from Vancouver.
Before and after the Alaska season, the Serenade and Radiance will sail 10-night itineraries between Honolulu and Vancouver.
All three ships will debut Royal Caribbean’s spa staterooms. According to the cruise line, the brand-new lineup of balcony accommodations “will allow guests to relax in between adventures with an array of amenities and perks, including priority spa reservations, lush bedding and bath products, tranquil décor, daily delivery of tea, water and coffee; and priority boarding at embarkation.”
For the Ovation, the seven-night itineraries roundtrip from Seattle promises to visit “the best of the region,” including Skagway, where vacationers can retrace the steps of the historic Klondike Gold Rush and visit a restored 19th-century railroad depot; and Juneau, to go dogsledding over the Mendenhall Glacier or explore centuries-old mining trails.
The Radiance will offer alternating southbound and northbound seven-night itineraries between Vancouver and Seward. Guests will have the opportunity to visit Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Skagway, and sail through the Inside Passage and by the Hubbard Glacier.
The Serenade, returning for a second Alaska summer season, will offer seven-night roundtrip sailings from Vancouver and visit Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka and Juneau.
Royal Caribbean also offers overnight stays before or after the cruise with three- to seven-night Cruisetour packages. Travellers will be able to visit the Denali National Park and Preserve with local experts, hike the Exit Glacier, kayak and bike by Eklutna Lake, and more.
A broken water pipe shorting out an electric switchboard is being blamed for a partial power loss on Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas.
Max Power, a passenger who is currently doing back to back to back cruises on the Serenade of the Seas, first reported of the incident on the Facebook group “Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society”. Heavy rain was first blamed for the switch board being shorted out but it is now being blamed on a broken water pipe above the theater according to Max.
The front of the ship was without power early on Saturday morning. Due to the damage from the broken water pipe, 400 passengers who were scheduled to board the ship in New Orleans today will not be able to board.
At least 175 passenger cabins are currently out of service. Passengers who had their cruise canceled will receive a full refund and a 100% credit towards a future cruise.
Royal Caribbean sent out the following text message to passengers who were to board the Serenade of the Seas today:
Urgent Notification: Serenade of the Seas Check-In Update
Hello, this is Royal Caribbean International. We would like to provide you and update regarding your sailing today onboard Serenade of the Seas out of New Orleans. The U.S. Coast Guard is currently onboard inspecting the ship. We are waiting for authorization from the Coast Guard to begin boarding. Because the cruise terminal in New Orleans is very limited in space, we ask that guest explore the local area until we can being boarding. We will contact you again once we have received permission to being the boarding process. We appreciate your patience and understanding, ad we look forward to welcoming you aboard.
An hour later, another text message was sent by Royal Caribbean letting passengers know that the U.S. Coast Guard had given them permission to begin the boarding process.
The Serenade of the Seas will now spend the night in New Orleans while crew members repair the damage. The ship was scheduled to leave this afternoon on a 7 night cruise to the Bahamas and Key West, Florida.
Update: The Serenade of the Seas left New Orleans early Sunday afternoon and will sail a shortened six night cruise to the Bahamas. Passengers who had their cruise canceled will receive a full refund and a future cruise certificate equal to their cruise fare.
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