Royal Caribbean Embarks on "Revitalization of the Seas"

Settle back with your favorite beverage because this announcement is a biggie. Royal Caribbean plans to invest approximately $300 million to bring the latest innovations to the cruise line's ships across the fleet and introduce the highest guest-rated programs from its award-winning Oasis-class ships. The revitalizations will offer guests a greater variety of new onboard dining and entertainment options, pervasive Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, and many more amenities, to deliver even more of the "WOW" aboard all Royal Caribbean ships sailing worldwide. Planned through 2014, the revitalizations build on Royal Caribbean's global vacation offering and deliver to guests the Royal Advantage—innovative cruise ships, combined with interesting itineraries and destinations, and friendly Gold Anchor Service.

"The Royal Advantage revitalizations takes many of the best features that we have created in recent years and introduces them across our fleet, offering our guests enhanced vacation choices around the world," said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Intl. "We never stop trying to make the experience even better, and no other cruise line can offer the same high quality vacation experience with such an array of choices that cater to every guest."

The Royal Advantage revitalizations began with Radiance of the Seas in May 2011, and will be followed by Splendour of the Seas in November. In 2012, revitalizations are scheduled for Vision-class ships including Rhapsody of the Seas (March 2012) and Grandeur of the Seas (May 2012), as well as Radiance-class Serenade of the Seas (November 2012). Each ship will enter dry dock for approximately a month and re-emerge as even better versions of the ships that guests love, complete with new dining venues, entertainment options, technology enhancements and more. That's Radiance of the Sea's new Chef's Table pictured above.

With the cruise line's recently announced 2012-13 deployments, vacationers have the opportunity to enjoy new onboard experiences and itineraries. Revitalized Grandeur of the Seas will offer 7-night Western Mediterranean or 10- and 11-night Greece and Turkey itineraries from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Venice, respectively, in summer 2012. Moreover, the newly revitalized Rhapsody of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will offer additional dining and entertainment options for a cruise or cruisetour in Alaska in summer 2012 or Australia and New Zealand in winter 2012-13.

Among the revitalizations and enhancements to the Vision-, Voyager- and Radiance-class ships throughout the next three years, will be:

• New Technology: Guests will enjoy pervasive Wi-Fi, interactive flat-panel televisions in staterooms, and electronic mustering.
• Digital Wayfinding Systems: Onboard activities, real time updates, customized directions and routing, as well as ship factoids will all be at guests' fingertips with new plasma and L CD touch screen signs prominently placed throughout each of the ships.
• Outdoor LED Video Walls: Oversized video screens will be installed on the pool decks to liven up outdoor entertainment and programming, day and night.
• Royal Babies and Tots Nursery: Safe, fun, and interactive vacation environments will be available in nurseries designed for babies and tots ages six through 36 months.
• New Staterooms: New levels of accommodations, including staterooms ideal for families, will be added.

Additional Dining Options:

• Chef's Table: An exclusive experience co-hosted by the Executive Chef and Sommelier for an intimate wine pairing dinner of five courses.
• Izumi: A pan-Asian cuisine restaurant featuring a sushi bar with hot-rock cooking.
• Chops Grille: Royal Caribbean's signature steakhouse featuring a menu of prime cuts prepared a la minute.
• Park Café: A casual dining venue featuring salads, sandwiches, soups and pastries.
• Rita's Cantina: A casual restaurant offering traditional Mexican fare, a selection of margaritas, and live evening entertainment.
• Boardwalk Doghouse: A casual eatery serving a range of brats, links, wieners and dogs.

In 2013 and 2014, additional Royal Advantage revitalizations will take place on Vision-class ships, including Legend of the Seas and Vision of the Seas, four Voyager-class ships—Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, and Adventure of the Seas—and the Radiance-class Brilliance of the Seas. Royal Caribbean also will deliver the Royal Advantage through less extensive enhancements planned for Freedom-class Independence of the Seas, Voyager-class Mariner of the Seas, and Vision-class Enchantment of the Seas.

Currently alternating 7-night South- and North-bound Alaska itineraries this summer before repositioning for its first winter season in Australia and New Zealand, Radiance of the Seas' recent revitalization doubled the ship's onboard dining options among other enhancements. The final and most extensive revitalization this year will be Splendour of the Seas in November, which afterwards will offer 2-, 3- and 4-night Brazil cruises, as well as 7- and 8-night Argentina & Uruguay Cruises from Sao Paulo, Brazil. In early 2011, Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas had received popular enhancements and programs that were introduced aboard the newly launched Allure of the Seas, such as the DreamWorks Experience. Having previously undergone extensive revitalizations in recent years, both Sovereign-class Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas are currently delivering the Royal Advantage on short Bahamas cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida, respectively.

For additional information, visit RoyalCaribbean.com.

Photo Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International