Royal Caribbean International
Encyclopedia
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and American cruise line
Cruise line
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
brand based in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a Norwegian / American company based in Miami, Florida. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corporation & PLC. As of March 2009, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd...
. With 42 ships in service under 5 different brands and one more under construction, it controls a 25.6% share of the world cruise market. All ships since 1991 have names ending in "of the Seas."
Company and brand history
Royal Caribbean International was founded as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 1968 by Anders Wilhelmsen & Company, I.M. Skaugen & Company, and Gotaas Larsen, NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
shipping companies. The newly created line put its first ship, the Song of Norway, into service two years later. The next year, the line's capacity was doubled with the addition of the Nordic Prince to the fleet. Continuing to expand, the line added the Sun Viking in 1972. After four years of successful operation, Royal Caribbean's Song of Norway became their first passenger ship to be lengthened. This was accomplished via the insertion of an 85 feet (25.9 m) section to the vessel's severed center. Following the success of this procedure, Nordic Prince was stretched in 1980. Royal Caribbean finally received widespread global recognition when in 1982 it launched the Song of America
Song of America
MS Thomson Destiny is a cruise ship owned by the Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines, under long-term charter to the United Kingdom-based Thomson Cruises. She was built in 1982 at Wärtsilä Hietalahti shipyard in Helsinki, Finland for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines as MS Song of America...
, over twice the size of Sun Viking and at the time the third largest passenger vessel afloat (after the Norway
SS France (1961)
SS France was a Compagnie Générale Transatlantique ocean liner, constructed by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard at Saint-Nazaire, France, and put into service in February 1962...
and the )
Royal Caribbean innovated once again with its 1986 lease of a coastal property in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
for use as a private destination for its guests. This destination is now called Labadee
Labadee
Labadee is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti. It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on...
. After a corporate restructuring in 1988, the line launched , the largest passenger vessel afloat at the time. Two years later, Nordic Empress
Empress of the Seas
MS Empress is a cruise ship operated by Pullmantur Cruises . She was formerly operated by Royal Caribbean International as the Empress of the Seas. The ship was ordered by Admiral Cruise Lines and was intended to be called the Future Seas and join the other Admiral ships, the Azure Seas and the...
and Viking Serenade entered service for the line, continuing a rapid growth trend within the company. In the same year Royal Caribbean purchased its second private destination, Little Stirrup Cay
Little Stirrup Cay
Little Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, is one of the Berry Islands, a collection of cays and small islands and is located approximately 55 miles north of Nassau. The island is less than a mile wide from east to west and less than a 200 yards from north to south...
, an island in the Bahamas, which they rechristened "Coco Cay."
, the second ship of the Sovereign class
Sovereign class
The Sovereign class is Royal Caribbean International's third generation of cruise ships.The three ships of the class were built in Saint-Nazaire, France at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards. The first modern "megaships" to be built, they also were the first series of cruise ships to include a...
, entered service the next year. The third ship of the Sovereign class, , was delivered one year later. With a large passenger capacity and a growing market share, Royal Caribbean finally went public on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
in 1993. Over the next two years the company experienced extreme growth. A new corporate headquarters in Miami, Florida was completed, and the Nordic Prince replaced by a new vessel, the .
The next year brought more growth. Two more Vision class
Vision Class
The Vision class is a term Royal Caribbean International uses to refer to six of its cruise ships. Although called a "class" by Royal Caribbean, actually it consists of two pairs of sister ships and another pair of sister ships that was later split up into two different ships by a lengthening of...
vessels entered service, the and . Also in 1996, the company finalized its contracts for 130,000-ton vessels with Aker Finnyards in Finland. The trend of growth and change continued into 1997. The line's oldest ship, Song of Norway, was sold, and two new Vision-class ships entered service as and . The company also merged with the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
cruise line Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line founded in 1988 by the Greek Chandris Group. In 1997, Celebrity Cruises Ltd. merged with Royal Caribbean International to become Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which operates Celebrity, Royal Caribbean International, Azamara Club Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises and CDF...
and changed its name from "Royal Caribbean Cruise Line" to "Royal Caribbean International." The next year marked a transition to a more "strictly modern line", when the last of the company's older vessels, Song of America and Sun Viking, were retired. In 1998, came into service, the last of the Vision Class
Vision Class
The Vision class is a term Royal Caribbean International uses to refer to six of its cruise ships. Although called a "class" by Royal Caribbean, actually it consists of two pairs of sister ships and another pair of sister ships that was later split up into two different ships by a lengthening of...
Ships. In 2005, Royal Caribbean made history again with the massive refurbishment of Enchantment of the Seas, cutting the ship in half and adding a 74 feet (22.6 m) midsection. Grandeur of the Seas was rumored to be the next to have the massive refurbishment sometime in early 2008, but that never took place.
In 1999 the , the line's newest and world's largest cruise ship entered service with much attention from the news media. The next two years saw the delivery of Voyager's sister ship, , and the first of a new class of more environmentally friendly cruise liners, , as well as the introduction of Royal Caribbean's "cruise tours Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
", featuring glass-domed train cars to scenic destinations within the state and Canada. During Adventure of the Seas
Adventure of the Seas
MS Adventure of the Seas is the third Voyager-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International that cannot transit the Panama Canal....
' christening ceremony in November 2001, Royal Caribbean made a $50,000 contribution to the Twin Towers
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
Relief fund.
2002 saw the debut of the , as well as the , the second ship of the Radiance class
Radiance Class
The Radiance class is a class of cruise ships for Royal Caribbean. It is preceded by the Voyager class and succeeded by the Freedom-class...
. and were introduced the next year, and rock-climbing walls
Climbing wall
A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
were made a feature of every Royal Caribbean ship. followed in 2004, and the line's ship Nordic Empress was refurbished and re-christened as Empress of the Seas
Empress of the Seas
MS Empress is a cruise ship operated by Pullmantur Cruises . She was formerly operated by Royal Caribbean International as the Empress of the Seas. The ship was ordered by Admiral Cruise Lines and was intended to be called the Future Seas and join the other Admiral ships, the Azure Seas and the...
, which was later sold to Pullmantur Cruises
Pullmantur Cruises
Pullmantur Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 2006.- Overview :Pullmantur Cruises is the...
in 2008. Construction commenced on , the line's newest ship, at Aker Finnyards in 2005 and the vessel launched the next year as the largest passenger vessel in the world. Freedom of the Seas
In 2012, twelve ships of RCCL's fleet will sail in Europe. The Serenade of the Seas
Serenade of the Seas
MS Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance class cruise ship in the Royal Caribbean International fleet. Completed in 2003, Serenade of the Seas sails the Southern Caribbean, departing weekly from San Juan, Puerto Rico.-History:...
will make her European debut and will be home ported at Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
for cruises to the Mediterranean. Brilliance of the Seas
Brilliance of the Seas
MS Brilliance of the Seas is a cruise ship belonging to the Royal Caribbean's Radiance class. It cruises the Mediterranean from April to January, and is based in Dubai - sailing to ports around the Middle East and India - from November to April, doing two repositioning cruises each year which take...
will be home ported at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
for a new series of Northern Europe cruises. She will visit the Norwegian Fjords, the North Cape
North Cape
North Cape may refer to:*North Cape, Prince Edward Island*North Cape, New Zealand*North Cape, Norway, also known as Nordkapp*North Cape, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...
and the Baltic
Baltic
-Northern Europe:* The Baltic Sea* Baltic states : Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia* The Baltic region, an ambiguous term referring to the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea...
. The Jewel of the Seas
Jewel of the Seas
The MS Jewel of the Seas is a cruise ship belonging to Royal Caribbean's Radiance class. The ship was completed in the spring of 2004 with her maiden voyage in May of that year. She is one of Royal Caribbean International's newest cruise ships and has the highest percent of outside cabins in the...
will continue with her sailings to the Baltic
Baltic
-Northern Europe:* The Baltic Sea* Baltic states : Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia* The Baltic region, an ambiguous term referring to the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea...
, but she will also offer a new cruise to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. All cruises start and end in Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
. For the second year, Mariner of the Seas
Mariner of the Seas
MS Mariner of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International; it is one of the largest in its fleet and among the largest passenger ships in the world. It was constructed at Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland and had her maiden voyage in 2003. Currently the ship...
will go no cruises to the Mediterranean.
Other ships in Europe are Liberty of the Seas
Liberty of the Seas
MS Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International Freedom class cruise ship which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later changed. The 15-deck ship accommodates 3,634 passengers served by...
, Independence of the Seas
Independence of the Seas
MS Independence of the Seas is a operated by the Royal Caribbean cruise line that entered service in April 2008. The 15-deck ship can accommodate 4,370 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in the Aker Finnyards drydock in Turku, Finland, builder of Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the...
, Navigator of the Seas
Navigator of the Seas
MS Navigator of the Seas is fourth out of Royal Caribbean International's five Voyager-class cruise ships. She was once one of the largest in the fleet and still ranks among the largest passenger ships in the world. Constructed at Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland, the ship measures 138,279 gross...
, Adventure of the Seas
Adventure of the Seas
MS Adventure of the Seas is the third Voyager-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International that cannot transit the Panama Canal....
, Voyager of the Seas
Voyager of the Seas
MS Voyager of the Seas, is a Voyager-class cruise ship, completed in 1999, for Royal Caribbean International. She is the namesake of Voyager-class ships....
, Grandeur of the Seas
Grandeur of the Seas
The MS Grandeur of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean International's Vision Class of cruise ships. Features include a full-service spa, six whirlpools, an outdoor jogging track and a number of bars and restaurants....
and Splendour of the Seas
Splendour of the Seas
MS Splendour of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. Her itineraries include European cruising in the Mediterranean and Baltic along with South America and other more "exotic" locations in Royal Caribbean's worldwide destinations...
(all Mediterranean), as well as Vision of the Seas
Vision of the Seas
MS Vision of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship for Royal Caribbean International, the last of her class. Her maiden voyage was on May 2, 1998, following which she sailed for a year in Europe before being moved to other routes...
which will sail to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
Royal Caribbean cruise ships
Each Royal Caribbean ship includes a top-of-ship lounge called the Viking Crown LoungeViking Crown Lounge
The Viking Crown Lounge is a signature design element of every Royal Caribbean International cruise ship. The lounge, originally built around a stack of the ship, is the highest guest-accessible area on-board...
offering sweeping panoramic views, onboard rock climbing walls, bars, lounges, spas, gyms, a main dining room and alternative dining venues. The line has a special kids and youth program known as Adventure Ocean
Adventure Ocean
Adventure Ocean is the brand name for Royal Caribbean International's youth activity program on board their vessels. There are different programs tailored to fit seven age groups. Most Adventure Ocean activities are free. Some activities are sponsored by Fisher-Price and Crayola...
.
Oasis class
The first ship of this class, Oasis of the Seas surpassed the Freedom-class ships as the world's largest cruise ship in November 2009. It is able to accommodate up to 5,400 passengers, has a registered tonnage of 225,282 tons and cost the line around US $1.4 billion. It is anticipated that the Oasis-class of vessels will primarily sail the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but Royal Caribbean may also choose to deploy these vessels in other parts of the world. A second Oasis-class ship was ordered on 2 April 2007, and was constructed at STX Europe's Finland YardsSTX Finland Cruise Oy
STX Finland Cruise Oy, formerly Aker Yards Oy, is a Finnish shipbuilding company operating three shipyards in Finland, in Helsinki, Turku and Rauma, employing some 4,000 people. It is part of STX Europe a group of International shipbuilding companies....
(formerly Aker Finnyards), Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland. It was delivered on 28 October 2010.
Royal Caribbean International, in conjunction with USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, sponsored a contest to name the vessels.
| Ship | Class | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Decks | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oasis of the Seas | Oasis Class | December 5, 2009 | 6,360 | 16 | 225,282 | 1,187' | 215.7' | 22 knots | |
| Allure of the Seas | Oasis Class | December 1, 2010 | 6,360 | 16 | 225,282 | 1,189' | 215.7' | 22 knots | Currently the worlds largest cruise ship. |
Freedom class
Freedom of the Seas left Aker FinnyardsSTX Finland Cruise Oy
STX Finland Cruise Oy, formerly Aker Yards Oy, is a Finnish shipbuilding company operating three shipyards in Finland, in Helsinki, Turku and Rauma, employing some 4,000 people. It is part of STX Europe a group of International shipbuilding companies....
shipyard in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland on 24 April 2006. With gross tonnage of 154,410 tons, they surpassed Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
's Queen Mary 2
RMS Queen Mary 2
RMS Queen Mary 2 is a transatlantic ocean liner. She was the first major ocean liner built since in 1969, the vessel she succeeded as flagship of the Cunard Line....
as the largest ships in the world even though they are five meters shorter than the Queen Mary 2.
Freedom of the Seas includes two new features, the Flowrider and the H2O Zone for kids. The Freedom of the Seas continues the traditions of the Voyager-class ships with a 400 feet (121.9 m) mall named the Royal Promenade, featuring pubs, shops, arcades, bars, and a 24 hour Cafe Promenade.
| Ship | Class | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Decks | Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom of the Seas Freedom of the seas Freedom of the seas is a principle in the international law and law of the sea. It stresses freedom to navigate the oceans. It also disapproves of war fought in water. The freedom is to be breached only in a necessary international agreement.... |
Freedom Class | June 4, 2006 | 4,375 | 154,407 | 15 | 1,112' | 183.4' | 21.6 knots | |
| Liberty of the Seas Liberty of the Seas MS Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International Freedom class cruise ship which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later changed. The 15-deck ship accommodates 3,634 passengers served by... |
Freedom Class | May 19, 2007 | 4,375 | 154,407 | 15 | 1,112' | 183.4' | 21.6 knots | |
| Independence of the Seas Independence of the Seas MS Independence of the Seas is a operated by the Royal Caribbean cruise line that entered service in April 2008. The 15-deck ship can accommodate 4,370 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in the Aker Finnyards drydock in Turku, Finland, builder of Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the... |
Freedom Class | May 2, 2008 | 4,375 | 154,407 | 15 | 1,112' | 183.4' | 21.6 knots |
Voyager class
The fifth largest passenger ships at sea (behind the Oasis class, Freedom class, Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. It began operations in 1966 under the name Norwegian Caribbean Line. The company is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or...
's Norwegian Epic and Cunard's
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
Queen Mary 2), the Voyager class ships were built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards' (now STX Europe) facility in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland. They have a gross tonnage of around 137,000 tonnes. These ships include a 350 feet (106.7 m) indoor mall known as the Royal Promenade, featuring indoor pubs, shops, cafes, and bars. Activity options on board include: basketball courts, skating rinks, at least 3 pools, a mini-golf course, and a rock wall.
| Ship | Class | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Decks | Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voyager of the Seas Voyager of the Seas MS Voyager of the Seas, is a Voyager-class cruise ship, completed in 1999, for Royal Caribbean International. She is the namesake of Voyager-class ships.... |
Voyager Class | November 21, 1999 | 3,840 | 137,276 | 14 | 1,020' | 154.7' | 22 knots | Voyager of the seas was the first vessel ever to have an ice scating rink onboard. |
| Explorer of the Seas Explorer of the Seas Explorer of the Seas is one of five s from Royal Caribbean International. She can accommodate over 3,100 guests, including scientists making use of a built-in atmospheric and oceanographic laboratory operated by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric... |
Voyager Class | October 28, 2000 | 3,840 | 137,308 | 14 | 1,020' | 154.7' | 22 knots | |
| Adventure of the Seas Adventure of the Seas MS Adventure of the Seas is the third Voyager-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International that cannot transit the Panama Canal.... |
Voyager Class | November 18, 2001 | 3,807 | 137,376 | 14 | 1,020' | 154.7' | 22 knots | |
| Navigator of the Seas Navigator of the Seas MS Navigator of the Seas is fourth out of Royal Caribbean International's five Voyager-class cruise ships. She was once one of the largest in the fleet and still ranks among the largest passenger ships in the world. Constructed at Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland, the ship measures 138,279 gross... |
Voyager Class | December 14, 2002 | 3,807 | 138,279 | 14 | 1,020' | 159.6' | 22 knots | |
| Mariner of the Seas Mariner of the Seas MS Mariner of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International; it is one of the largest in its fleet and among the largest passenger ships in the world. It was constructed at Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland and had her maiden voyage in 2003. Currently the ship... |
Voyager Class | November 16, 2003 | 3,807 | 138,279 | 14 | 1,020' | 159.6' | 22 knots |
Radiance class
Radiance class ships have a gross tonnage of 90,090 gross tons. All ships have more environmentally-friendly gas turbine
Gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of internal combustion engine. It has an upstream rotating compressor coupled to a downstream turbine, and a combustion chamber in-between....
engines. The Radiance class ships have over 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) of glass, glass exterior viewing elevators, over 700 balcony staterooms, two-level glass windowed dining rooms, alternative restaurants, a retractable glass roof over a pool, an outdoor pool, as well as the first self-leveling billiard tables at sea. The Radiance class ships were constructed at Meyer Werft
Meyer Werft
The Meyer Werft is one of the remaining large German shipyards, headquartered in Papenburg. Since 1997, it has been part of the Meyer Neptun Group together with Neptun Werft in Rostock.-History:...
, Papenburg
Papenburg
Papenburg is a city in the district of Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners.-Districts:...
, Germany.
| Ship | Class | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Decks | Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radiance of the Seas Radiance of the Seas MS Radiance of the Seas is a cruise ship that is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She is registered in Nassau, Bahamas, and is a gas-turbine vessel, the first built for Royal Caribbean. This system produces higher efficient speeds than other cruise ships, and emissions to the... |
Radiance Class | March 10, 2001 | 2,502 | 90,090 | 962' | 105.6' | 25 knots | ||
| Brilliance of the Seas Brilliance of the Seas MS Brilliance of the Seas is a cruise ship belonging to the Royal Caribbean's Radiance class. It cruises the Mediterranean from April to January, and is based in Dubai - sailing to ports around the Middle East and India - from November to April, doing two repositioning cruises each year which take... |
Radiance Class | July 19, 2002 | 2,502 | 90,090 | 962' | 105.6' | 25 knots | ||
| Serenade of the Seas Serenade of the Seas MS Serenade of the Seas is a Radiance class cruise ship in the Royal Caribbean International fleet. Completed in 2003, Serenade of the Seas sails the Southern Caribbean, departing weekly from San Juan, Puerto Rico.-History:... |
Radiance Class | August 1, 2003 | 2,502 | 90,090 | 962' | 105.6' | 25 knots | ||
| Jewel of the Seas Jewel of the Seas The MS Jewel of the Seas is a cruise ship belonging to Royal Caribbean's Radiance class. The ship was completed in the spring of 2004 with her maiden voyage in May of that year. She is one of Royal Caribbean International's newest cruise ships and has the highest percent of outside cabins in the... |
Radiance Class | May 8, 2004 | 2,502 | 90,090 | 962' | 105.6' | 25 knots |
Vision class
Technically speaking the Vision class consists of three pairs of sister ships and is not a "class" of ships in the same sense as the Radiance, Freedom, Voyager, or Oasis classes. Legend and Splendour, built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part of the South Korean STX Shipbuilding Group and one of the world's largest shipyards, based in Saint-Nazaire, France...
, Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
, France have a gross tonnage of approximately 70,000 and are the only ones which have a golf course. Grandeur and Enchantment were built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland and have a tonnage of approximately 80,000 gross tons (after lengthening). The final pair, Rhapsody and Vision were also built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and have a tonnage of 78,000 gross tons. All ships of this class feature over 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of glass.
| Ship | Class | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Decks | Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legend of the Seas Legend of the Seas MS Legend of the Seas was the first of the Vision Class cruise ships owned by the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. With a gross tonnage of , the ship can carry 2,074 passengers. Its maiden voyage was May 16, 1995... |
Vision Class | May 16, 1995 | 2,074 | 69,130 | 867' | 105' | 22 knots | ||
| Splendour of the Seas Splendour of the Seas MS Splendour of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. Her itineraries include European cruising in the Mediterranean and Baltic along with South America and other more "exotic" locations in Royal Caribbean's worldwide destinations... |
Vision Class | March 31, 1996 | 2,074 | 69,130 | 867' | 105' | 22 knots | ||
| Grandeur of the Seas Grandeur of the Seas The MS Grandeur of the Seas is part of Royal Caribbean International's Vision Class of cruise ships. Features include a full-service spa, six whirlpools, an outdoor jogging track and a number of bars and restaurants.... |
Vision Class | December 14, 1996 | 2,440 | 73,817 | 916' | 106' | 22 knots | ||
| Rhapsody of the Seas Rhapsody of the Seas -External links:* * * *... |
Vision Class | May 19, 1997 | 2,416 | 78,491 | 915' | 105.6' | 22 knots | ||
| Enchantment of the Seas Enchantment of the Seas MS Enchantment of the Seas is a Vision Class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She cruises in the Caribbean year round sailing out of Baltimore.-Propellers:... |
Vision Class | July 13, 1997 | 2,730 | 82,910 | 990' | 106' | 22 knots | In 2005, a 74 feet (22.6 m) midsection was added to Enchantment of the Seas, allowing for the addition of a pool, suspension bridges, specialty restaurants, additional staterooms, and expanded areas for guest comfort. | |
| Vision of the Seas Vision of the Seas MS Vision of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship for Royal Caribbean International, the last of her class. Her maiden voyage was on May 2, 1998, following which she sailed for a year in Europe before being moved to other routes... |
Vision Class | May 2, 1998 | 2,416 | 78,340 | 915' | 105.6' | 22 knots | ||
Sovereign class
At approximately , these were the first "mega-ships" in the industry (with the exception of the SS Norway, an ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
converted into a cruise ship), built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part of the South Korean STX Shipbuilding Group and one of the world's largest shipyards, based in Saint-Nazaire, France...
shipyard in Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
, France. The first one, Sovereign of the Seas
MS Sovereign of the Seas
MS Sovereign is one of three large cruise ships of the Sovereign class formerly operated by Royal Caribbean International. At the time of her maiden voyage on January 16, 1988, she was the largest cruise ship in the world at 73,192 gross tons...
, was launched in 1988. The Sovereign-class ships were the first ships ever to have an open atrium area. Like larger Royal Caribbean ships, the Sovereign Class ships have pools, open bars and lounges inside, and grand theaters.
In 2005, Monarch of the seas received a refit, and the Majesty of the Seas in 2007. New features include enhanced staterooms, public areas, Compass Deli, Jade, addition of rock walls, re-painted pool floors, new carpeting and more spaces enhanced for guest comfort.
In October 2008, Sovereign of the Seas was transferred to the fleet of Pullmantur Cruises
Pullmantur Cruises
Pullmantur Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 2006.- Overview :Pullmantur Cruises is the...
.
| Ship | Class | Entered service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Decks | Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch of the Seas | Sovereign Class | November 17, 1991 | 2,766 | 73,937 | 880' | 106' | 19 knots | Retrofitted in 2005 and again in 2011. | |
| Majesty of the Seas Majesty of the Seas MS Majesty of the Seas is a Sovereign-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France, and placed in service on April 26, 1992... |
Sovereign Class | April 26, 1992 | 2,767 | 74,077 | 880' | 106' | 19 knots | Retrofitted in 2007. | |
Future fleet
| Ship | Class | Entering service with Royal Caribbean |
Capacity | Decks | Gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... |
Length | Max Beam | Cruising Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unnamed | Project Sunshine Project Sunshine class cruise ship -External links:* official website.* official website.... |
2014 | 4,100 | ? | 158,000 | ? | ? | ? knots | |
| unnamed | Project Sunshine Project Sunshine class cruise ship -External links:* official website.* official website.... |
2015 | 4,100 | ? | 158,000 | ? | ? | ? knots |
Retired ships
Former RCI ships no longer in the fleet:- Song of Norway - Now operating with International Shipping Partners as MV Ocean Pearl
- Nordic Prince - Now operating with Ocean Star CruisesOcean Star CruisesOcean Star Cruises is a Mexican cruise line brand, based in Mexico City, Mexico. Founded in 2010. The first ship in its fleet is the MV Ocean Star Pacific launched on 9 July 1970 for RCCL and purchased in December 2010 to become the first ship in the fleet. She entered service on 10 April 2011...
as MV Ocean Star Pacific - Sun Viking - Now operating with China company as Oriental Dragon
- Song of America - Now operating with Thomson Cruises as Thomson Destiny
- Viking Serenade - Now operating with Thomson Cruises as Island EscapeIsland EscapeMS Island Escape is a cruise ship owned and operated by Thomson Cruises under their Island Cruises brand. She was built in 1982 by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Scandinavian World Cruises as the cruiseferry MS Scandinavia. At the time of her construction she was the largest...
- Empress of the Seas - Now operating with Pullmantur CruisesPullmantur CruisesPullmantur Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 2006.- Overview :Pullmantur Cruises is the...
as MS Empress - Sovereign of the Seas - Now operating with Pullmantur CruisesPullmantur CruisesPullmantur Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in 2006.- Overview :Pullmantur Cruises is the...
as MS SovereignMS Sovereign of the SeasMS Sovereign is one of three large cruise ships of the Sovereign class formerly operated by Royal Caribbean International. At the time of her maiden voyage on January 16, 1988, she was the largest cruise ship in the world at 73,192 gross tons...
Private resorts
Royal Caribbean operates two privately owned resorts that are used as stops on some Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries. They are LabadeeLabadee
Labadee is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti. It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on...
, a resort on the northern coast of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
; and Coco Cay, a private island in the Berry Islands
Berry Islands
The Berry Islands are a chain of islands and a district of the Bahamas, covering about thirty square miles of the north western part of the Out Islands...
region of The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
. Each resort features beaches, canopies for eating, lounge chairs, palm trees, and white sand beaches.
Docking in Haiti
It was reported that Royal Caribbean Cruise lines was docking cruise ships at the Labadee resort in Haiti despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. While the ships have delivered relief supplies to the affected and the company has promised to donate all proceeds from the visit to help the earthquake many passengers on board the cruise ships were "sickened" by the company's decision to dock in Haiti. Associate vice president John Weis defended the company's decision by stating that the company had "tremendous opportunities to use our ships as transport vessels for relief supplies and personnel to Haiti ... Simply put, we cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most." The Labadee resort located over 60 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake is on lease to the company from the Government of Haiti.
George Allen Smith case
On 5 July 2005, passengers on board the reported what appeared to be blood on a part of the ship below the passenger balconies. After a search, George Allen Smith was discovered to be missing and thought to have fallen overboard. A criminal investigation into possible foul play was conducted, and a brief press release on the company's investor relations website announced the settlement of the case, later revealed to be more than $1 million.Environmental record
In 1998 and 1999, the company was fined $9 million US dollars because one of its ships, the , had repeatedly dumped oily waste into the ocean and tried to hide this using false records, including fake piping diagrams given to the US Coast Guard. Because the company was and is incorporated in LiberiaLiberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, Royal Caribbean argued that this case was not in the jurisdiction of US courts. Despite their argument, they were unsuccessful.