Royal Caribbean gets busy in Australia, NZ
Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas will join the region’s Australian fleet in November 2015, replacing Rhapsody of the Seas.
The 3,800-passenger Explorer of the Seas’ maiden Australia season will take in ports across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, along with repositioning cruises both to and from Singapore.
Explorer of the Seas was launched in 2000 and is currently based in Cape Liberty, New York, sailing to the Caribbean, Bermuda and Canada.
Last week it was announced that she would spend (northern) summer 2015 in Southampton on her first European deployment.
In October she will then commence a month-long journey to Singapore; followed by a tour of western and southern Australia – taking in maiden ports of call in Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne and finally New Zealand – en route to Sydney.
Explorer of the Seas arrives in Sydney for the first time on November 28, 2015 for an historic Sydney harbour rendezvous with Voyager of the Seas.
The smaller 2,400-guest Rhapsody of the Seas will leave the local fleet in April 2015 after eight successive seasons.
She will be based in the Mediterranean from May to October 2015 with further itineraries to be announced.
Radiance of the Seas completes the trio of ships in the region for the 2015-16 season and will sail her itineraries to the South Pacific islands and around Australia.
All three ships will benefit from the "Royal Advantage" fleet revitalisation programme, which involves bow-to-stern renovations and the addition of new amenities – including specialty restaurants, a nursery, a poolside movie screen, new shops and lounges.
The 2015-16 Australia & New Zealand cruise season will go on sale in late April 2014.
Ian Jarrett
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