Growing by Leaps and Bounds: Royal Caribbean Signs Letter of Intent for Third Ship in Freedom Series
March 07, 2005
Royal Caribbean just can't quit. Building on its five-ship, hugely popular Voyager-class, the shocker-ships that brought you onboard rock-climbing, ice-skating, shopping malls and the new Freedom of the Seas, soon to be largest ship on Earth, Royal Caribbean has now signed a letter of intent to add a third ship to its Freedom series.
Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO, Richard Fain, remarks of the decision, "We have said all along that the continued success of our brands will depend on the steady, sustained growth of our fleet. We are pleased to reaffirm that pledge today and are excited about the enormous possibilities inherent in these new ships"(TravelDailyNews.com). Not only will three new ships be introduced in the next three years but not one of the 19 ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet is said to go more than three years without some sort of refurbishment.
Similar to the Freedom series' first and second ships which are still currently under construction, the third is planned at 158,000 GRT and equipped with 1,800 cabins that accommodate 3,600 passengers double occupancy. These new vessels will be 15 percent larger than those currently sailing in the extremely popular Voyager-class and will have new soon to be revealed features that are sure to cause a stir!
The new ship is planned to enter service early in 2008, approximately two years after the first of the series, Freedom of the Seas, debuts in April 2006. The Freedom of the Seas, which will top Cunard's Queen Mary 2 as the largest ship on Earth, has just recently opened booking to past Royal Caribbean passengers for its debut sail. Booking will open to everyone after March 14, 2005.
In continuance with its promise for sustained growth, Royal Caribbean plans on refurbishing the Enchantment of the Seas this spring and re-releasing it in July of 2005. Improvements include the addition of a 73-foot midsection featuring suspension bridges, an overhanging island bar offering spectacular panoramic views and---yes---bungee trampolines for the thrill-seekers and for those who just like to watch. The days of cruise ship boredom are long gone!
Royal Caribbean's newest ship to sail is the Jewel of the Seas, which debuted last spring. The letter of intent for its newest addition was signed with Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland and is subject to certain conditions including board approval.
Call one of our Certified Cruise Specialists at 1-888-267-1232 to reserve cabins on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas or email cs@cruisenetwork.com with 'Freedom Reservation' in the subject line.
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