Good Things Come in Threes
March 11, 2005
Royal Caribbean is pushing the envelope; breaking the mold; tipping the scales. No matter how you say it, it's pretty easy to be optimistic about the company's future. With three new---and massive---ships slated to be released in 2006, 2007, and 2008, Royal Caribbean is cruising toward the horizon and beyond.
After coming out of an amazing 2004 that resulted in a 20.4% increase in revenue from the previous year---even with higher fuel costs and a flurry of itinerary-interrupting hurricanes---Royal Caribbean isn't stopping to catch its breath. 2005 is promising to be even better; the company predicts that net yields will rise between 5 percent and 7 percent.
But it is the years 2006, 2007, and 2008 that could really send the company's success into the stratosphere, as well as give them well-deserved bragging rights. Each year will see the introduction of one of the three biggest cruise ships ever to be constructed, members of Royal Caribbean's soon-to-be Freedom Class.
These ships will be approximately 15% larger than the current largest ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet, the Voyager class. "[We] are excited about the enormous possibilities inherent in these new ships," stated Richard Fain, the Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean. Just as the Voyager class had rock climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, and other extraordinary onboard attractions, the Freedom class of ships will no doubt have head-turning features as well.
Of course, what exactly those features are is still a well-kept secret. But that hasn't stopped people from reserving cabins as early February, 2005.
The first ship to be introduced in 2006 will be Freedom of the Seas, a 158,000-ton behemoth that will surpass in size the current "heavy-weight champion," Cunard's Queen Mary 2, by about 7,000 tons.
The prestigious Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland is in the midst of constructing Freedom of the Seas, and recently signed a letter of intent with Royal Caribbean for the other two. "We are extremely proud of building these three giants for the cruise market," says Yrj-Julin, President of Aker Finnyards. Aker Finnyards has established itself as a leader in the ship building industry; in the last ten years, over a quarter of all the world's cruise ships were constructed there.
When Freedom of the Seas makes her debut in April of 2006, it will be the beginning of amazing 7-night, year-round Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages out of Miami, Florida. It will also mark the beginning of a trio of ships that will not only excite passengers, but also likely be a high point of innovation and ship design for years to come.
By Michael Gloss, JrBook your cruise online
