Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - What's the Big Idea?
February 6, 2006
And you thought Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas was going to be big! Sure, at 158,000 tons, 1,112 feet long, and with a beam of 184', she will surpass even the pleasantly plump 153,000-ton Queen Mary 2 to be the world's largest cruise ship. When Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas takes her maiden voyage on June 4th, 2006, she will no doubt be traveling to Caribbean ports of call with a full crowd---3600 passengers, which is more than any other ship can currently handle.
Yet, Royal Caribbean isn't resting on its laurels; the cruise line is ripping the envelope wide open with bigger and bolder ships for the 21st century.
Aker Yards, the Norwegian shipbuilder, has won a new cruise ship order worth about $1.1 billion from Royal Caribbean International. The vessel to be built is the most valuable ship ever ordered in the history of commercial shipbuilding, the company said.
At 220,000 gross registered tons, this new vessel will make even the awesome Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas seem somewhat small in comparison. She will be the largest member of the Royal Caribbean family, by far; over 1181 feet long and carry 5,400 passengers, making it more than 40 per cent bigger than Freedom of the Seas, which is currently being completed by Aker Yards.
"After developing so many generations of cruise ships together over the 35 years of our partnership with RCCL we are excited about jumping so far out in front of cruise-ship design with this highly innovative and exciting new ship," says Yrjö Julin, president responsible for Aker Yards Cruise & Ferries business area.
The contract includes an option for a second sister ship. It is subject to final confirmation of buyers financing. The vessel will be built in the company's yards in Finland for delivery in autumn 2009. In Finland, Aker Yards has three yards, which are located in Turku, Helsinki and Rauma. Around the world, Aker has 10 more in Norway, Germany, Romania and Brazil.
Aker is no newcomer when it comes to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Aker Yards has built eleven new vessels for Royal Caribbean, and there are three more in the present order book to be delivered in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The first out will be "Freedom of the Seas," which debuts in June.
If the future of cruise ship building holds its current course, the world will find larger and larger ships with more out-of-this-world onboard features. As long as there are more and more passengers desiring to cruise, there will be more cruise lines building bigger and bigger ships to the public.
But why wait another day? The ships that are sailing the seas right now are just the right size to deliver the adventure to you, and you to a great port of call. Call Cruise Network today for information on how to book Royal Caribbean cruises to Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, transatlantic sailings, and trips to many other great destinations around the world.
