Rhapsody of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas also to sail Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea in Summer 2015

More Options for a Royal Caribbean Europe Vacation

Royal Caribbean announced that Rhapsody of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas will join Anthem of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Vision of the Seas to total eight Royal Caribbean International ships to sail Europe in summer 2015. Rhapsody of the Seas andSplendour of the Seas will take guests on a range of Greece, Turkey and – for the first time for the cruise line – Black Sea itineraries that unveils the unique colors and cultures of the region. Rhapsody of the Seas and Splendour of the Seas’ summer 2015 Europe seasons also are now open for bookings.

In June 2015, Rhapsody of the Seas will mark Royal Caribbean’s first time in the Black Sea, offering vacationers three round-trip sailings, 10- and 11-night in duration, from Istanbul, Turkey. Guests will join the ship in making maiden port calls at Burgas, Bulgaria; Odessa, Yalta and Sevastapol, Ukraine; and Sochi, Russia, with overnight stays in Odessa, Sochi and Istanbul. Rhapsody of the Seas’ arrival at Istanbul will be preceded by a series of sailings that will reposition the ship from Sydney, Australia, to the Black Sea on Apr. 17, 2015. The ship will sail Australia’s north coast to Singapore; follow the Indian sub-continental coast to Dubai; and transit the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean to arrive for the summer season on June 1.

From July to mid-November, Rhapsody of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, and sail seven- to 11-night Greece and Turkey itineraries. The seven- and nine-night itineraries focus on smaller ports such as Katakolon, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini in Greece; and Bodrum, Turkey.  Rhapsody of the Seas will then reposition to Sao Paolo, Brazil, for the winter season on a Royal Caribbean trans-Atlantic Ocean Voyage, departing from Barcelona, Spain, on Nov. 19.

            Rounding out Royal Caribbean’s summer 2015 Europe season, Splendour of the Seas will return to homeport at Venice, Italy, for the 10th consecutive summer season, and sail seven-night Adriatic and Greek Isles round-trip itineraries for an extended season through November. A special 12-night itinerary from Barcelona to Venice will kick off the season and sail on May 4 to the French and Italian rivieras as well as Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia.