Jul 11

ROYAL CARIBBEAN TO DELIVER BEST ONBOARD OPTIONS TO GUESTS FLEETWIDE THROUGH EXTENSIVE REVITALIZATION PROGRAM

Award-winning Vessels Across Cruise Line’s Fleet Being Enhanced Through 2014

MIAMI, July 11, 2011 – Royal Caribbean International today announced that it will invest approximately $300 million to bring the latest innovations to the cruise line’s ships across the fleet and introduce the highest guest-rated programs from its award-winning Oasis-class ships. The revitalizations will offer guests a greater variety of new onboard dining and entertainment options, pervasive Wi-Fi, iPod docking stations, and many more amenities, to deliver even more of the “WOW” aboard all Royal Caribbean ships sailing worldwide. Planned through 2014, the revitalizations are yet another example of why Royal Caribbean has been voted Best Cruise Line Overall for eight consecutive years in Travel Weekly’s Readers’ Choice Awards. These fleetwide enhancements build on Royal Caribbean’s best-in-class global vacation offering and deliver to guests the Royal Advantage – the industry’s most innovative cruise ships, combined with exciting itineraries and destinations, and world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service.”The Royal Advantage revitalizations takes many of the best features that we have created in recent years and introduces them across our fleet, offering our guests enhanced vacation choices around the world,” said Adam Goldstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International. “We never stop trying to make the experience even better, and no other cruise line can offer the same high quality vacation experience with such an array of choices that cater to every guest.”

The Royal Advantage revitalizations began with Radiance of the Seas in May 2011, and will be followed by Splendour of the Seas in November. In 2012, revitalizations are scheduled for Vision-class ships including Rhapsody of the Seas (March 2012) and Grandeur of the Seas (May 2012), as well as Radiance-class Serenade of the Seas (November 2012). Each ship will enter dry dock for approximately a month and re-emerge as even better versions of the ships that guests love, complete with new dining venues, entertainment options, technology enhancements and more.

“We are thrilled that the ongoing Royal Advantage revitalizations will result in a virtually brand-new fleet that offers the most contemporary experience, no matter which ship or itinerary vacationers choose,” said Lisa Bauer, senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Royal Caribbean International. “From new dining concepts to cutting-edge entertainment to technological advancements, we are raising the bar across the fleet to offer guests our signature Gold Anchor Service and the world’s most innovative cruise ships that sail to exciting destinations worldwide.”

With the cruise line’s recently announced 2012-13 deployments, vacationers have the opportunity to enjoy new and unparalleled onboard experiences and itineraries. Revitalized Grandeur of the Seas will offer vacationers seven-night Western Mediterranean or 10- and 11-night Greece and Turkey itineraries from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Venice, respectively, in summer 2012. Moreover, the newly revitalized Rhapsody of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will offer vacationers additional dining and entertainment options for a cruise or cruisetour in awe-inspiring Alaska in summer 2012 or rugged Australia and New Zealand in winter 2012-13.

Among the revitalizations and enhancements to the Vision-, Voyager- and Radiance-class ships throughout the next three years, will be:

  • New Technology: Guests will enjoy pervasive Wi-Fi, interactive flat-panel televisions in staterooms, and electronic mustering.
  • Digital Wayfinding Systems: Onboard activities, real time updates, customized directions and routing, as well as ship factoids will all be at guests’ fingertips with new plasma and LCD touch screen signs prominently placed throughout each of the ships.
  • Outdoor LED Video Walls: Oversized video screens will be installed on the pool decks to liven up outdoor entertainment and programming, day and night.
  • Royal Babies and Tots Nursery: Safe, fun and interactive vacation environments will be available in nurseries designed for babies and tots ages six through 36 months.
  • New Staterooms: New levels of accommodations, including staterooms ideal for families, will be added to suit a variety of guest needs and requirements.

Additional Dining Options:

  • Chef’s Table: An exclusive experience co-hosted by the Executive Chef and Sommelier for an intimate wine pairing dinner of five courses.
  • Izumi: A pan-Asian cuisine restaurant featuring mouthwatering flavors and a sushi bar with hot-rock cooking.
  • Chops Grille: Royal Caribbean’s signature steakhouse featuring a menu of prime cuts prepared a la minute.
  • Park Café: A casual dining venue featuring gourmet salads, sandwiches, soups and pastries.
  • Rita’s Cantina: A casual yet vibrant restaurant offering traditional Mexican fare, comprehensive selection of margaritas and live evening entertainment.
  • Boardwalk Doghouse: A casual eatery for guest to enjoy a range of brats, links, wieners and dogs.


In 2013 and 2014, additional Royal Advantage revitalizations will take place on Vision-class ships, including Legend of the Seas and Vision of the Seas, four Voyager-class ships – Navigator of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas – and the Radiance-class Brilliance of the Seas. Royal Caribbean also will deliver the Royal Advantage through less extensive enhancements planned for Freedom-class Independence of the Seas, Voyager-class Mariner of the Seas, and Vision-class Enchantment of the Seas.

 Radiance of the Seas‘ recent revitalization doubled the ship’s onboard dining options among other enhancements, and is now alternating seven-night South- and North-bound Alaska itineraries this summer before repositioning for its first winter season in Australia and New Zealand. The final and most extensive revitalization this year will be Splendour of the Seas in November, which afterwards will offer two-, three- and four-night Brazil cruises, as well as seven- and eight-night Argentina & Uruguay Cruises from Sao Paulo, Brazil. In early 2011, Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Liberty of the Seas had received popular enhancements and programs that were introduced aboard the newly launched Allure of the Seas, such as the DreamWorks Experience. Having previously undergone extensive revitalizations in recent years, both Sovereign-class Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas are currently delivering the Royal Advantage to guests on short Bahamas cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral, Fla., respectively.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 22 ships currently in service. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel agent, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Travel professionals should go to www.cruisingpower.com or call (800) 327-2056.

via Royal Caribbean – MMNR.

Jul 08

Royal Caribbean to offer elaborate behind-the-scenes tours – USATODAY.com

Add Royal Caribbean to the list of cruise lines offering passengers comprehensive behind-the-scenes tours.

Royal Caribbean on Wednesday announced the launch of what it’s calling the All Access Tour, a three-and-a-half hour, $150 per person guided experience through “back-of-house” shipboard areas that includes stops at the bridge, galley, backstage of the main theater and engine control room.

At least one All Access Tour will be offered on every Royal Caribbean sailing shorter than seven nights. Two tours will be offered aboard seven-night or longer voyages with additional tours added, based on demand. The experience can be purchased onboard ships and will be available starting in July

Royal Caribbean to offer elaborate behind-the-scenes tours – USATODAY.com.

Jul 08

Princess Cruises Passengers Can Connect with Fellow Travelers with New Princess Roll Call

Facebook Section Enables Fans to Meet Fellow Passengers on Their Voyage

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (July 7, 2011) — Princess Cruises has debuted a new Princess Roll CallTM section on its Facebook page enabling passengers on each sailing to connect with each other before and after their cruise. This special feature is designed to give Facebook users a way to ?meet’ fellow passengers, ask each other for advice, organize get-togethers and share the excitement leading up to a cruise and the memories afterward.

“Cruising has always been a very social experience, and passengers often like to embrace the community nature of a cruise even before they set sail,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. “This Roll Call section has been widely requested, and makes great use of the functionality of Facebook to give passengers a place to ?meet’ each other on a platform they already use. They can check in with their fellow cruisers to ask questions and make plans in the same place they use to keep up with family and friends.”

The Princess Cruises Roll Call is organized by ship and date, making it easy to find a specific sailing. Upcoming Princess sailings through December 2011 are currently available in the system, and sailings through spring 2013 will be added shortly. Once passengers indicate that they are joining that voyage, they can leave comments or ask questions of fellow cruisers.

Each sailing’s page will continue to be available after the voyage, so passengers can keep in touch and share stories and photos once they return home.

Passengers will be able to easily find their voyage’s Roll Call page with direct links provided in their booking confirmation, in pre-cruise emails and in their Cruise Personalizer.

The Princess Roll Call can be reached directly here or by logging onto Princess’ Facebook page at facebook.com/PrincessCruises and clicking on the “Roll Call” tab on the left.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS, or by visiting the company’s website at www.princess.com.

News Article : Princess Cruises®.

Jul 02

Tight Squeeze for 26-Mile Maneuver of Celebrity Cruises’ Newest Ship

MIAMI, June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — One expert driver is breathing a big sigh of relief after completing the initial stages of a 26-mile navigation – in reverse – on a luxurious, multimillion-dollar cruise ship, Celebrity Cruises’ sleek new Celebrity Silhouette.  With less than five feet of room to maneuver at certain points, the challenging exercise began today under the direction of Captain Dimitrios Kafetzis, in order to move Celebrity Silhouette from shipbuilder Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, to the open sea in Emshaven, Netherlands.

Celebrity Silhouette will take more than 12 hours to complete the journey, the most complicated it is likely to ever encounter. The scale of the ship and the location of the shipyard require the Captain to steer the ship backwards from the yard, assisted by tugboats fore and aft, through the River Ems.

Preparations for the journey – termed a ‘Conveyance’– include removing power lines and railway tracks that normally pass over the river to allow the ship to traverse through. The journey also must be precisely timed to take place at high tide to ensure ample depth beneath the hull, and when weather conditions are calm enough to avert the possibility of wind causing the ship to touch the ground. The route along the River Ems includes various locks and other tight squeezes, traveling on an aqueduct over an autobahn (motorway).

Cruising at less than four miles per hour on the journey, Celebrity Silhouette joins three sister ships, also built in Papenburg, which made the same complex trip. After finishing work is completed in Emshaven, the Netherlands, Celebrity Silhouette will sail to Hamburg, where it will be named in formal ceremonies on July 21, 2011.  

Celebrity Silhouette is the fourth of five stylish Solstice Class ships from Celebrity Cruises, and boasts a number of exclusive new features, including the Lawn Club Grill, the industry’s first outdoor, interactive grill; The Hideaway, a high-tech location reminiscent of a childhood treehouse for guests to relax inside; The Alcoves, luxurious, private cabanas overlooking the ship’s lush lawn on the top deck amidst immense views of the sea; and the Art Studio, a space where experienced and aspiring artists can participate in hands-on instruction from experts in drawing, beading, sculpting and painting. The ship also will feature top-tier designer boutiques, exclusive restaurants and the hip Celebrity iLounge, offering guests classes on the use of iPads and iPhones, among other products, which also are available for sale through Celebrity’s industry-first Authorized Apple Reseller status.

Beginning July 23, Celebrity Silhouette will sail from Hamburg to Rome (Civitavecchia), where she will offer 12-night roundtrip cruises to the Holy Land through the summer, prior to presenting 12-night Caribbean cruises roundtrip from Cape Liberty, NJ, beginning in November.

Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of the world’s top-rated premium cruise line, with spacious, stylish interiors; dining experiences elevated to an art form; personalized service, with a guest-to-staff ratio of nearly 2:1; unexpected, trendsetting onboard activities, all designed to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. Celebrity sails to Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, and year-round in the Galapagos Islands. Celebrity also offers immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. One of the fastest-growing major cruise lines, Celebrity’s fleet currently consists of nine ships, with two additional Solstice Class ships scheduled to join the fleet: Celebrity Silhouette in July 2011, and Celebrity Reflection in Fall 2012. For more information, call your travel agent, dial 1-800-437-3111 or visit www.celebritycruises.com.

via Tight Squeeze for 26-Mile Maneuver of Celebrity Cruises’ Newest Ship — MIAMI, June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ —.

Jul 02

CDC Vessel Sanitation Program – Green Sheet Report

The CDC utilizes the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) to aid cruise ships in preventing the spread of Gastro Intestinal illnesses such as NoroVirus. This virus is spread through contact with contaminated surfaces, food or water, it is the leading cause of food borne illness in the United States.

2011 Outbreaks
Cruise Line Cruise Ship Sailing Dates Causative Agent
Princess Cruises Sea Princess 05/30 – 06/09 Norovirus
Princess Cruises Sea Princess 05/20 – 05/30 Norovirus
Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Millennium 05/20 – 05/27 Unknown
Princess Cruises Coral Princess 05/04 – 05/19 Norovirus
Princess Cruises Coral Princess 04/24 – 05/4 Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)
Oceania Cruises MV Marina 02/26 – 03/15 Unknown
Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Solstice 01/30 – 02/06 Norovirus
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Radiance of the Seas 01/03 – 01/08 Norovirus

The list above are notable outbreaks so far in 2011.

——————————-

The CDC publishes records on Cruise Ship inspections,  check your ship or cruise line before you sail on your next cruise.  Here is a sampling of some major cruises lines:

Cruise Line Total Ships Inspected Average Score Number of scores under 95 Perfect Score
Celebrity 8 98 0 1
Disney 3 95 1 1
Holland America 15 97 0 0
NCL 10 98 1 3
Princess 17 97 3 2
Royal Caribbean 21 97 1 3
Seaborne 5 95 2 0
Green Sheet Report
Adventure Of The Seas 12/26/2010 96 Disney Dream 2/27/2011 100 Ocean Princess 7/13/2010 100
AIDAaura 9/22/2009 100 Disney Magic 3/12/2011 90 Oceana 12/18/2009 96
AIDAluna 10/3/2010 95 Disney Wonder 5/21/2011 96 Oceania Marina 3/28/2011 92
Albatross 2/8/2010 69 Ecstasy 2/24/2011 99 Oosterdam 6/15/2011 98
Allure of the Seas 12/29/2010 99 Elation 2/3/2011 95 Oriana 10/13/2010 100
Amadea 4/20/2011 93 Emerald Princess 4/7/2011 98 Pacific Princess 1/19/2011 99
Amsterdam 1/5/2011 100 Enchantment Of The Seas 5/14/2011 96 Pacific Venus 7/1/2010 93
Arabella 1/29/2011 98 Eurodam 3/8/2011 96 Paradise 12/10/2010 98
Arcadia 11/14/2010 97 Europa 4/5/2011 98 Prinsendam 5/17/2011 97
Asuka II 6/4/2010 98 Explorer Of The Seas 11/19/2010 95 Queen Mary 2 6/10/2011 84
Aurora 3/24/2011 100 Fantasy 6/7/2011 95 Queen Victoria 2/6/2011 98
Azamara Journey 4/4/2011 100 Fascination 2/28/2011 99 Radiance Of The Seas 4/16/2011 98
Azura 12/19/2010 97 Freedom Of The Seas 1/16/2011 100 Regatta 1/12/2011 94
Bahamas Celebration 1/17/2011 98 Golden Princess 5/21/2011 97 Rhapsody Of The Seas 4/29/2011 96
Balmoral 2/4/2010 90 Grand Princess 4/11/2011 98 Rotterdam 1/3/2011 99
Caribbean Princess 12/5/2010 98 Grande Caribe 4/22/2011 96 Ruby Princess 3/10/2011 94
Carnival Conquest 6/15/2011 90 Grande Mariner 2/24/2011 86 Ryndam 3/6/2011 96
Carnival Destiny 5/26/2011 92 Grandeur Of The Seas 10/9/2010 97 Safari Quest 5/20/2011 100
Carnival Dream 12/18/2010 100 Hanseatic 5/15/2010 92 SagaRuby 4/1/2011 86
Carnival Freedom 11/9/2010 90 Imagination 11/5/2010 89 Sapphire Princess 2/4/2011 95
Carnival Glory 1/30/2011 87 Independence of the Seas 4/3/2010 95 Sea Bird 5/22/2011 100
Carnival Legend 5/8/2011 95 Inspiration 11/20/2010 100 Sea Lion 5/21/2011 99
Carnival Liberty 4/16/2011 92 Island Princess 3/30/2011 97 Sea Princess 5/24/2011 99
Carnival Miracle 6/7/2011 97 Jewel Of The Seas 10/11/2010 100 Seabourn Legend 2/25/2011 95
Carnival Pride 2/16/2011 96 Le Boreal 4/5/2011 94 Seabourn Odyssey 3/18/2011 94
Carnival Spirit 4/27/2011 96 Liberty of the Seas 2/13/2011 99 Seabourn Sojourn 1/4/2011 97
Carnival Splendor 4/3/2011 100 Maasdam 5/14/2011 97 Seabourn Spirit 3/19/2010 99
Carnival Triumph 2/5/2011 96 Majesty Of The Seas 11/12/2010 97 Seadream I 3/6/2011 87
Carnival Valor 5/8/2011 98 Mariner Of The Seas 9/26/2010 96 Seadream II 4/8/2011 99
Carnival Victory 3/6/2011 87 Monarch Of The Seas 1/17/2011 98 Sensation 2/17/2011 99
Celebrity Century 6/16/2011 99 MS Royal Princess 2/7/2011 90 Serenade Of The Seas 6/5/2011 95
Celebrity Constellation 4/9/2011 96 MSC Poesia 3/9/2011 93 Seven Seas Mariner 1/11/2011 99
Celebrity Eclipse 3/12/2011 97 MV Explorer 12/13/2010 100 Seven Seas Navigator 2/3/2011 94
Celebrity Equinox 4/11/2011 100 MV Fram 10/8/2009 92 Seven Seas Voyager 12/10/2010 91
Celebrity Infinity 5/20/2011 99 MV Princess Danae 4/3/2011 90 Silver Cloud 2/17/2011 99
Celebrity Millennium 3/7/2011 98 Navigator Of The Seas 4/14/2011 99 Silver Shadow 6/13/2011 98
Celebrity Solstice 4/6/2011 99 Nieuw Amsterdam 3/20/2011 98 Silver Spirit 11/26/2010 95
Celebrity Summit 6/5/2011 96 Nippon Maru 6/8/2011 97 Silver Whisper 2/23/2011 99
Chihuahua Star 6/6/2011 84 Noordam 2/16/2011 96 Stad Amsterdam 4/22/2011 93
Clipper Odyssey 7/2/2010 87 Norwegian Dawn 2/25/2011 100 Star Princess 3/24/2011 100
Club Med 2 1/27/2011 95 Norwegian Epic 5/7/2011 98 Statendam 1/7/2011 98
Coral Princess 1/24/2011 99 Norwegian Gem 11/22/2010 100 The World 4/8/2011 100
Costa Atlantica 3/25/2011 100 Norwegian Jewel 2/15/2011 100 Veendam 5/15/2011 96
Costa Fortuna 3/24/2010 93 Norwegian Majesty 8/16/2009 97 Ventura 1/4/2011 99
Crown Princess 4/16/2011 99 Norwegian Pearl 11/21/2010 99 Volendam 5/20/2011 99
Crystal Serenity 12/11/2010 97 Norwegian Sky 2/14/2011 99 Voyager Of The Seas 4/17/2011 96
Crystal Symphony 2/23/2011 99 Norwegian Spirit 5/15/2011 97 Vspbeta 4/26/2011 100
Dawn Princess 7/25/2010 99 Norwegian Star 2/5/2011 94 Westerdam 4/8/2011 97
Deutschland 1/6/2011 93 Norwegian Sun 3/5/2011 99 Zaandam 2/6/2011 97
Diamond Princess 5/25/2011 97 Oasis Of The Seas 5/28/2011 100 Zuiderdam 5/23/2011 99
Discovery Sun 2/15/2011 89

Further Reading: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/

Jun 22

Norwegian Unveils Balcony, Mini-Suite Stateroom Designs For New Builds (Project Breakaway)

Miami   –    Jun 21, 2011   —    Norwegian Cruise Line (“Norwegian”) today unveiled the first look at its new balcony and mini-suite stateroom designs for Project Breakaway, the project name for the company’s two new next generation Freestyle Cruising ships scheduled for delivery in April 2013 and April 2014. Each of the 144,017 gross ton vessels will have approximately 4,000 passenger berths. Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian’s chief executive officer, presented the designs to more than 1,000 travel partners attending Vacation.com’s annual conference in Las Vegas.

“The overall design theme for Project Breakaway’s staterooms is ?modern boutique hotel meets the sea.’ We strongly considered the overall needs of our guests when designing these staterooms and wanted them to be greeted with an ambiance that is warm and inviting and has a very contemporary feel with clean, modern lines,” said Sheehan. “We also wanted to maximize the use of space within the staterooms, so that our guests are as comfortable as possible and storage space is well planned throughout.

Ultimately, our goal is to achieve a really good balance of form and function – well designed, beautiful, comfortable and sensible living space.”

Project Breakaway ships represent an opportunity for the Norwegian guest to “break away” from the routine of work, school, and daily stress, and find a true respite at sea. These new ships will take the best of the best from all of Norwegian’s existing ships drawing on the line’s experience of having launched 10 ships in the past 10 years – starting with Norwegian Star and Sun in 2001 and culminating with the launch of Norwegian Epic in 2010.

Norwegian commissioned design group Priestmangoode of the United Kingdom, working in conjunction with Tillberg Design of Sweden, to design the staterooms for Project Breakaway. Priestmangoode won accolades and awards for designing the Studios, the first staterooms designed specifically for solo travelers, on Norwegian Epic. Project Breakaway staterooms combine the form and function of the line’s Jewel class ships’ staterooms with the modern and contemporary design touches of Norwegian Epic.

Project Breakaway ships will each have 1,024 balcony staterooms and 238 mini-suites set in rich paneling with warm tones and accent colors. Each balcony stateroom has a king-size bed (that can be separated) with a pillow top mattress set against a chestnut leather headboard cushioned and tufted to make reading and sitting up in bed more comfortable. There is a convenient lighted recess above the bed to hold books, magazines, tablet computers or electronic reading devices. Each room has a sofa bed with additional storage. A built-in 26-inch flat screen television is mounted on the wall and tilts so it can be seen from the sofa or the bed. Underneath the television is another recessed nook to hold cruise information, books and magazines. There is also a built-in vanity area with shelving and lots of storage space. LED lighting surrounds the perimeter of the ceiling to give the room warmth. There is also a full-size closet that is easily accessible with sliding doors. The staterooms are energy efficient, utlizing key card access to control lighting in the room.

The balcony bathroom features a contemporary, clean design, ensuring more generous and comfortable space. There are multiple rich-wood shelving areas to help reduce clutter and keep everything within easy reach for guests. There is an enclosed vanity underneath the sink that hides the trash bin, along with more storage. The built-in sink is generous in size and has an easy to use faucet. A private shower with a shaving bar for ladies completes the room.

The mini-suites are a roomier version of the balcony stateroom with a larger, more luxurious bathroom that incorporates a large, modern double sink with two faucets complete with a mosaic glass tile backsplash. There are open and enclosed storage spaces under the sink. The bathroom also features an oversized spa-like shower with a rain shower head and multiple body spray jets, along with a separate handheld shower head.

Norwegian will reveal additional stateroom category designs on its Facebook page (www.ncl.com/facebook) in July. More exciting announcements will happen throughout the summer, fall and beyond with the first ship scheduled to open for reservations this October. Information on Project Breakaway can be found at www.ncl.com/breakaway.

 

via Welcome to NCL.

Jun 22

Time-Lapse Video: Sailing to Alaska with Disney Cruise Line

Did you spot Minnie and Goofy in their special Alaska gear on the photo boat, or the helicopter used to capture these great photos in Tracy arm?

Time-Lapse Video: Sailing to Alaska with Disney Cruise Line « Disney Parks Blog.

Jun 13

See it in Action: Building Blocks Added to the Disney Fantasy « Disney Parks Blog

Jun 11

Entertainment District for Adults on the Disney Fantasy

I’ve told you about activities for families and children aboard the Disney Fantasy, but now I want to fill you in on a nighttime entertainment district exclusively for adults – Europa. After a fun-filled day, grown-up guests can enjoy five sophisticated bars and trendy lounges inspired by European travel. Imagine this…you’ll be sailing through the Caribbean but feel like you’re in Europe!

La Piazza is modeled after a colorful vintage carousel and draws inspiration from decorative outdoor plazas in cities throughout Italy. Pieces of Italian flair are sprinkled throughout, like Venetian masks and a classic Vespa with a sidecar.

La Piazza in Europa is inspired by Italian cities and their decorative outdoor plazas.

Haven’t been to Paris, London, Barcelona, Athens or St. Petersburg? At Skyline, you can get a glimpse of stunning European cities in panorama as they transform from day to night. This chic bar is a great place to sip a cocktail while enjoying spectacular, ever-changing views through “windows to the world.”

At Skyline in Europa, you’ll get ever-changing views of stunning European cities as they transform from day to night.

If you’re looking to kick back and have a beer, O’Gill’s Pub is a rollicking Irish bar with a modern-day twist. With a selection of Irish beers, guests can sip a pint while watching a live sporting event on high-definition TVs that line the walls. It’s the perfect pub atmosphere!

O’Gill’s Pub in Europa is an Irish bar with modern twists where guests can sip a pint and catch a game on TV.

Ooh La La exudes a romantic vibe – it’s reminiscent of a French boudoir adorned with velvet tufted walls, Victorian furniture and Louis XIV-style chaise lounges. You’ll also find accents that add to the elegance including ornate framed mirrors, gold details and a bar backed with sparkling diamond-like facets.

Ooh La La in Europa is inspired by a French boudoir and is adorned with elegant accents.

You may want to “mind the gap” on your way into The Tube. If you’ve been to London, you’ll immediately recognize the theme of this vibrant metropolitan club. The Tube transports guests to an energetic setting complete with an illuminated Union Jack dance floor and a bar inspired by Big Ben and London’s many train stations. Don’t forget to pose for a photo by the red English phone booth!

In Europa on the Disney Fantasy, The Tube transports guests to a vibrant club via the London Underground.

Just like traveling through Europe, there’s so much to see and do here – wow! And if you have kids, not to worry. Our dedicated areas for children, tweens and teens are open late so your young ones can have fun and wind down while you’re enjoying a night out.

via Adults Can Explore a World of Their Own at Europa on the Disney Fantasy « Disney Parks Blog.

Jun 11

RCI President and CEO Speaks on Newbuild Process

Project Sunshine: Adam Sheds a Little Light on the Next Fleet Member

A new ship project like Project Sunshine is a remarkable phenomenon.  The physical ship won’t be ours until well over three years from now.  Yet we already live with an unending series of deadlines that drive our team as the customer for the project.  The shipyard, Meyerwerft in the case of Sunshine, metes out these deadlines so that our actions support the successful completion of their incredibly complex undertaking to create a state of the art cruise ship on time and on budget.

Since I cannot divulge anything about the new ship concept, I will write a little bit about the process.  If you know anything about our company, you know that our Chairman & CEO Richard Fain is intensely interested and involved in all of our new ship projects.  The only reason I use the word intensely is because I cannot think of a more intense word to use to describe his level of attention, fascination with and contribution to our new ships.

Why Not

We have a specialized department at the company for these mega-projects called Newbuild.  I think the real name is Fleet Design & Newbuild but everyone just says Newbuild.  The short-hand is a misnomer because the department is involved in much more than new ships including our Royal Advantage revitalization program which has Radiance of the Seas in the dry-dock in Victoria, British Columbia getting a make-over as I write this.  But the new ship design and construction process is the key involvement that Executive VP Harri Kulovaara, chief designer Kelly Gonzalez and the rest of the Newbuild team focus on the most.  Harri’s number one responsibility is to make sure the ships come out as amazingly as Richard has in mind for them to do.

Radiance of the Seas Entering Dry-dock

Our design process is immersive for our Marketing and Operations teams.  We believe that the teams who have responsibility for understanding consumer desires and delivering the products and services should be directly involved in the Newbuild creative and design processes.  This may sound obvious but I believe different cruise companies have different opinions about who to involve and when to involve them.  In our case, there is an Executive Steering committee for Project Sunshine that is led by Richard, Harri and myself that oversees all aspects of the effort.  Most of my leadership team participates on the committee.  We meet every month, usually for a full day, to go over critical aspects of the project.

Another typical aspect of our company’s approach to new cruise ship design is to utilize a roster of design firms under our central direction.  There is no one master designer who takes the project and runs with it.  Harri and Kelly are constantly working with the designers on the various ship features and then the designers regularly must present to the Steering Committee and receive our feedback.  This interaction is always interesting.  To paraphrase former football coach Bum Phillips, there are two types of designer/architects you never want to have on your team – the ones who always push back and the ones who never push back.  In fact, we are extremely fortunate to have an incredibly talented roster of creative and committed professionals who are determined that their particular assignment will add something very special to Project Sunshine.  Many of these designers have been with us on previous projects and know the drill well.

The Executive Steering committee normally meets in Miami which requires a number of people to fly regularly from the shipyard in Papenburg, Germany to our headquarters.  However, in May the Miami-based committee members traveled to the shipyard and held our monthly meeting at Meyerwerft.  We might do this once or twice per year and in this case we had a very successful session that has the team even more enthused about Project Sunshine if that is possible.  It certainly underscores the reality of the project when you go to a working shipyard and go through everything in detail.  Shipyard CEO Bernard Meyer advised me that the larger of his two enclosed building halls is either the largest building in Europe or second to the building hall for the A380 airplanes. 

Before we left, Richard, Harri and I took a quick tour of the nearly completed Celebrity Silhouette, our sister brand’s 4th of five Solstice-class ships.  We have a long way to go on Project Sunshine before similar finishing touches are applied.  But rest assured that behind the scenes, a lot of dedicated and knowledgeable people are propelling us towards the finish line in 2014.  Eventually, we’ll tell you all about it.

via Project Sunshine: Adam Sheds a Little Light on the Next Fleet Member « Why Not?.