To Whom It May Concern:
We came across this information in the trades, in the form of a press
release, and thought it would be of interest to this newsgroup as well.
Happy sailing,
John Sisker
SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at
(800) 724-6644 & (pagoo ID: 714.536.3850)
http://www.shiptoshorecruise.com
Royal Caribbean International has no plans to retire older ships as new mega
liners such as Freedom of the Seas enter service.
The sister line to Celebrity Cruises will have a 23-strong fleet by 2009
with the addition of two sister ships to Freedom next year and in 2008
followed by one of the company's projected even larger 'Project Genesis'
vessels.
Royal Caribbean's president Adam Goldstein, attending a series of trade
previews of 3,600-passenger Freedom in Southampton (see separate story),
said: "Our intention is to keep all ships in the fleet for the foreseeable
future."
He added that this strategy was consistent with the company's aim to have a
"formidable" presence in North America while continuing to increase capacity
in Europe and exploring other parts of the world.
Royal Caribbean will offer 60,000 berths across the fleet with the arrival
of Genesis in three years time and older vessels are refurbished, Goldstein
added.
The line's European head Susan Hooper disclosed that Legend of the Seas, due
to operate its second summer of sailings from Southampton this year, would
be re-deployed to offer other Mediterranean itineraries in 2007 when
Voyager-class ship Navigator of the Seas starts its first ex-UK cruises.
"Royal Caribbean is dead serious about getting its share of the European
cruise market," she said.
This summer, Royal Caribbean is running Voyager of the Seas from Barcelona
for the first time, Spendour of the Seas from Venice and Legend from
Southampton.
UK managing director Robin Shaw said more people were now taking cruises
than going on ski holidays.
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712558. ROYAL CARIBBEAN TO 'MAINTAIN FLEET SIZE'
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