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UK sailings confirmed for world’s largest cruise ship
Royal Caribbean International expects to carry 9O,OOO passengers on sailings from Southampton by Independence of the Seas next summer.
The line confirmed TravelMole’s exclusive disclosure a week ago that the newest version of the world’s largest cruise ship is to offer ex-UK voyages in 2OO8.
The 3,6OO-passenger megaship will run a series of four, 1O and 14-night cruises between May and October next year with the first departure on May 17.
Prices start at £349 per person for a four-night Cork and Guernsey short cruise running in May and August, with bookings open from March 14.
Ten-night Canary Island itineraries costing from £1,O99 will run in May and October.
Two alternating 14-night Mediterranean itineraries will also be offered with prices starting at £1,299 for the Mediterranean Treasures itinerary running in May, June, July and September. The other is a two-week Italian Mediterranean voyage available on one date a month in June, July, August and September 2008.
Royal Caribbean International president Adam Goldstein declined to be drawn on the rest of the company’s ship deployment plans for Europe next year, saying only that details would emerge within weeks.
The line will have a record six ships in Europe this summer, including Navigator of the Seas from Southampton. Twenty one per cent of the total capacity of the company’s three brands – Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Spanish-based Pullmantur – will operate in Europe, a level expected to rise for 2OO8.
Chairman and chief executive Richard Fain said passengers were prepared to pay more to sail on the company’s biggest vessels due to the array of different features on board.
He claimed that Independence sister ship Freedom of the Seas was achieving industry-leading customer satisfaction levels during its first year operating Caribbean itineraries from Miami.
by Phil Davies
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