Royal Caribbean to lengthen one of their ships!

[Jason]

Royal Caribbean to lengthen ship

Miami-based Royal Caribbean International said it plans to lengthen and refurbish its Vision-class ship Enchantment of the Seas, which is based in Fort Lauderdale.

The company said it will insert a 73-foot midsection built by Kvaerner Masa-Yards into the ship at the Keppel Verolme Shipyard in Rotterdam. The addition will put the vessel's overall length at 990 feet, the company said, and increase its tonnage to 80,700 tons from 74,140.

The new midsection will add 151 staterooms, as well as indoor and outdoor public areas, Royal Caribbean added.

Additional space and renovations will accommodate new public areas onboard Enchantment of the Seas, the company said, including a new specialty restaurant, a Latin lounge and a coffee shop/ice cream shop.

"In addition, existing spaces will be extensively reconditioned," the company said. "The ship's pool deck, main dining room, shopping area, casino, jogging track, fitness facility, day spa and art gallery are among several areas to be expanded and revitalized."

The changes to Enchantment of the Seas follows Royal Caribbean additions to other ships in its fleet.

"Nordic Empress was revitalized this spring and made her debut as Empress of the Seas at the cruise line's new Cape Liberty Cruise Point in Bayonne, N.J., in May," Royal Caribbean said.

The company said it renovated every area of the 1,602-passenger ship, with a focus on additional dining, entertainment and fitness areas.

Among other things, Royal Caribbean said it added a restaurant, upgraded a café, refurbished the main dining room, expanded the fitness center, added a card room, updated the main theater showroom and improved staterooms for the Nordic Empress renovation.

"Monarch of the Seas underwent a similar refurbishment in early 2003," the company said, adding it also plans to revitalize its Sovereign of the Seas this fall.

Royal Caribbean Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Fain said refurbishing Enchantment of the Seas makes sense, economically and strategically.

"We add substantial revenue without adding commensurate costs, while significantly improving the overall guest experience," he said. "We have taken what we have learned during the new-build process and applied best practices to upgrade our existing ships."

Royal Caribbean said it was the first cruise line to lengthen a cruise ship in 1978, when it inserted an 85-foot section into the Song of Norway.

The company also extended the Nordic Prince in 1980.

Enchantment of the Seas will be out of service from early May until early July 2005, the company said.

Launched in 1997, the ship currently sails a rotating schedule of four- and five-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, to ports in the Western Caribbean.

Following the lengthening, Royal Caribbean said Enchantment of the Seas will sail a special series of cruises from three ports in the Northeast throughout the summer and fall. It will offer itineraries of varying lengths to New England and Canada from Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, the company added.

In other ship moves, the company said the recently refurbished Empress of the Seas will call Fort Lauderdale her home port from May 5 to Oct. 6. Empress of the Seas will offer four- and five-night cruises to ports of call including Key West; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; and George Town, Grand Cayman, the company said.

Including its Celebrity Cruises brand and Royal Caribbean International brand, Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) said it has a combined 29 ships in service and one under construction.

Shares in the parent company closed up $1.57 to $42.76. The 52-week high was $46.92 on March 5. The 52-week low was $27.08 on Nov. 20.