Royal Caribbean Announces 2012/13 Caribbean Deployment

CruiseNews · May 2, 2011

Royal Caribbean International announced the cruise line’s 2012-13 Caribbean cruises, offering vacationers more choices for an exciting vacation aboard some of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships.

Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, the largest and most revolutionary cruise ships at sea, as well as Freedom of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas will continue sailing a range of Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries year-round from five convenient drive-market ports.

Six additional ships, Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas, will offer even greater flexibility with four- to 12-night Caribbean itineraries, departing from four more convenient domestic U.S. ports in winter 2012-13. Royal Caribbean’s 2012-13 Caribbean cruises aboard Adventure of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, and Explorer of the Seas are open for booking immediately, while 2012-13 sailings aboard Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas will open throughout next week.

“Royal Caribbean’s 2012-13 Caribbean cruises aboard some of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships are perfect settings for families and couples of all ages to create memories that will last a lifetime,” said Betsy O’Rourke, senior vice president of Marketing, Royal Caribbean International.

“Our unmatched ships, amazing onboard staff and crew, and exciting itineraries are all part of the Royal Advantage that we deliver to guests on every cruise. There’s something for everyone onboard, from relaxing in the solarium to participating in the DreamWorks character parade to attending a Broadway musical, to enjoying a multitude of dining options, all of which create opportunities to bond and grow.”

In 2012, Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas continue to alternate seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Every weekend, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas sail from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., while Freedom of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral along the Space Coast.

The recently launched Oasis-class ships introduced many ‘firsts’ to the industry and offer guests the widest array of innovative onboard amenities, accommodations, dining and entertainment options. Aboard all three ships – and Liberty of the Seas – guests enjoy the exclusive DreamWorks Experience, which feature programs and interactive sessions with DreamWorks Animation’s characters from “Shrek,” “Madagascar,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon.”

Throughout winter 2012-13, Brilliance of the Seas will take over for Serenade of the Seas and join Adventure of the Seas to offer vacationers two ships to embark on a round-trip, seven-night Southern Caribbean cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Explorer of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas continue their year-round departures from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ, and Baltimore, respectively, to the Caribbean. Explorer of the Seas offers New York-metropolitan vacationers seven-night Bahamas and nine- to 11-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries. In mid-April 2013, vacationers also can choose a five- or six-night Bermuda or a nine-night Bermuda and Caribbean itinerary. Enchantment of the Seas, on the other hand, will sail seven-night Bahamas, nine-night Eastern Caribbean and 12-night Southern Caribbean itineraries throughout the season.

Gulf Coast vacationers will again have three convenient regional ports to embark on a Caribbean cruise in winter 2012-13. Sailing seven-night Western Caribbean itineraries, Navigator of the Seas will replace Voyager of the Seas as a new seasonal product from New Orleans, while Mariner of the Seas will sail round-trip from Galveston again. Jewel of the Seas will continue four- and five-night from Tampa, where the new five-night itinerary will alternate calls at Cozumel and Grand Cayman or Cozumel and Key West.

Liberty of the Seas also will offer four- and five-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades. Additionally, Monarch of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas continue to sail three- and four-night Bahamas getaways from Port Canaveral and Miami, respectively. These quick getaway cruises call at Nassau and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.

Onboard, guests can enjoy a day by the pool, rejuvenate with a session in the ship’s day-spa, or on select ships, take on the challenge to climb the rock-wall, hang-ten on the FlowRider surf simulator, or fly nine decks high on the zip line. At night, the Casino Royale offer world-class gaming, while lounges offer a variety of atmospheres for dancing into the night to relaxing and recounting the day’s activities. The cruise line’s complimentary, award-winning Adventure Ocean kids and teen programming help younger guests meet like-minded peers to build lasting friendships in counselor-led activity sessions from morning to late night. Throughout, every guest enjoys Royal Caribbean’s friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service.

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DebbieandJerry · May 2, 2011

The Cruise Travel magazine totally focuses on the Allure. I just don't know how I feel about these mega ships. But it seems like they are becoming the norm.