Cruise News: RCCL 2013 Europe

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Royal Caribbean International today announced that Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas will be among the cruise line’s ships in 2013 to deliver the culture, history, delectable cuisine and hard-to-resist retail opportunities that Europe has to offer.

This latest deployment opening offers 121 sailings on 25 itineraries that call at 30 beautiful ports. When added to already announced Independence of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas’ deployment from Southampton, U.K., Royal Caribbean’s 2013 Europe vacation offerings already feature five of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships, sailing to the must-see destinations that make a most exciting and enriching Europe vacation. Royal Caribbean’s 2013 Europe cruises and Cruisetours for these five ships are open for booking and additional deployments in the region will be announced in April.

“Royal Caribbean is the perfect choice for couples and families to experience and share all the wonders, flavors and colors of Europe,” said Betsy O’Rourke, senior vice president of Marketing for Royal Caribbean International.

“Coupled with our renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service from every staff and crew, these ships already offer vacationers so many amenities that other operators do not, such as the DreamWorks Experience aboard Liberty of the Seas, or a real ice-skating rink featuring breathtaking shows aboard Navigator of the Seas, and even self-leveling pool tables aboard Serenade of the Seas. In fact, Royal Caribbean will be the only cruise line to feature Madagascar 3 in 3-D at sea in Europe this summer aboard Liberty of the Seas, making it a perfect option for families.”

As the only ship in Europe to offer the DreamWorks Experience, as well as featuring the first-run Madagascar 3 in 3-D, Liberty of the Seas will delight guests with onboard entertainment featuring the lovable and irreverent characters from DreamWorks Animation’s popular films.

Guests can catch DreamWorks Animation’s films in 3-D in the ship’s onboard 3-D theater. Shrek and Fiona, Alex the lion, Po the Dragon Warrior, and many more characters also join in daily to greet guests; offer photo opportunities; and lead themed-activities with kids and young-at-heart guests.

Vacationers also can choose a Royal Caribbean Europe Cruisetour to experience the not-to-be-missed destinations that lie inland in Spain and Italy. Royal Caribbean Cruisetours combine a sailing aboard one of the cruise line’s innovative ships with a land tour itinerary, escorted by a regional Adventure Specialist that brings guests to the best attractions to see, at the right time to see them, and get the most of their Europe vacation.

Guests stay in premium hotels; and enjoy a stress-free experience where Royal Caribbean makes all the arrangements including transportation, activities and select meals. Vacationers can choose a five-night Venice, Florence & Rome Cruisetour, which features tours of the must-see attractions in the three cities followed by a sailing aboard Navigator of the Seas, or a four-night Madrid & Barcelona Cruisetour, which is coupled with a sailing aboard Serenade of the Seas.

Sailing roundtrip from its homeport of Barcelona from April through October 2013, Liberty of the Seas will begin with a series of five-night, Western Mediterranean cruises with calls in France and Italy. Liberty of the Seas will then sail every Sunday on seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries, which call at exciting ports on the French and Italian rivieras, including Provence (Toulon) and Nice (Villefranche), France; and Italy’s Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples. Furthermore, vacationers can choose to embark on a seven-night cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas at Provence (Toulon) or Naples. Called interporting, the option offers guests the flexibility to board a cruise at secondary embarkation ports. In turn, guests are required to sail the itinerary roundtrip back to their respective port of embarkation and enjoy the full cruise experience.

Among the Voyager class of ships which first introduced onboard amenities that catered to an active cruise vacation, Navigator of the Seas will sail seven-night roundtrip itineraries from Rome (Civitavecchia) and in the Eastern Mediterranean. Ports of call include Sicily (Messina), Italy; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; and Athens (Pireus) and Chania (Souda), Crete, in Greece. Vacationers also can choose to embark their seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise roundtrip from Sicily.

Serenade of the Seas offers vacationers a choice of 12-night Mediterranean Greek Isles and Mediterranean Venice itineraries, both sailing round trip from Barcelona. Vacationers can choose among several variations, but nearly all Mediterranean Greek Isles itineraries feature calls in Cannes, France; Italian cities of Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), and Naples (Salerno); and Greek ports of Athens (Piraeus) and Santorini; and Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey. The Mediterranean Venice itinerary also offers several variations, but all feature an overnight call in Venice, as well as calls in Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples, and Ravenna, Italy, and a call at either Cannes, France, or Monte Carlo, Monaco.

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