Royal Caribbean International facts for kids
Public | |
Industry | Transportation |
Founded | 1968 |
Headquarters | Miami, Florida, USA |
Key people
|
Richard D. Fain (CEO) |
Products | Cruises |
Revenue | USD $5.229 billion (2006) |
Operating income
|
USD $858.4 million (2006) |
USD $633.9 million (2006) |
Royal Caribbean International (NYSE: RCL) is a Norwegian-American cruise ship company based in Miami, Florida.
Contents
Fleet
Current fleet
All ships under Royal Caribbean have names ending with the phrase "of the Seas", a theme that began in 1987 with Sovereign of the Seas, which was delivered that same year.
Empress class
The Empress class is a single-ship class consisting solely of Empress of the Seas. The ship was originally a newbuild ordered by Admiral Cruises and slated to enter service as Future Seas, but became part of the Royal Caribbean fleet when Admiral Cruises merged with Royal Caribbean in 1988, while the ship was still under construction. It was eventually completed in 1990 as Nordic Empress, and was renamed Empress of the Seas in 2004. It was transferred to Pullmantur Cruises in 2008 as Empress and served there until 2016, when it was transferred back to Royal Caribbean and refitted to continue service with its earlier owner as Empress of the Seas again.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Empress of the Seas | 1990 | 48,563 | 1,840 | Sailed for Pullmantur Cruises as Empress from 2008 to 2016. |
Sovereign class
At approximately 73,000 GT, these were described as the first "mega-ships" in the industry (with the exception of the SS Norway, an ocean liner converted into a cruise ship) built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. The first one, Sovereign of the Seas, was launched in 1988. The Sovereign-class ships were the first cruise ships to have an open atrium area. Like larger Royal Caribbean ships, the Sovereign-class ships have pools, open bars and lounges inside, and grand theaters.
Both Sovereign of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas were transferred to the fleet of Pullmantur Cruises in October 2008 and April 2013, respectively. Plans to transfer Majesty of the Seas to Pullmantur in 2016 were announced in November 2014, but Royal Caribbean reversed those plans in July 2015, instead stating that Majesty of the Seas would stay with Royal Caribbean International.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Majesty of the Seas | 1992 | 74,007 | 2,350 | 2,767 |
Vision class
The Vision class consists of three pairs of sister ships. Legend and Splendour, built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France have a gross tonnage of approximately 70,000. Grandeur and Enchantment were built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Helsinki, Finland and had an original tonnage of approximately 73,000 GT. The final pair, Rhapsody and Vision were also built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and have a tonnage of 78,000 GT. In 2005, a 74-foot (23 m) midsection was added to Enchantment of the Seas, bringing its tonnage to over 80,000 GT. All ships of this class feature over 2 acres (8,100 m2) of glass. Royal Caribbean sold both Splendour of the Seas and Legend of the Seas to Marella Cruises. Splendour of the Seas last sailed for Royal Caribbean on April 4, 2016, and the final Legend of the Seas sailing for Royal Caribbean left port on March 13, 2017. In October 2019, RCI announced that the Grandeur of the Seas will be leaving the fleet after it's last scheduled sailing on March 21, 2021 transferring to Pullmantur Cruises.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Grandeur of the Seas | 1996 | 73,817 | 1,992 | 2,440 | On October 16, 2019, it was announced Grandeur of the Seas would be transferred to Pullmantur Cruises in the Spring of 2021. | |
Rhapsody of the Seas | 1997 | 78,491 | 1,998 | 2,416 | ||
Enchantment of the Seas | 1997 | 82,910 | 2,252 | 2,730 | ||
Vision of the Seas | 1998 | 78,340 | 2,050 | 2,514 |
Voyager class
The sixth largest passenger ships at sea (Royal Caribbean's own Oasis, Quantum and Freedom classes, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic and Cunard's Queen Mary 2), the Voyager-class ships were the largest class of cruise ships in the world when constructed and were the first ships to have an ice rink at sea and the first to have Royal Caribbean's "Royal Promenade" mall concept, a main thoroughfare extending most of the length of the ship, flanked by bars, cafes, and shopping venues. They were built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards' (now Meyer Turku) facility in Turku, Finland. They have a gross tonnage of around 137,000 tonnes. Activity options on all five ships board include a basketball court, at least three pools, a mini-golf course, a rock wall, an ice skating rink and, originally, an inline skating track. Navigator of the Seas replaced the inline skating track with a Flowrider surf simulator in 2014, and similar changes are planned for Voyager and Explorer.
Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas are second-generation Voyager-class vessels, and feature glass stateroom balconies that extend out from the superstructure of the ship and a larger Windjammer buffet area.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Voyager of the Seas | 1999 | 137,276 | 3,114 | 3,840 | Refurbished in the Fall of 2019. | |
Explorer of the Seas | 2000 | 137,308 | 3,114 | 3,840 | ||
Adventure of the Seas | 2001 | 137,276 | 3,114 | 3,807 | ||
Navigator of the Seas | 2002 | 139,999 | 3,376 | 4,000 | ||
Mariner of the Seas | 2003 | 139,863 | 3,114 | 3,807 |
Radiance class
All Radiance-class ships have a gross tonnage of 90,090 and environmentally friendlier gas turbine engines. The Radiance-class ships have over 3 acres (12,000 m2) of glass, glass exterior viewing elevators, over 700 balcony staterooms, two-level glass windowed dining rooms, alternative restaurants, a retractable glass roof over a pool, an outdoor pool, as well as the first self-leveling billiard tables at sea. The Radiance class ships were constructed at Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany. Unlike the preceding Voyager class, these ships are built to the Panamax form factor, allowing them to pass through the Panama Canal.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Radiance of the Seas | 2001 | 90,090 | 2,143 | 2,466 | ||
Brilliance of the Seas | 2002 | 90,090 | 2,142 | 2,543 | ||
Serenade of the Seas | 2003 | 90,090 | 2,146 | 2,476 | ||
Jewel of the Seas | 2004 | 90,090 | 2,112 | 2,502 |
Freedom class
The Freedom-class ships are lengthened versions of the second-generation Voyager-class ship, and contain a 400-foot (120 m) Royal Promenade mall running much of the length of the ship, an ice skating rink, basketball court, several pools, a mini-golf course, and a rock wall. New features on the Freedom class include the FlowRider surfing simulator, the H2O Zone kids water play area, a boxing ring, and hot tubs cantilevered over the side of the ship. At 154,407 gross tons, the Freedom-class ships were the largest ships in the world from 2006, until the debut of the Oasis class in 2009.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Freedom of the Seas | 2006 | 154,407 | 3,782 | 4,515 | To be refurbished for 2020 | |
Liberty of the Seas | 2007 | 155,889 | 3,798 | 4,960 | ||
Independence of the Seas | 2008 | 154,407 | 3,634 | 4,375 |
Oasis class
The Oasis-class ships are the largest cruise ships ever built, having surpassed Freedom-class ships. They can accommodate up to 5,400 passengers at double occupancy and they have a maximum capacity of 6,296 passengers. Furthermore, the ships have a gross tonnage of at least 225,282 tons, and cost the line around US$1.4 billion each. The first two ships in the class, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, were delivered in 2009 and 2010 by STX Europe Turku Shipyard, Finland. The third and fourth ships in the class, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas were built at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. Royal Caribbean International, in conjunction with USA Today, sponsored a contest to name the first two vessels. On February 18th 2019 Royal Caribbean announced the order of a 6th Oasis class vessel from Chantiers de l'Atlantique for delivery in 2023 with a double occupancy of 5,714 and gross tonnage of 231,000.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Oasis of the Seas | 2009 | 225,282 | 5,400 | 6,360 | Refurbished in fall of 2019. | |
Allure of the Seas | 2010 | 225,282 | 5,492 | 6,410 | ||
Harmony of the Seas | 2016 | 226,963 | 5,497 | 6,687 | ||
Symphony of the Seas | 2018 | 228,081 | 5,518 | 6,680 | The largest passenger ship in the world by gross tonnage as of June 2019[update]. |
Quantum class
The Quantum-class of ships debuted as the second largest class of cruise ships in the world. The Quantum-class ships were the first ships built for Royal Caribbean by Meyer Werft since the Radiance class and share many features with those ships, including indoor pools with retractable roofs, vast expanses of glass, outdoor seating in the "Windjammer" buffet, and self-leveling pool tables. Other distinctive features of the Quantum-class include the "North Star" observation capsule mounted on the end of a 41-meter-long (135 ft) crane arm, "RipCord by iFLY" a skydiving simulator, the three-deck-high Two70° lounge and performance venue at the aft of the ship featuring panoramic windows that convert into projection screens, and the multi-purpose SeaPlex facility which hosts activities such as basketball, roller skating, bumper cars, and a trapeze school. The Quantum class was the first class designed specifically for Dynamic Dining, and feature several separate complementary dining facilities instead of a single main dining room. Each venue will maintain the same menu and staff throughout the cruise. Unlike the earlier Voyager, Freedom, and Oasis class, Quantum-class ships do not feature a Viking Crown Lounge or ice skating rink, and the Royal Promenade mall down the center of the ship is not featured in its traditional form.
Four ships, Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, and Spectrum of the Seas have been built so far. A fifth ship, Odyssey of the Seas is planned for 2020.
Ship | Year built |
Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||
Quantum of the Seas | 2014 | 168,666 | 4,180 | 4,905 | ||
Anthem of the Seas | 2015 | 168,666 | 4,180 | 4,905 | ||
Ovation of the Seas | 2016 | 168,666 | 4,180 | 4,905 | ||
Spectrum of the Seas | 2019 | 169,379 | 4,246 | First Quantum Ultra Class ship |
Future fleet
Ship | Class | Estimated date of completion | Current status | Gross tonnage |
Berths | Notes | Ship image | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double | Maximum | |||||||
Odyssey of the Seas | Quantum Ultra Class | 2020 | Under construction as of 1 February 2019 | 169,379 | 4,200 | 2nd Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship | ||
Wonder of the Seas | Oasis class | 2021 | Under construction as of 24 April 2019 | 230,000 | TBA | 5th Oasis-class cruise ship | ||
TBA | Icon class | 2022 | Agreement signed 10 October 2016 |
200,000 | 5,650 | 1st LNG powered Project Icon cruise ship | ||
TBA | Oasis class | 2023 | Agreement signed 18 February 2019 |
231,000 | 5,714 | 6th Oasis-class cruise ship | ||
TBA | Icon class | 2024 | Agreement signed 10 October 2016 |
200,000 | 5,650 | 2nd LNG powered Project Icon cruise ship | ||
TBA | Icon class | 2025 | Agreement signed 2 July 2019 |
200,000 | 5,650 | 3rd LNG powered Project Icon cruise ship |
Former fleet
Ship | Class | Year built | Duration in service for Royal Caribbean International | Current status (as of 2018[update]) |
Gross tonnage | Notes | Ship image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Song of Norway | Song of Norway class | 1970 | 1970–1997 | Scrapped in 2013 as the Formosa Queen. | 22,945 | ||
Nordic Prince | Song of Norway class | 1971 | 1971–1995 | Scrapped in 2015 as the Pacific | 23,149 | ||
Sun Viking | Song of Norway class | 1972 | 1972–1998 | Operating as floating casino Oriental Dragon for Oceanic Group Intl. | 16,607 | ||
Song of America | Song of America class | 1982 | 1982–1999 | Operating as the Celestyal Olympia for Celestyal Cruises | 37,584 | ||
Viking Serenade | 1982 | 1990–2002 (built 1982) | Scrapped in 2018 as the Ocean Gala. | 40,171 | Transferred from Royal Caribbean's subsidiary Admiral Cruises in 1990. | ||
Sovereign of the Seas | Sovereign class | 1987 | 1988–2008 | Operating as the Sovereign for Pullmantur Cruises | 73,192 | ||
Monarch of the Seas | Sovereign class | 1991 | 1991–2013 | Operating as the Monarch for Pullmantur Cruises | 73,192 | ||
Splendour of the Seas | Vision class | 1996 | 1996–2016 | Operating as the Marella Discovery for Marella Cruises | 69,130 | ||
Legend of the Seas | Vision class | 1995 | 1995–2017 | Operating as the Marella Discovery 2 with Marella Cruises | 69,130 |
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Royal Caribbean International para niños