May 12, 2004 -- It's been a busy couple of weeks in Royal Caribbean land, with the debut of new ships and new ports and the refurbishment of two old warhorses.
Newest kid on the block is Jewel of the Seas, fourth in the line's Radiance class behind sisters Radiance of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Serenade of the Seas. Built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, the 90,090-ton, 2,100-passenger vessel was officially delivered to the line April 22 at Eemshaven, Netherlands, and was christened two weeks later in Southampton, UK. Doing the honors as godmother was Rhode Island educator Kathy Mellor, who last month was named National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
The Radiance-class ships are Royal Caribbean's (800/327-6700; www.royalcaribbean.com) most elegant vessels to date, combining shippy lines and nautical decor with the active lifestyle promoted by RCI's "Get Out There/Lust for Life" ad campaigns. Amenities includes a two-story main dining room and two intimate specialty restaurants (the Chops Grille steakhouse and the Italian Portofino); a Thailand-themed, adults-only solarium with retractable glass roof; and the ShipShape Day Spa whose thermal suite includes an aromatherapy steam room, a sauna, tropical rain showers, and heated tile loungers facing the ocean.
Jewel of the Seas will sail Scandinavia/Russia and British Isles/Norwegian Fjords itineraries until September, when she repositions to Boston to cruise Canada and New England. In November, she moves to Fort Lauderdale for alternating 8-night Eastern Caribbean and 6-night Western Caribbean cruises.In most large families, it's the new baby that gets all the attention, but Royal Caribbean is making a point of making its older kids feels needed as well.
"We believe our older ships still have a lot of value from a design and layout perspective," says Royal Caribbean's newbuilds director, Kelly Gonzalez, who in addition to overseeing the construction of new vessels is also in charge of keeping the rest of the fleet shipshape. "Its all a matter of evolving to keep pace with what people want from their vacation experience."
In June 2003, the line did a major refit to the 1991-vintage Monarch of the Seas, which is now deployed on the west coast for 3- and 4-night cruises from L.A. Last week, RCI unveiled refurbishments to another of its older vessel, 1990's Nordic Empress, which has been renamed Empress of the Seas. The veil, perhaps, should have been left on for a few more days, as workmen struggled to complete alterations before the ship embarked on its first cruises to Bermuda. When travel agents and journalists arrived at the ship last Friday they found new decking materials being laid, cabins being decorated with new curtains and artwork, plumbing in some cabins still under construction, and the new Portofino Italian specialty restaurant still in the 2x4-and-sawdust stage. Remember how it took you longer to lay that new kitchen tile than you'd thought it would? Same deal here.
When all the work is completed, though, the ship will offer a significantly modernized experience, with new features like the Latte'tudes coffee bar featuring Seattle's Best specialty coffees and Ben and Jerry's ice cream (both at added cost); Boleros, a Latin-themed nightclub serving specialty tequilas, Latin cocktails, and evening entertainment; and the elegant Schooner Bar, a woody, nautical-themed space that's probably the most successful bit of refurbishment aboard. And of course there's the de rigueur RCI rock-climbing wall, this one facing aft at the very stern of the ship, giving you the impression you really are climbing up the side of a sheer-faced mountain-even though it's actually plenty far from the brink, for safety. Suites have been upgraded with new furnishings, as has the main showroom, while the spa has been completely renovated. Outside, new glass stairways in the stern are edged with fake but still appealing sod for a kind of W Hotel effect, while up at the very top of the ship the gym has been relocated to a balcony overlooking the Viking Crown Lounge. An odd touch, that, and the verdict is still out on whether exercise machines will end up smelling like second-hand smoke, or whether gents will try and sneak past the gate after a few late-night drinks to test their beer muscles.
While renovations have botoxed a lot of the wrinkles out Empress's forehead, it'd be hard to smooth out all the wear-and-tear from fourteen years of hard cruising. Many corridors and lower-level cabins still show scuffs and scratches, while the enormous metal sculpture in the ship's atrium is tres 1980s, and hasn't worn terribly well. Still, there's a lot of life left in the old girl, and even some of her older features are still appealing, such as the large, open dining room with its huge windows, the pleasant buffet restaurant, and the children's center with its ductwork climbing maze and circular slide.
A similar round of renovations were announced this week for Sovereign of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's oldest vessel, built in 1988. The ship will go into drydock in November, following which it will continue offering its usual schedule of 3- and 4-night Bahamas itineraries year-round from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Empress of the Seas is currently offering alternating 6- and 8-night Bermuda itineraries from Royal Caribbean's brand-new Cape Liberty Cruise Port, located on the west side of the Hudson River in Bayonne, New Jersey. A 430-acre man-made peninsula extending into New York Harbor, the facility was originally constructed in the late 1930s as a port for international shipping, and was taken over by the U.S. Navy in 1942. It was deeded to the city of Bayonne in December 2002, after the Navy base closed. The location is an easy drive for passengers coming from New Jersey, Staten Island, or nearby Newark Airport, and signage along New Jersey's highways makes it easy to find. The port area itself is absolutely enormous, offering easy parking and a notable lack of congestion compared to Manhattan's currently overburdened Passenger Ship Terminal.
The downside? It ain't romantic, at least not yet. Yes, there's a view of the Statue of Liberty, but it's Liberty's big green butt you see in the distance, beyond the huge gantry cranes used to load cargo ships at the adjacent industrial piers. That said, the place has definite potential. While Royal Caribbean is currently operating out of existing structures, plans under consideration include a new cruise terminal that would be located at the northeast corner of the peninsula, offering better views of Liberty and the New York skyline. Future plans for the complex call for mixed residential use, light industry, office space, film studios, and extensive recreational and park areas.
This Friday, May 14, Royal Caribbean's enormous, 3,114-passenger Voyager of the Seas arrives at the port to begin its season of alternating 5-night Canada cruises and 9-night Western Caribbean cruises. The port will be officially dedicated that morning in a ceremony featuring NJ governor James E. McGreevey and Bayonne mayor Joseph V. Doria, Jr.
Simultaneous with the opening of Port Liberty, Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas arrived in Baltimore to kick off the line's first season from the historic Maryland port. From June 20 through August, the 1996-built Grandeur will sail a weekly Florida/Bahamas itinerary stopping at Port Canaveral, Key West, Freeport, and CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private Bahamian island. In September and October she'll sail alternating 9- and 10-night Western Caribbean cruises and 11-night Canada/New England cruises before moving to New Orleans, her winter homeport. In spring 2005 Grandeur will return to Baltimore to sail alternating 9-night Caribbean and 5-night Bermuda cruises.