UK agents will get to experience Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Symphony of the Seas in Barcelona during its inaugural summer season in 2018.
Michael Bayley, president and chief executive for Royal Caribbean International, also revealed one of cruise line’s four Oasis-class ships would be based in Europe in 2019.
Bayley said: “With regards to European and UK travel agents we will be scheduling cruises and events in Barcelona for media and trade partners.
“It is important for our trade partners to experience the product so we will be absolutely bringing them onto the ship. Having our trade partners on board always works out well for us.”
Symphony of the Seas opened for bookings on March 8 and will begin sailing in April 2018, starting with an inaugural season in the Mediterranean followed by a season out of Miami offering Caribbean itineraries from November 2018.
Unlike its sister ship, Harmony, the new Oasis-class vessel will not call into Southampton.
Bayley said the line was yet to finalise itineraries but confirmed one of the Oasis-class ships will be in Europe in the summer of 2019 and did not rule out a port of call in the UK.
“We have got several ships coming and it is safe to say at some point they will come to the UK.
“The UK offers a really great and strong market for us so we will inevitably bring an Oasis-class ship to the market in the not too distant future.”
Symphony will be the world’s largest ship, with 28 more staterooms than Harmony of the Seas.
Bayley said it was important to educate the trade on all its ‘easy-sell’ features, once they are announced, and it would help distinguish the ship from its sister vessels.
“All our Oasis-class ships have been different and like previous ships, Symphony will have added experiences which makes it stand out.
“Because of the sheer volume of the Oasis- class and the popularity and high quality of experience they are quite well known individually by our trade partners, Symphony will be no different.”