Agents will be able to view Royal Caribbean International’s newly revamped Oasis of the Seas – one of the company’s two biggest cruise ships in the world – in Southampton today.
The line is using the day-long visit by the giant 5,000-plus passenger capacity ship to preview sailings by sister vessel Allure of the Seas in the Mediterranean from Barcelona next summer.
Oasis of the Seas, which first entered service in 2009, is making its first call into the UK ahead of the launch of new ship Quantum of the Seas later this month.
A 14-day dry dock has seen new elements introduced to the vessel including high speed internet access, the line’s flexible dynamic dining concept, the Broadway show Cats, new shops and 10 additional suites.
Allure of the Seas will feature the Abba musical Mamma Mia from June 2015 once it has completed a similar revamp in dry dock next May.
Royal Caribbean International has five new ships on order – including two more of the same scale as Oasis of the Seas – with new features still to be announced. The business will deliver a 6.9% capacity increase to the global cruise market in 2015 alone.
UK and Ireland managing director Stuart Leven said: “By 2016 Royal Caribbean International will be the largest cruise line in the world in terms of fleet capacity.
“We are at a very exciting time in our history and European market share, a milestone that is thanks to the hard work of our agent partners in raising awareness of the appeal of holidays at sea.
“As part of our on-going investment in supporting agents, we are welcoming over-100 agents on-board Oasis of the Seas to aid them in selling Allure of the Seas’ 2015 holidays.”
The 4,180-passenger Anthem of the Seas, sister to Quantum of the Seas, will be based in Southampton from April 2015.
Leven added: “Anthem of the Seas is the most technologically advanced holiday resort in the world and it is hugely exciting that this new ship will be sailing from the UK.
“It brings so many opportunities for agents who can truly show off a ship that challenges the expectations of travellers when it comes to holidays at sea. We hope that our extensive investments into new ships, new technology and new ideas are making it easier than ever to sell a cruise.”