First Steel Cut for Second Royal Caribbean Quantum Ultra Class Ship

Royal Caribbean starts construction of its second Quantum Ultra class ship.

Royal Caribbean not only marked a construction milestone for their second Quantum Ultra class cruise ship, but they also announced its name will be Odyssey of the Seas.

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Royal Caribbean to Add Three More Ships to its Silversea Fleet

Royal Caribbean is already growing its luxury Silversea line.

Months after buying a majority stake in Silversea Cruises, Royal Caribbean is doubling down on its luxury player. Miami-based cruise operator will add three more new ships to its growing fleet, the cruise line spokesman said in an announcement on Monday. Including vessels that are currently in the works, that one will bring Silversea’s total number of luxury and expedition ships to 14.

Over the next few years, luxury line Silversea Cruises will take its ships’ standard to an even higher level though Project Invictus, a program covering everything from product upgrades to ship-wide refurbishments fleetwide.

The first Project Invictus enhancements began rolling out on Silver Muse on August 19, with an enhanced Champagne and caviar experience and some other upgrades, yet to be revealed, and become fleetwide.

The Silver Muse, 40,700 gross tonnes, was delivered by Fincantieri last April and is the largest of Silversea ships. Silversea luxury cruises are known for their butlers and fine dining. A recently launched 140-day world cruise offered suites that ranged from between $81,000 and $317,000 per person.

In addition, Silversea operates four expedition vessels, so after the purchase, Royal Caribbean will enter the rapidly-expanding expedition cruise market. In total, Silversea has a fleet of nine ships, with two more due to launch in 2020 and 2021.

One of the new ships, called Silver Origin, will be a 100-passenger expedition vessel destined for the Galapagos Islands, due in March 2020.

The other two ships will be a new design for the operator, called “Evolution Class.” The first is expected by 2022 and no other details have been released yet.

According to Skift.

Carnival Horizon, Newest and Largest in Fleet, Arrives in PortMiami

Carnival Horizon, the newest ship in the cruise line’s fleet, arrives in PortMiami this month.

Horizon is the newest and the largest ship in Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet and the second Vista class ship and the 26-th ship for Florida-based cruise operator. The cruise ship was built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri. The first ship in class, Carnival Vista, built by the same firm, was delivered in April 2016. Continue reading

Another Video of Virgin’s First Ever Cruise Ship Teases Open Decks

Virgin Voyages has again released a stunning rendering video of Scarlet Lady, the first Virgin cruise ship which will arrive in 2020.
While interior images were released by Richard Branson’s brainchild Virgin Voyages only a few months ago, the brand new video shows the outer decks and features that will be on them.
During christening ceremony at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard, founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages president and CEO Tom McAlpin announced the company will eliminate single-use plastics and focus on opportunities for women in jobs that historically have been dominated by men. Continue reading