ROYAL CARIBBEAN ANNOUNCES 2016 EUROPE AND ALASKA ADVENTURES

MIAMI, March 12, 2015 – Whether climbing La Sagrada Familia’s Nativity Towers for an unbelievable view of Barcelona, or dog-sledding atop Mendenhall Glacier for a once-in-a lifetime perspective of the Alaskan wilderness, vacationers will find unforgettable adventures with Royal Caribbean International. The award-winning cruise line today announced new 2016 Europe vacations, totaling eight of the region’s most innovative cruise ships that will sail from six European homeports and call at 80 intriguing destinations in 27 countries throughout the Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Scandinavia and the Baltic. Four of the Europe ships will be new to the region, and Royal Caribbean’s most-anticipated, third Oasis-class ship, Harmony of the Seas, will sail its inaugural season from Barcelona, while Independence of the Seas returns to Southampton as the U.K.’s largest and most favorite cruise ship. Perfect for family travel in Alaska, Explorer of the Seas will make history as the largest cruise ship to ever sail the region, and join Radiance of the Seas for the cruise line’s 27^th consecutive season in the Great Frontier. Royal Caribbean’s 2016 Europe itineraries will open for booking starting March 19, 2015, and 2016 Alaska will open on March 26.

            As part of all the new deployment openings, Royal Caribbean is announcing a new early booking BOGO50 offer. Vacationers can save 50 percent on the cruise fare of a second guest in the same stateroom with a full-fare guest, when making a new booking aboard sailings departing on or after May 15, 2015. Vacationers also can enjoy additional 50 percent savings on the fare of a third and fourth guest on nearly all 2016-17 itineraries, including the recently opened 2016-17 Caribbean itineraries. Additionally, guests can take advantage of the offer’s buy-one-get-one-half-off the second Premium Beverage Package by noting promo code ‘BOGOBEV,’ and complete their new booking with 50 percent reduced deposits. For more information about BOGO50, please visit www.Royalcaribbean.com/BOGO50. 

BOGO50 is valid for new bookings, made between March 11 and April 30, 2015, in Oceanview and higher-category staterooms on five-night or longer itineraries. The offer does not include bookings on Quantum of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, and trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, and China sailings.

New Oasis-class Vacations from Barcelona

• After its delivery in April 2016, the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, will homeport at Barcelona and sail a round-trip, seven-night Western Mediterranean itinerary. Vacationers also can embark Harmony of the Seas at Rome (Civitavecchia), but guests must sail round-trip for seven nights.
• Brilliance of the Seas also will alternate 12-night Italian Mediterranean and Greek & Italian Mediterranean cruises.

British and Scandinavian Cruises

• The U.K. welcomes back Independence of the Seasin summer 2016. The ship will sail mostly 10- to 14-night Mediterranean or Canary Island cruises from Southampton, while Navigator of the Seas will offer British vacationers a wide range of new six- to 14-night Norwegian Fjords, Baltic, Mediterranean or Canary Island itineraries.
• Serenade of the Seas will sail seven-night Norwegian Fjords and seven- to 13-night Scandinavia and Russia itineraries, round-trip from Copenhagen, Denmark, in early summer and August, and from Stockholm, Sweden, in June and July.

Italy and Greece Adventures from Venice and Rome

• Jewel of the Seas will alternate brand new 10-night Greece & Adriatic and 11-night Greece, Turkey & Croatia itineraries from Venice, while Vision of the Seas will alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek Isles & Turkey cruises. Jewel of the Seas will double the cruise line’s capacity at this unique, iconic and most desirable world-class city.
• Rhapsody of the Seas will homeport at Rome (Civitavecchia) and sail nine-night Greek Isles cruises in early summer and autumn months. From late June through August, the ship will alternate seven-night Greek Isles and Greek & Turkey cruises.

Royal Caribbean’s 27^th Alaska Season

• Explorer of the Seas will be unmatched in onboard amenities when the ship debuts in Alaskan waters. Guests on the ship’s seven-night round-trip itineraries from Seattle, Wash., will sail up Tracy Arm Fjords for an incomparable view of Sawyer Glacier. In September, the ship will sail three Pacific Coastal cruises, seven nights in duration, which feature an overnight in San Francisco, Calif.
• For its part, Radiance of the Seaswill alternate seven-night northbound and southbound Alaska cruises between Vancouver, B.C., and Seward. On these itineraries, guests will venture into Disenchantment Bay for a close-up view of Hubbard Glacier.

            Vacationers also can choose a wide range of trans-Atlantic cruises, which bookend each ship’s 2016 Europe season and combine Europe and the Caribbean on 13- to 16-night itineraries aboard the aforementioned ships. For their part, Explorer of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas will reposition to Australia, via Hawaii.

            Royal Caribbean International is an award-winning global cruise brand with a 45-year legacy of innovation and introducing industry “firsts” never before seen at sea.  The cruise line features an expansive and unmatched array of features and amenities only found on Royal Caribbean including, jaw-dropping, Broadway-style entertainment and industry-acclaimed programming that appeals to families and adventurous vacationers alike. Onboard, guests are catered to with the cruise line’s world-renowned friendly and engaging Gold Anchor Service by every staff and crew member. Royal Caribbean has been voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 12 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards and “Top Large-Ship Cruise Line for Families” in Travel + Leisure’s 2013 and 2014 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey.

            Owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE/OSE: RCL), the cruise line sails 22 of the world’s most innovative cruise ships to the most popular destinations in Bermuda and the Caribbean, Europe, Canada and New England, Alaska, South America, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. Media can stay up-to-date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter, and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should call their travel agent; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

# # #

Related Images

Top 10 European Cruise Adventures