By Patrick Clarke From Travel Pulse

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced on Monday that it’s agreed to sell its Splendour of the Seas cruise ship to Germany-based subsidiary TUI Cruises in the second quarter of 2016.

After the exchange, the ship will be leased to and operated by British cruise line Thomson Cruises.

In the meantime, no scheduled sailings aboard Splendour of the Seas will be impacted by the announced agreement.

“Splendour of the Seas debuted in 1996 and has served Royal Caribbean International extremely well,” said Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain in a statement. “The ship’s sale is in line with our strategic objective of divesting ourselves of older hardware and keeps us firmly on the course to the Double-Double.”

Double-Double refers to an initiative started by the cruise line in 2014 that aims to double earnings per share and return on invested capital by the year 2017.

The Vision-class ship will set out for its final sailing under Royal Caribbean on April 4, 2016.

“Splendour of the Seas has been a treasured member of the Royal Caribbean International family since she entered service,” said Royal Caribbean International president and CEO Michael Bayley.

“She has offered countless guests memorable vacation experiences and we look forward to continuing to provide the same Gold Anchor Service our brand is known for right up to the last sailing,” Bayley added.

The ship’s officers and crew will remain with Royal Caribbean after the sale and will transferred to other Royal Caribbean International vessels.

A nearly 70,000-ton ship carrying 1,800-plus guests and more than 700 crew members, Splendour of the Seas joined the Royal Caribbean International fleet nearly two decades ago and features itineraries focused along the coast of Europe and South America.

The ship was constructed in France by STX France, then known as Chantier’s de L’Atlantique.

In addition to boasting five new dining options and more than 120 new balcony staterooms, Splendour of the Seas features a plethora of amenities, including an indoor/outdoor pool, a rock climbing wall, mini golf, a poolside movie screen and a spa as well as countless windows.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. owns 50 percent of TUI Cruises through a joint venture with Germany’s TUI Group, which owns Thomson Holidays, the operator of Thomson Cruises.

IMAGE: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to Sell Splendour of the Seas in 2016

For more on this story go to: http://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/royal-caribbean-cruises-ltd-to-sell-splendour-of-the-seas-in-2016.html

Related story:

Thomson Cruises acquires Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship for Summer 2016

By Jasmine Shaddock, From Cruise Critic

Thomson Cruises is to modernise its fleet with the purchase of a cruise ship from the Royal Caribbean International fleet.

Currently sailing as Splendour of the Seas, the ship will move to Thomson Cruises in the summer 2016.

The ship will be the largest in the Thomson Cruises’ fleet, with 915 cabins (almost 40 percent with balconies) and 1,830 passenger capacity. Other features of the ship include a rock-climbing wall, mini-golf course, indoor swimming pool, and multiple dining options.

The purchase of the ship was facilitated by the newly merged parent company of TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Helen Caron, Managing Director of Thomson Cruises said: “We’re very excited to be welcoming the ship to our fleet next summer. This is the first step in our fleet modernisation and transformation strategy and will bring an enhanced offering to our customers.”

The programme for Thomson Cruises’ new ship goes on sale at the end of April, this year.

For more on this story go to: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6216