Royal Caribbean celebrates dual milestones for new cruise ships
BY MAREX From Maritime
Keel Laying and Steel Cutting Ceremonies Held for new Quantum Class
Royal Caribbean International took a major step this week in the development of the cruise line’s next generation of cruise ships when the first piece of steel was cut for Anthem of the Seas, sister-ship to Quantum of the Seas. The steel cutting took place at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
Excitement was in the air at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany as Royal Caribbean International marked two important milestones in the development of its Quantum class of ships. Quantum of the Seas, scheduled to be delivered in the autumn of 2014, received its first block as the keel was officially lowered and put into place. In conjunction, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum’s sister-ship, had its first piece of steel cut, signaling the first step in the ship’s construction.
“Today is a very special day in the development of our new Quantum class, as we are now two steps closer to delighting guests around the world with Quantum cruising,” said Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas coming together so well, and today we not only honor these two very important milestones, but also recognize the years of hard work and dedication from the team developing these ships.”
The keel laying marks an important milestone in the development of Quantum of the Seas as it signifies the beginning of the ship’s physical construction. During the ceremony, a 430-ton block measuring 59-ft by 75-ft (18 x 23 meters) was lifted into the building dock with an 800-ton crane. Newly minted coins were placed under the keel which then stays in place until the end of construction. Once the ship is nearing completion the coins are retrieved and presented to the ship’s Captain and crew to be placed onboard the ship. According to maritime tradition, the coins are said to bring luck to the ship during its construction and then to its Captain and crew when she is at sea.
The groundbreaking Quantum class ships will debut new unprecedented features, such as RipCord by iFLY, the first skydiving experience at sea; the North Star, an engineering marvel that transports guests more than 300 feet above the ocean; transformative venues, such as The Sea-Plex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea with bumper cars, roller skating and more; and the cruise line’s largest and most advanced staterooms ever, including the industry’s first-ever Virtual Balcony staterooms, which offers expansive, real-time views of the ocean and exciting destinations for interior staterooms.
The Quantum class will debut in autumn 2014 with Quantum of the Seas, followed by her sister-ship Anthem of the Seas in spring 2015. Quantum ships span 16 decks, encompass 167,800 gross registered tons, carry 4,180 guests at double occupancy and feature 2,090 staterooms.
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Photos of Quantum of the Seas’ engines being delivered have surfaced on a photographer’s web site, who appears to be working for the Meyer Werft shipyard.
Photo courtesy of Ingrid Fiebak Photography: http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2013/08/26/photos-engines-arrive-royal-caribbeans-quantum-of-the-seas
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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. : Celebrity Cruises helps travelers “Talk The Talk” while traveling globally
MIAMI, /PRNewswire/ — English may be the universal language, but to feel truly immersed in the culture and vibe of a local destination, there’s nothing quite as authentic as speaking like the locals do. So, modern luxury line Celebrity Cruises – with vacations visiting all seven continents, and a focus on enhancing the destination experience for its guests – has made it easy for vacationers to speak local languages with its new, industry-first app, “Cruise Lingo.”
An interactive language and culture guide, and a customized version of the award-winning mobile app from TripLingo, Cruise Lingo allows travelers easy access to authentic local phrases and relevant information to enhance their destination experience.
By simply speaking or typing a phrase – such as, “Where is the nearest ATM?” – into a mobile device, the translated language of the local destination appears on-screen. An interactive book offers multiple versions of each phrase, including formal and slang options. Other features of Cruise Lingo include voice-to-voice translation; an intelligent “flashcard” learning system, and an on-demand “crash course” in local cultures. The crash course contains information including general etiquette, safety information, doing business, country information, travel tips, dining guide, music and local pop culture.
The free, new Cruise Lingo app can be downloaded onto Android and iOS smartphones and tablets from www.celebritycruises.com/mobile. Included in the free version of the app are 80 standard phrases in 11 languages; 56 cruise-specific phrases; 20 free uses of the voice translator; access to 2,000 dictionary words translated into all 11 languages, and the culture crash course. Vacationers also can access a full-featured library of the 11 languages through an in-app purchase which unlocks more content.
About Celebrity Cruises:
Celebrity Cruises’ iconic “X” is the mark of modern luxury, with its cool, contemporary design and warm spaces; dining experiences where the design of the venues is as important as the cuisine; and the amazing service that only Celebrity can provide, all created to provide an unmatchable experience for vacationers’ precious time. Celebrity Cruises’ 11 ships offer modern luxury vacations visiting all seven continents. Celebrity also presents immersive cruisetour experiences in Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe and South America. Celebrity is one of five cruise brands operated by global cruise vacation company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL). For more information, dial 1-800-437-3111, visit www.celebritycruises.com, or call your travel agent.
SOURCE Celebrity Cruises
