With Reuben Goossens

Cruise’n’Travel Journalist & Maritime Historian

Please Note: Cruise-Australia is a non-commercial and privately owned cruise site and it is NOT associated with any cruise company or travel agency! Although the author has been in the passenger shipping industry since 1960 and is currently semi-retired, but continues to write cruise and ship reviews and articles in order to better to inform cruise and ship enthusiasts and provide information for those intending a cruise in the future. Please read my statement at the bottom of the page!

Royal Caribbean International is a sophisticated cruise line, yet RCI offer casual, good value cruise vacations. The company is renowned for their high standards, including the magnificent array of cuisine, fine service and spectacular entertainment. Royal Caribbean ships are magnificent ocean-going resorts, offering the best facilities possible on a cruise ship.

Navigator of the Seas – one of the 138,000 ton Voyager Class Ships

A Company with a Distinguished History

Royal Caribbean International has a long and distinguished history. In 1970 the company built its first cruise ship the 18,000 ton Song of Norway, which accommodated 724 passengers. The Song of Norway set the grounds for a new class of cruise ship, one that set new standard of cruising. The Song of Norway was lengthened by 85 feet in 1978, increasing her tonnage to 23,000 ton, increasing her capacity to 1024 passengers. Soon many Royal Caribbean ships followed, and today RCI Cruises are one of three major cruise companies in the world, these being; the Carnival group of companies, Star/NCL Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

RCI’s first ship - Song of Norway built in 1970

Royal Caribbean International operates 21 magnificent ships, making RCI Cruises one of the largest individual cruise companies. Ships range from the grand 160,000-ton mega cruise ship Liberty of the Seas, the 138,000-ton Voyager of the Sea to the more intimate 48,563-ton Empress of the Seas.

The RCI fleet

Genesis (Oasis) Class

220,000 GRT (ton) / 6,400 passengers / speed 21.6 knots

MV Oasis of the Seas – 2009

Mv Allure of the Seas - 2010

RCI’s new mega cruise ship accommodating some 6,400 passengers is a massive 220,000-ton and she is the largest passenger ship ever to be built. She cost around US$1.4 Billion to built and has facilities that are second to none! The first of two built was introduced in 2009, with the second ship in this class the Allure of the Seas is due later this year (2010). Obviously, Royal Caribbean International is setting a new level in cruising, a standard that other cruise companies will find hard to follow. We have a new webpage online featuring the Oasis of the Seas. See the Index below.

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Freedom Class

158,000 GRT (ton) / 4370 passengers / speed 21.6 knots

Freedom of the Seas - 2006

Liberty of the Seas - 2007

Independence of the Seas - 2008

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Voyager Class

138,000 GRT / 3114 passengers / speed 23.7 knots

Voyager of the Seas - 1999

Adventure of the Seas - 2002

Explorer of the Seas - 2000

Mariner of the Seas - 2003

Navigator of the Seas – 2002

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Radiance Class

90,000 GRT / 2501 passengers / speed 25 knots

Radiance of the Seas - 2001

Brilliance of the Seas - 2002

Jewel of the Seas - 2004

Serenade of the Seas – 2003

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Vision Class

78,491 GTR / 2435 passengers / speed 22 knots

Enchantment of the Seas - 1997

Grandeur of the Seas - 1996

Legend of the Seas – 1995

Rhapsody of the Seas - 1997

Splendor of the Seas – 1996

Vision of the Seas – 1998

Visit our RCI -Rhapsody of the Seas feature

How the Lengthen a Cruise Ship?

The Midsection has been cut and made ready for the pre-built module to be slid in

Enchantment of the Seas: In 2005 Enchantment of the Seas was the third Royal Caribbean ship to be lengthened to increase her capacity and facilities. After she was cut in half, a new, 22 meter middle section containing 151 staterooms and suspension bridges that span the pool area and overhang the sea were added. Not only was the pool area expanded by almost 50%, but four bungee trampolines were installed, being a first at sea. For real thrills you can soar high above the bow while safely tethered to the trampoline.

The ship was then welded back together. The two halves were then moved apart and teams of workers positioned a new 73 ft, 2,500 ton section, containing the new 151 fully furnished rooms, into the mid-section. The ship was then welded back together. The enlargement took just over a month to complete and expanded the vessel from 916 ft to 990 ft. The process took place at the Keppel Verolme shipyard in Rotterdam The Netherlands and cost around £30 million UK pounds, being a fraction of the cost of building a new cruise ship.

The new midsection is in place and ready to be pushed and welded and joined together

The Enchantment of the Seas looking superb, now 74 ft longer

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Sovereign Class

73,192 GRT / 2852 passengers / Speed 19 knots

Sovereign of the Seas - 1987

Majesty of the Seas - 1992

Monarch of the Seas – 1991

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Empress of the Seas

48,563 GRT / 2020 passengers / speed 19.5 knots

Empress of the Seas a popular and much sought after ship

RCI Index

Page One … “A Company with a Distinguished History” Introduction page

Page Two … Oasis of the Seas - The world’s largest cruise ship

Page Three … Freedom of the Seas - This class are second largest cruise ships

Page Four … Rhapsody of the Sea - Based in Australian during our summer

For Information and Reservations email: info@cruisespecialists.com.au

Phone: Australia wide - Phone 1800 427 847 - Brisbane & International – Phone: +61 7 5546-6798

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Who is the Author of Cruise-Australia & ssMaritime?

Commenced in the Passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960

Contact the Author …

When sending an email please name the ship you are requesting information or speaking about!

Please Note: Cruise-Australia is a non-commercial and privately owned cruise site. The author has been in the passenger shipping industry since 1960 and is currently semi-retired, but continues to write cruise and ship reviews and articles in order to better to inform cruise and ship enthusiasts and provide information for those intending a cruise in the future.

However, if you are interested in a cruise, I am happy to refer you to a dedicated cruise agent in Australia, New Zealand or further afield on my recommended “cruise agents” page, for these are agents that specialise in cruising and they will be able offer excellent service you and the best fares available! Be assured, I do NOT receive any commissions or favours from these agents, and in the vast majority of cases these agents will not even be aware of my, or mu site’s involvement, as I provide the enquirer with the requested information of the agents (in their region) including their contact details. Reuben Goossens.

Return to the - Cruise-Australia.com - INDEX

Cruise-Australia.com

& Cruise-Australia.net

Classic Liner enthusiasts visit

ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net

Where the ships of the past make history the 1914 built MV Doulos Story

Photographs on cruise-australia.net are: 1. By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me, that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show the charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due! Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of their private collection.

This notice covers all pages, although, I have done my best to ensure that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!

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