|
A Cruise
Through Royal Caribbean's History
By: Lucky Balaraman, Fri Apr 7th, 2006
Ever heard of a luxury hotel that moves every half hour?
You guessed it: it's a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, a mass
of one hundred thousand tons, that glides on the ocean
between Florida and the islands of the Caribbean on a
regular basis.
Royal Caribbean International is the second largest cruise
ship operator in the world with revenues in excess of $4
billion. It owns 28 ships with more than 65,000 berths on
them and is growing. Here's their story.
Flash back to 1969. An idea suddenly struck Arne Wilhelmsen
and Edwin Stephan (Arne was a Harvard-educated investor and
Edwin a famous Floridian businessman). The idea was that
there was a large community of extremely wealthy Americans
in Florida, and that this community would put down top
dollar for a short, relaxing luxury cruise to the nearby
Caribbean.
Arne and Edwin marketed this brainwave to some of the
shipping magnates in Norway who readily bought it and came
up with large investments. After a short gestation period,
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (and an entire new industry)
was born.
By the next year (1970), the infant company could speak of
it's first possession: The SONG OF NORWAY, a splendid cruise
ship, weighing 18,500 tons and equipped for 700 passengers,
custom-built in Finland. The most stunning feature of it was
a cocktail lounge cantilevered around the smokestack (Edwin
Stephen got the idea from the Seattle Space Needle). This
lounge was built into many of the Line's later ships and
became the hallmark of the Company's fleet.
* Growth, Growth and More Growth *
The founders of the Company pursued their vision of
achieving market dominance through a continual program of
adding ships and services. A consolidated record of this,
which is very difficult to find elsewhere in the media, is
presented below:
1971 Cruise ships NORDIC PRINCE and SUN VIKING arrive
1978 SONG OF NORWAY cut in half, 75-foot piece with 164
cabins introduced in between
1980 NORDIC PRINCE augmented the same way
1982 SONG OF AMERICA arrives with a larger, more luxurious
lounge around the smokestack
1988 SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS, the largest cruise ship ever
built at 73,162 tons for 2,276 passengers, arrives at a cost
of $150 million
1990 - NORDIC EMPRESS arrives - The Company expands beyond
the Caribbean: Mexico, Alaska, and Europe are added as
destinations; - Industry's first computerized booking system
introduced
1991 - MONARCH OF THE SEAS arrives, ready for 2,354
passengers
1992 - MAJESTY OF THE SEAS delivered, equipped for 2,354
passengers
1993 - The Company goes public
1995 - LEGEND OF THE SEAS arrives, built for 1,804
passengers
1996 - GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS arrives at 74,000 tons and for
2,440 passengers - SPLENDOUR OF THE SEAS, in the same class
as GRANDEUR, delivered
1997 - Name changed to Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited
(RCCL) - RCCL buys Celebrity Cruises and its four working
ships from Chandris Lines at a cost of $1.3 billion -
RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS, at 79,000 tons and for 2,435
passengers, is delivered - ENCHANTMENT OF THE SEAS, at
74,000 tons and for 2,440 passengers, arrives
1998 - Enter VISION OF THE SEAS, 79,000 tons and to carry
2,435 passengers - Joint ownership agreement signed with
Chicago's Pritzker family (that has $15 billion in assets)
and Haifa's Ofer family (that owns one of the world's
largest shipping companies, Ofer Brothers Shipping Co)
1999 - VOYAGER OF THE SEAS comes in at a whopping 140,000
tons for 3,114 guests
2000 - EXPLORER OF THE SEAS arrives; in the VOYAGER class,
it has marine laboratories on board as well
2001 - ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS arrives: 3,114 passengers
accommodated per cruise - RADIANCE OF THE SEAS delivered:
2,100 passenger capacity at 90,000 tons, with gas turbines,
it is the first in it's class - The company buys 20% of UK
tour operator First Choice and launches a joint venture
cruise line. It offers land-based tours in Alaska through
Royal Celebrity Tours.
2002 - BRILLIANCE OF THE SEAS, a vessel in the RADIANCE
class, arrives and is ready for duty
2003 - SERENADE OF THE SEAS, the third RADIANCE class
vessel, is delivered
2004 JEWEL OF THE SEAS, RADIANCE class, makes its debut
... and of course, more ships, even larger that the earlier
ones, are on order!
* Conclusion *
With revenues in excess of $4 billion, RCCL is a juggernaut
which will not slow down.
Its ships are floating cities, boast amenities such as rock
climbing walls, miniature golf courses, swimming pools, ice
skating rinks, sun decks, basketball courts, beauty salons,
exercise and spa facilities, gaming facilities, lounges,
bars, cabaret performances, cinemas, shopping arcades,
multiple restaurants and casinos.
Most importantly, when on a cruise, one experiences some
priceless bonuses: unpolluted air and a virtually noise-free
environment. These are truly, in the modern context, balm
for the soul.
If you can afford the entirely reasonable average fare of
$400 per person for a 3-night cruise in a luxury
stateroom... don't think twice about it, sign up for a
cruise and gain the experience of a lifetime!
About the author: Lucky Balaraman has a Master's degree from
a prestigious US university and writes on several subjects.
To learn more about Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, please
visit the website
http://royal-caribbean-world.info
Trip
Advisor Reviews
-- Traveler Reviews
& Opinions
(Click to
see review that you are interested..)
Review of Moby Dick Tours,
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Great
Sting Ray Experience
... excellent alternative to what the Cruise ship offers!
Based ... early tender boat from the ship
(another reviewer
complained about the lack of this info) and even knew info
about my specific ship ...
Review of Captain Oliver's Resort Hotel,
St. Maarten/St. Martin, Caribbean
What
a Way to Start the New Year
... been staying there almost every Christmas/New Year ...
island away from all the cruse ship tourists.
The rooms
are spacious and clean with a veranda to sit and relax
watching the sailboats ...
Review of Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort,
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Carribbean
Terrific
place for savvy Marriott travelers
... have found anywhere in the Caribbean and in ... the two
deep reported around Christmas 2005.
You ... you will
also avoid the cruse ship excursions. A neat surprise is
that next door to ...
Review of Long Bay Hotel,
Antigua, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, Carribbean
Shabby
Chic
... 10 days I spent over Christmas at Long ... of heaven. If
you're the cruse ship type, there a great
mega resort
next door- you'll be happier there- This beach is for
serious ...
Review of Anse Chastanet,
Soufrière, St. Lucia, Caribbean
Wonderful
relaxing Christmas
... decided to go away for Christmas this year ... resort to
be busy over Christmas and even ...
the rare occasion
that a cruse ship group visited and those visits were brief.
The loungers ...
Review of Howard Johnson Hotel - San Juan,
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Carribbean
Small
cozy hotel is near everything
... Isla Verde the week or Christmas. Although our ... can
just sit by the cruse ship port &
sip on a cup of
spanish coffee while taking in the gorgeous sunset. Loved
loved loved ...
Review of Port Lucaya Resort & Yacht Club,
Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, Carabbian
Great
Place to stay
... hotel was nicely decorated for Christmas/Boxing Day ...
the island via the Discovery cruise,
which was ... she
is an older smaller cruse ship that rocks a bit as she
crosses the gulf ...
Review of Watergate Villas,
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands,
Carribbean
Watergate
Villas have the comfort of home with the view
After visiting the Caribbean for the first time on a cruise
over Christmas, 2004, my husband
and I fell in love
with Carribbean beaches, weather and music. So we decided to
have ...
Review of Radisson Cable Beach & Golf Resort,
Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas, Caribbean
Good
hotel, not sure about Nassau
... taken up with a huge cruise-ship port so ... and good
views of the cruse ships coming ...
happen to be there
over Christmas. If you go here you must do at least ...
Review of British Colonial Hilton Nassau,
Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas, Carribbean
Favorite
Christmas Getaway
... to the British Colonial during Christmas. I traveled ...
additonal person. We arrived on Christmas day.
We ... hotel
with regards to the cruse ships. I ... and watch a
million-ton cruse ship do ...
Review of Bermuda, Caribbean
Bermuda
Overview
... returned from a 7 day cruise to Bermuda. ... minute
uphill walk from the ship. The streets ...
in the afternoon
from the ship, thus took ... minute walk back to the ship.
Wouldn't recommend ...
Review of Carambola Villas Golf And Beach Resort,
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Carribbean
Perfect
for travelers looking for a quiet vacation
... weeks we stayed (right before Christmas) were very ...
in Fredricksted
(go there on cruse
ship days to see the town come alive.) If you are there on a
Friday, go to the ...
Review of Holland House Beach Hotel,
Philipsburg, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Carabbian
Reality
Check
... the bay where all the cruse ships dock ... of clarity is
from the cruise ship/people pollution ...
also gets awfully
CROWDED on cruse ship days with cruise ship people and local
vendors. ...
Review of Castries Market,
Castries, St. Lucia, Caribbean
Strolling
through the market place
... season. We were on a cruise and had ... a water taxi
from the ship to town ...
Locals were out
finishing there Christmas Shopping and a visit to the local
furniture store was ...
Review of Girasol Condo Hotel,
Cancun, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Great
unit, great beach, great vacation
... in Penthouse unit #4 over Christmas break and ... the
beachcombers, and the occasional
cruse ship pass
by. Our kids didn't use the pool much, as they were mostly
on the beach. The ...
Review of The Dive Inn,
Kralendijk, Bonaire, Caribbean
Spare
but convenient
... here for a week at Christmas 2004. Chosen ... waterfront
street, by the southern cruise
ship pier, quite
... lot of snorkellers off the cruise ships, so they go
there because there is a ...
Review of Hotel Mont Vernon,
St. Maarten/St. Martin, Carribbean
Be
prepared to do it yourself
... rooms. It was decorated for Christmas with some ...
buildings- each named after a Carbbean island. We ... a
feeding on a budget cruse ship (complete with cabaret-type
entertainment provided by the...
Review of Coconut Palms Inn,
Rincon, Puerto Rico, Carribbean
Wonderful
Find for the Independent Traveler
... Palms and stayed there over Christmas, 2004. We were so
delighted to find holiday decorations
and a Christmas
Tree just ... romantic beach place, not a cruise ship on
land. Vacation is what ...
Review of Rooms on the Beach Ocho Rios by Superclubs,
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Caribbean
Great
location in Ocho Rios
... clear ocean view (of moored cruse ships mostly ...
service. went there twice including Christmas
dinner.
Never ... to try it due to Christmas. Didn't care ... of the
beach on the cruse ship pier. ...
Review of Sapphire Beach Resort,
East End, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean
A
nice place to relax, but not to be pampered
Spent the week before Christmas in a Harbor ... first aid
kit item.) 2) Cruise
ship visitors
flood the beach - about 3 cruse ships a day dock at
Charlotte Amalie in winter and ...
Review of Grand Royal Antiguan Resort,
St. John's, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, Carribbean
Great
beach
Stayed for 2 weeks at Christmas 2003 and ... and you could
watch the cruse ships coming ...
but too geared up
for cruse ship passengers, Neslon's Dockyard is fascinating
and worth a visit ...
Review of Nassau Beach Hotel,
Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas, Caribbean
Seperating
FACT from OPINION
... Coast, East Coast, New England, Carribean, Mexico,
France ... late at night and the christmas lights
wrapped ...
fun because of all the cruise ship passengers. Be careful
downtown we were told crime..
Review of Westin St. John Resort & Villas,
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, Carribbean
Westin
a disappointment for well travelled people
... experience someplace relaxing. Over the Christmas
holidays, we ... hotel or resort in the Carbbean
would choose
... Westin is a 15-minute cruise from U.S. ... disturbed
them. We wanted to ship a box ...
Review of Turtle Nest Inn,
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Caribbean
Forgot
what day it was
... secluded quiet spot in the Carribbean to decompress ...
booked a room soon after Christmas (for a ... were at least
5 huge cruse ships that ... Fortunately, the buses filled
with cruise-ship passengers ...
Review of Escape At The Gap,
Barbados, Carribbean
Escape
At The Gap
... days at Escape just before Christmas and was ... are
very disappointing considering the 'cruise
ship' market. I
expected it to be a bit more 'americanised'.This hotel
provided a good deal.. nice food ...
Review of Divi Little Bay Beach Resort and Casino,
Philipsburg, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Caribbean
Excellent
Value for Money
... less good - twice a week cruse ship people come ...
Reggae Cafe on way to cruise ship terminal
from
Philipsburgh. Delicious fresh wraps in good atmosphere and
lots of space for kids - Christmas ...
Review of Brisas del Caribe,
Varadero Beach, Cuba, Carribbean
What
a terrific holiday
... However, we saw a special Christmas show held ... were
limited in number (sunset cruise
is only ... driver
point, my son jumped ship and drove with one of the other
guides. The second ...
|
<