Quantum build begins and more big ships on the way!

Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas, scheduled to be delivered in Autumn 2014, received it’s first block as a keel was lowered and put into place in Papenburg, Germany this week. It was a dual  milestone for Royal Caribbean as sister ship Anthem of the Seas had it’s first piece of steel cut this week also, the first step in this ship’s construction and due to enter service in spring 2015. These will be the first 2 in the Quantum class of ship and reports say there will be more to come.

In the usual tradition newly minted coins are place under the keel during the keel laying ceremony and these stay there till the end of construction. Once the ship is near completion the coins are retrieved and presented to the ships’ Captain and placed on-board the ship. This, according to maritime tradition, is said to bring luck to the ship during construction and then to the Captain and Crew once they are at sea.

Next year will also see another 3 ” Big Ship’s” enter service with Norwegian Getaway, sister ship to the Breakaway, entering service in January 2014 with 4028 passengers. Along with this Regal Princess will enter service in June 2014, with 3560 passengers and Costa will see the biggest ship in their fleet to date, Costa Diadema, set sail in October 2014 with 3700 passengers.