Royal Caribbean announce a new class of ship.

Royal Caribbean have announced they are launching the Quantum Ultra Class and the new ship is due to be launched in Spring 2019 joining her (half) sisters Ovation, Quantum and Anthem of the Seas.

Like many of the larger cruise lines, Royal Caribbean are planning on basing the new ship in Asian waters and are designing the ship for the Far Eastern market. A move that mirror’s that of the Norwegian Bliss from NCL and Princess’s Majestic Princess.

I know the cruise market is exploding in the Far East, but c’mon! Where’s the UK’s new ships?

The plans for the 2018-19 season, Far East veteran, Mariner of the Seas will be rehomed in Miami, Florida embarking on a “Global Odyssey” from Asia that features three long sailings from Singapore to Dubai; Dubai to Barcelona; and Barcelona to Miami.

The different leg of this Global Odyssey are always so popular on P&O and Cunard’s World Cruises, I expect them to sell fast as the itineraries offer something different and the option to stay pre and post cruise in 2 different locations, something that is growing in popularity.

It will be interesting to see if Royal Caribbean chose to do more of these longer repositional cruises in the future knowing that the market is growing, and the opportunity to give guests the option to travel on different ships, rather that just repeating the same ships in the same seas, season after season.

The cruise giant is currently staggered it launch with the full 2018-19 deployment and prices going live will finish with the Australia and Singapore sailings will be open as of May 16, 2017.