On Friday, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line received delivery of the world’s largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas. Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France were all on-hand for the flag-changing ceremony that took place at the STX France shipyard in St. Nazaire, France signifying the official delivery of the vessel.
Fain said,
“Symphony of the Seas is the latest example of how our people work to push the envelope of innovation with each new ship. The Oasis Class has been a trend-setting design, but the team has evolved the design to build on that success to provide even more incredible family adventures. We’re thankful to have a partner in STX France that is every bit as ambitious as we are about building technologically advanced ships.”
Weighing in at nearly 230,000 tons, Symphony of the Seas features many of the same designs and features as some of the other vessels in the Oasis class. Not only does this new ship feature the “world’s largest laser tag arena,” it will have a two-bedroom, two-level suite that includes a slide, a floor-to-ceiling Lego wall, air hockey, a movie-theater-style TV room complete with a popcorn machine! There is also a 212-square-foot wraparound balcony with a climbing wall feature, bumper pool table, and a whirlpool. For additional details and to see construction photos of the ship itself, check out this article.
Bayley said,
“It is a proud and exhilarating moment to welcome a new member to the family. Thanks to our stellar crew and partners at STX France, we now are ready to embark on this new boundless adventure that comes to life on Symphony of the Seas. Symphony will take family vacationing to an all new level with energy and options never before found in one place. This ship is the perfect blend of our greatest hits we know guests love and a lineup of vibrant, new restaurants, activities and unparalleled entertainment – all purposefully designed around vacationers’ preferences.”
With this new ship, Royal Caribbean will introduce an “app-based mobile check-in” that will be available in Europe and when it comes to North America.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the ship’s inaugural sailing departing on April 7, 2018 has already sold out. The ship will spend its first season cruising in the Mediterranean before it heads to Miami on October 28, 2018. The Symphony of the Seas will begin Caribbean sailings on November 9 with a seven-night cruise departing on November 17.
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News Source: Orlando Sentinel
Image Source: Royal Caribbean
