Royal Caribbean delays Dynamic Dining roll-out

Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas

When Quantum of the Seas was launched late last year so to was Royal Caribbean’s concept of Dynamic Dining. Royal Caribbean replaced the main central dining room with a multitude of individual restaurants, comprising of a mix of complimentary and fee-charging restaurants. The intention was to create a more flexible dining set-up for guests where they could choose where to dine, when to dine and with whom on a day-by-day basis rather than being restricted to set times (early or late seating).

During her spell in dry dock last year the main dining room on-board Oasis of the Seas was redeveloped into the style of separate venues. It was intended that traditional main dining room system would be offered until March 2015 at which point Dynamic Dining would then replace it.

Recently, however, Royal Caribbean International confirmed that they are delaying the rollout to their Oasis-class ships until “late 2015”. Reports suggest this delay is to gather more guest feedback prior to help ensure a successful launch of the concept onto an older vessel for the first time.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean UK stated “Dynamic Dining is a strategic initiative for Royal Caribbean and based on the positive response from our guests, it is our intention to implement this program across as many of our ships as possible, as part of our Royal Advantage program — our ongoing commitment to offer the best experience in the industry to our guests."

This delay appears to only affect the retrospective rolling out of Dynamic Dining. It will not affect Anthem of the Seas which will launch with Dynamic Dining facilities in place in April. Allure of the Seas is expected to receive the same main dining room changes as sister ship Oasis of the Seas received when she goes into dry dock in May with the switch to Dynamic Dining following later in the year.

(Photo credit to Royal Caribbean International)

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Boy nearly drowns in pool on Oasis of the Seas

A four year old boy has been hospitalised after nearly drowning in a pool on-board Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.

Media reports suggest that at approximately 5.30pm local time a passenger discovered the boy submerged in a "wave pool" on Deck 15. It is believed that he was underwater for between five and ten minutes. A second passenger then pulled the boy from the pool where it was discovered he had no pulse.

CPR was administered and he regained a pulse but it was deemed that he needed further medical attention. The ship changed course and headed back to Port Everglades, Florida. The boy was then rushed to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Launderdale.

Mike Jachles of Broward Sheriff Fire and Rescue commented that the boy was "pulseless when found" and in "full cardiac arrest". “Aggressive advanced life support” was administered by the ship’s medical personnel according to Jachles during the sail back to port.

Authorities have not named the boy although Cynthia Martinez, a spokeswoman for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., confirmed to Sun Sentinel that the child was from Italy. He remains in a critical condition.

Oasis of the Seas set sail from Port Everglades at approximately 10.45 pm to continue with a seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary. Strictly speaking Oasis of the Seas is the second largest passenger cruise ship in the world at 225,282 gross tons (second to sister cruise ship Allure of the Seas). She has a maximum capacity of 6,296 guests and has a crew of approximately 2,400.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

A round-up of the cruise line January offers

The month of January is synonymous with sales and discounts, and the cruise industry is no different. Here is a round-up of the best cruise line offers.

Royal Caribbean is offering an all-inclusive drinks package on selected itineraries during 2015. They are also offering a buy-one-get-one-half-price offer on selected Caribbean itineraries whereby the rate for the second passenger is half that of the first. On top of this, they have reduced their deposit to £50 per person. These offers expire on 31 January.

Princess Cruises are celebrating their 50th anniversary with their Golden Deals offer. They too are offering a reduced deposit of £50 per person. They are also offering up to $50 per stateroom per day in on-board credit and up to 50% discount on third and fourth passengers sharing a cabin. These offers expire on 28 February.

Celebrity Cruises are running their 123Go! promotion. Book a concierge stateroom or above on selected 2015/16 itineraries and receive a free all-inclusive drinks package, free gratuities and up to $300 in on-board credit per cabin. Third and fourth guests booked into the same cabin will also receive a free soft drinks package and a 40 minute internet package  Book an ocean-view or balcony cabin on selected worldwide itineraries and choose from either the drinks package, free gratuities or on-board credit. Book an ocean-view or balcony cabin on selected European itineraries and choose two of these extras. These offers expire on 28 February and they require a specific promo code which can be found on their website.

Cunard Line is celebrating its 175th anniversary and is offering $500 per person in on-board credit on selected May to November 2015 sailings when you book the Cunard Fare. This offer expires on 28 February.

P&O Cruises are offering up to £1,580 per cabin in on-board credit on Select Price bookings to coincide with their ‘This is the Life’ promotion. This offer expires on 28 February.

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering up to $1,000 in on-board credit per stateroom in a short running offer. The amount offered depends on the duration of the cruise and the grade of cabin booked. This offer expires on 7 January.

MSC Cruises are offering up to £600 discount per cabin based on the brochure price together with free British Airways return flights from London on selected 2015 voyages. They are also offering a free drinks package on-board selected MSC Fantasia & MSC Magnifica sailings too. These offers expire on 5 March.

Carnival Cruise Line is running its “The Real Deal” promotion which offers up to two-category cabin upgrades and up to $100 in on-board credit per cabin based on the duration of the cruise on selected itineraries. These offers expire on 31 January.

Terms and conditions apply to all of these offers and these can be found on the respective cruise line websites. Offers may be subject to availability, apply to selected travel dates or itineraries and may not be combinable.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Cruise Critic 2015 predictions

Cruise Critic, a TripAdvisor brand, has revealed its predictions for the cruise industry for the forthcoming year, both globally and for the UK market.

CC is expecting a rise in supplementary offers, particularly for dining, spa and educational experiences. While full-board cruise tickets will still remain the industry standard, a greater emphasis will likely be placed on passengers spending more money on optional extras to upgrade their cruise holiday experience.

Cruise Critic also predicts an increase in special offers on new bookings, with value-added extras like free parking, on-board credit and cabin upgrades likely to be offered in key promotions throughout the year.

On-board entertainment is likely to go from strength to strength with cruise lines trying to offer the very best possible, such as award-winning artist performances, Broadway and Cirque-style shows, and comedy options geared toward more mature audiences.

As more cruise lines try to attract an increasing number of tech-savvy millennials Cruise Critic look forward to faster and more reliable internet services to be offered on-board. Expect more cruise ship related smartphone apps too.

Solo travellers are being targeted by cruise lines too, which should lead to more solo-specific cabins being offered or other improvements to reduce or eliminate the “single supplement” according to Cruise Critic. Expect more cruise lines to offer specific cruise entertainment programming for solo travellers too.

In terms of the British cruise market, Cruise Critic UK forecasts more choice when it comes to sailing from the UK thanks to P&O Cruises’ Britannia, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas and Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess all being home-ported in Southampton for the summer season next year.

They are also predicting a strong emphasis being placed on celebrity chefs, with Royal Caribbean showcasing Jamie Oliver’s restaurant on-board Anthem of the Seas and P&O Cruises presenting Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochar, Olly Smith, Eric Lanlard and James Martin on-board Britannia.

Family Vacation Critic, another TripAdvisor brand, predicts more child-friendly programs on cruise ships. It believes more children’s facilities will be upgraded during the year, together with the strengthening of branded partnerships including Carnival Cruise Line and Dr. Seuss, Princess Cruises and Discovery Channel, Norwegian Cruise Line and Nickelodeon, MSC Cruises and LEGO, as well as Royal Caribbean and DreamWorks. Family Vacation Critic also believes family suites will become more prevalent and travel in general will become more family-friendly over the course of the year.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Take a look at the new cruise ships arriving in 2015

The forthcoming year looks very promising for the cruise industry as five new vessels are scheduled to launch within the next twelve months.

The first to launch is P&O Cruises’ Britannia. At 142,000 gross tons the vessel will be the largest the cruise line has ever ordered. The line has opted for a contemporary interior décor design for this family-friendly ship. She boasts 1,837 cabins (including 27 single occupancy cabins), 26 bars, restaurants and cafés and four swimming pools. In a first for the cruise line every outside cabin will have its own private balcony. Britannia’s maiden voyage sets out on 14 March from Southampton.



Viking Star is the first ocean cruise ship from Viking Ocean Cruises, sister line to Viking River Cruises. The inaugural cruise commences on 11 April from Istanbul, Turkey on an epic 50-day voyage around the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. At 47,800 gross tons with a capacity of 928 guests, the luxury Viking Star is very much an intimate vessel. Highlights of the vessel include the aft infinity pool, alfresco dining options and the luxurious staterooms, each one with a private balcony.



On 22 April Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas will embark on her maiden voyage from Southampton. This Quantum-class vessel is expected to be almost identical to Quantum of the Seas which was launched in October of this year. The 168,666 gross ton vessel promises to be one of the most technologically-advanced cruise ships afloat. The ship will benefit from a modern contemporary décor and boasts 2,090 cabins (including 28 studio cabins). The Quantum-class ship will offer Dynamic Dining offering five complimentary main restaurants with a further eight additional-fee venues available.



Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions are looking forward to welcoming Le Lyrial to the fleet. The inaugural sailing will see the yacht sailing from Venice on 9 May cruising along the Adriatic and Dalmatian Coast. At a mere 10,944 gross tons, this luxury intimate yacht will offer just 122 staterooms and suites, each with private balconies, and will feature contemporary Mediterranean-inspired interior décor.

Ponant Le Lyrial

Lastly, on 25 October Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape will depart on her maiden voyage from Hamburg, Germany bound for Miami, USA via Southampton. The cruise ship is the first in the “Breakaway Plus”-class and it builds upon the success of the Breakway-class vessels. At 164,600 gross tons she will accommodate up to 4,200 passengers. She will boast the largest ropes course and aqua parks at sea, together with an expanded “The Haven” area and a range of dining venues at “678 Ocean Place”.



(Photo credit to Ponant Yacht Cruises & Expeditions; ©Philip Plisson)

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The best of the cruise offers this Christmas

Regal Princess at sea

Princess Cruises is running a “Christmas Cracker” promotion which offers both reduced fares and complimentary speciality dining on selected voyages. The offer is available on nearly 50 cruises, sailing between February and August 2015 to destinations including the Mediterranean, Alaska and Asia. The offer is applicable to qualifying itineraries booked between before 17 December . One speciality dining meal, up to the equivalent of up to $50 per couple, is available per stateroom in this promotion.

Meanwhile P&O Cruises is running a “Christmas has come early” promotion offering savings of up to £400 per cabin on selected itineraries. The savings apply to new P&O Cruises Select Price, Early Saver and Saver bookings made between 1 December - 14 December 2014 on selected departures between 6 February and 22 July 2015.

Celebrity Cruises is offering £100 of House of Fraser e-vouchers on new bookings made before 31 December 2014 for selected Caribbean sailings between January and April 2015. Alternatively, their “123 Go” offer runs until 28 February 2015 and offers guests staying in a Concierge grade stateroom or above on selected itineraries a choice of benefits including free drinks, free gratuities or free on-board credit. Book a Concierge Stateroom or above on selected cruise sailings between April 2015 and November 2016 and receive all three benefits. Alternatively book an Ocean-view cabin or above on selected cruise sailings and choose two of these benefits for selected European itineraries or one benefit for selected worldwide itineraries. Voucher codes are required for the 123 Go offer and can be found here and here.

Sister cruise line Royal Caribbean is offering all-inclusive drinks packages on selected sailings during 2015. Alternatively, their “Buy on get one half price” offer on selected Caribbean itineraries might be more tempting. Applicable to new bookings for 2015 Caribbean sailings of six or more nights, the second guest sharing a cabin pays half the cruise-only fare when the first guest pays full price. Both offers run until 31 January 2015.

Terms and conditions apply to all of these offers, and exclusions may also apply. A copy of the applicable terms and conditions for each offer is available on each of the websites linked above.

(Photo credit to Princess Cruises)

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Why Indy was down on power for three years

Independence of the Seas' three azipod propulsion units

Cruise ship Independence of the Seas was powered by only two of its three propellers for much of the time the ship was sailing from Southampton, it has been revealed.

A bearing failure on one of its three azipod propulsion units left the 3,600-passenger vessel dependent on the remaining two pods – electric motors attached to the outside of the hull replacing conventional shaft-driven propellers. Its top speed was restricted to 19.5 knots instead of the design maximum of 21.6 knots.

The unit’s failure came to light in a posting on the Facebook Cruise Lovers’ page. A contributor said the unit’s propellers were removed to prevent vibration, and that they were eventually replaced in visit to dry dock. The post added: “Three years of going forward and back over the Bay of Biscay with only two azipods is quite a feat.”

Royal Caribbean marketing and PR director Jo Briody confirmed the failure. She said: “Independence of the Seas has two azipods and one fixipod. Due to bearing failure, the blades of the fixipod were removed as a temporary measure to prevent further damage. The only resulting outcome was that the vessel was not able to reach its top speed.

“This does not provide any limitations as the ship sails in the Bay of Biscay. In fact, speeds of 19.5 knots were still attainable. The removal did not cause any delays or missed ports during Independence of the Seas' cruises.”

She added that full power was restored during a dry dock overhaul in April 2013.

Independence of the Seas left Southampton for the last time on November 1 and will spend the winter sailing in the Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From April 2015, it will be replaced on ex-UK sailings by brand new ship Anthem of the Seas.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

On the EDGE: Celebrity orders two new cruise ships

Celebrity Cruises has ordered two new ships to be built by the STX yard in France and scheduled for delivery in autumn 2018 and spring 2020.

According to last night’s announcement, the vessels, designated Project EDGE, will provide “small ship itineraries with large ship amenities” – although how this feat will be achieved remains to be seen.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO, said: “Our new class of ship will set the standard  for premium world travel and deliver the next generation of modern luxury experiences that our guests know and love.”

STX France is currently building Royal Caribbean’s Oasis 3 and has been contracted to build a new class of cruise ship for MSC Cruises. It built Norwegian Epic and Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. Bayley added: “STX designs and builds some of the most innovative and stylish cruise ships in the world. Project EDGE offers them the opportunity to set a new standard for modern iconic architecture.”

Celebrity said the vessels also represent a step forward in eco-friendly ship design, with improved fuel efficiency and extensive use of sustainable materials.

At 117,000 tons and carrying 2,900 passengers the new design is slightly smaller than the recent Solstice class. Four of the five Solstice ships are around 122,000 tons each and carry about 2,880 passengers. The most recent, Reflection (above), is 125,000 tons and can carry 3,050 passengers.

Celebrity, a division of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, also operates four Millennium-class ships built between 2000 and 2002, and carrying about 1,950 passengers each, plus a much smaller vessel, Celebrity Xpedition, carrying 90 passengers on cruises in the Galapagos islands.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

All change as cruise ships move between fleets

Last month was busy in terms of cruise ship transitions as Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises all sold off a cruise ship each.

A couple of weeks ago Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd announced it was selling Royal Caribbean International’s Majesty of the Seas to its Pullmantur brand in 2016. This was the final Sovereign class that Royal Caribbean International was operating, having previously sold-off Sovereign of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas to the Pullmantur brand in 2008 and 2013 respectively.

Pullmantur's Sovereign cruise ship

"Majesty of the Seas has created wonderful memories for millions of guests, and we expect this record of success to continue as she transitions to Pullmantur," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

This sale shows how much confidence Royal Caribbean International have in its larger vessels, such as the world’s biggest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, and technologically advanced Quantum of the Seas, fulfilling and sustaining demand for the cruise line.

Majesty of the Seas will bid farewell to the Royal Caribbean International fleet in April 2016.

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd also announced that they are to form a strategic partnership through SkySea Cruises with Ctrip.com designed to serve the Chinese cruise market.

Speaking of Ctrip, Exquisite Marine Ltd., a subsidiary of Ctrip International Ltd, has entered into an agreement to acquire Celebrity Century from Celebrity Cruises.

Cruising demand is booming in China right now and this move is designed to supply extra capacity to the market where it is needed.

Celebrity Century will bid farewell to the Celebrity Cruises fleet on 5th April 2015. She will be redeployed to Asia via a sailing from Dubai to Singapore.

Lastly, as John Honeywell reported last week, Princess Cruises has sold Ocean Princess to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which will be joining the Oceania Cruises fleet. The ship will undergo a 35-day refurbishment at a cost of $40 million (£25 million) transforming the vessel ready for fare-paying passengers in late April 2016.

This announcement from Oceania Cruises has fuelled speculation that Azamara Club Cruises is likely to make an announcement shortly about its fleet. Rumour has it that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd may opt for a new build rather than buying a second-hand vessel.

(Photo credit to Pullmantur)

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Beat the January blues with a Virgin cruise

Seven-night Dubai and the Emirates cruise on MSC Orchestra from £859pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers a seven night  Emirates on MSC Orchestra from Dubai calling at Abu Dhabi, Khor Al Fakkan, Muscat and Khasab. Price is per person based on two adults travelling, sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow and transfers. Based on 2 January departure.

14-night Orlando stay and Caribbean cruise on Carnival Sunshine from £899pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers seven nights at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando on a room only basis, before joining Carnival Sunshine for seven nights from Port Canaveral, calling at Cozumel, Mahogany Bay and Costa Maya. Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from Gatwick and car hire.  Based on 24 January departure.

13-night New York stay and Eastern Caribbean cruise on Quantum of the Seas from £1,699pp

Virgin Holidays Cruises offers three nights at the Hotel Beacon in New York on a room-only basis, before joining Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, for 10 nights from Cape Liberty, calling at San Juan, Charlotte Amalie, Bassetterre and Philipsburg. Price is per person based on two adults travelling and sharing an inside cabin on a full-board basis and includes Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow (including free Little Red connections) and transfers.  Based on 20 January departure on.

Subscribe to World of Cruising magazine here          Follow us on Facebook 

Adventure Cruising blog

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Cross the Atlantic on Anthem of the Seas for £799

Quantum of the Seas arrives in the UK today for the first – and possibly only – time, ready for a weekend being shown off to and being tested by some of the world’s media and travel trade partners.

Sister ship Anthem of the Seas (above) comes to Southampton in April 2015, and there are already deals on offer for her Transatlantic crossing to New York departing on 27 October.

Fares start at £799 pp for the nine-night cruise (including return flight to the UK) and an additional £299 secures a two-night stay in New York. The lead-in fare is for an inside cabin complete with virtual balcony – a wall-sized screen showing the view outside in real time. Outside cabins start at £899 pp and balconies are from £999.

Some of the other itineraries Anthem will be sailing during summer 2015 include a three-night cruise to Bruges and Le Havre departing 30 April from  £499 pp (ocean view) or £549 (balcony). An eight-night cruise to France and Spain, visiting Vigo, Gijon, Bilbao and Le Havre, departing 22 April, starts at £999 pp. A 13-night cruise to Vigo, Funchal, Lanzarote, Las Palmas and Tenerife, departing 15 September, from £1,699 (ocean view) and £1,899 (balcony).

The Quantum-class vessels are among the most technologically advanced cruise ships in the world, with first-of-a-kind features including dodgem cars, the NorthStar observation pod, a RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator, and robotic bartenders. The ships have also banished traditional main dining rooms and feature so-called Dynamic Dining in a number of themed restaurants.

That 27 October departure could be the last time we see Anthem in the UK - at present there are no plans for the ship to return to Europe. Details from Iglu Cruise  0208 544 6620.

Subscribe to World of Cruising magazine here          Follow us on Facebook 

Adventure Cruising blog

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Quantum of the Seas heading for the UK

Richard Fain (right) and Bernard Meyer at the handover of Quantum of the Seas

The most eagerly awaited new cruise ship of the year has been handed over by its builders and will soon be arriving in the UK.

Royal Caribbean chairman and CEO Richard Fain took delivery of Quantum of the Seas from Bernard Meyer, the managing partner of Germany’s Meyer-Werft shipyard. With Capt Srecko “Felix” Ban at the helm, the ship is heading for Southampton. After a weekend being shown off to media and trade partners from around the world, the ship will welcome its first paying guests on Sunday before setting out to cross the Atlantic to its home port In New Jersey.

The ship, carrying 4,180 passengers, will sail from New York harbour to the Bahamas and the Caribbean throughout the winter; next May it will relocate to Shanghai, China. Sister ship Anthem of the Seas, currently under construction at Meyer-Werft, will debut in Southampton in April 2015 and spend the summer cruising to the Mediterranean.

The ships are among the most technically-advanced in the world, with a micro-bubble air “lubrication” system claimed to make their passage through the water more efficient.  They also have advanced internet capability with 500 times more bandwidth than any other cruise ship.

Visibly spectacular are Quantum’s Ripcord by iFLY sky-diving simulator, the NorthStar observation pod – looking like a capsule from the London Eye on a giant arm – and the world’s first dodgem cars at sea.

Passengers can expect to be served cocktails by a pair of robot bartenders, and inside cabins have wall-sized flat screens creating “virtual balconies” by showing real-time pictures of the view outside the ship.

World of Cruising editor John Honeywell will be among the guests aboard Quantum this weekend. Check out this blog and our Facebook page for updates.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.